Final counts in B.C. election due in days; high stakes for Liberals, NDP, Greens
VICTORIA — British Columbia’s final ballot count starts Monday to determine which party forms the province’s next government almost two weeks after election day, barring judicial recounts.
Christy Clark’s Liberals held a slight lead heading into the final count, needing only one riding to change in their favour for the slimmest of majority governments in the province’s 87-seat legislature. But the prospect of a minority government also looms large.
After the May 9 vote, the Liberals had 43 seats, New Democrats 41 and the Greens three.
All eyes over the next few days will be on the Courtenay-Comox riding on Vancouver Island where the NDP won by nine votes. The riding is the focus of an official recount as is Vancouver-False Creek, won by incumbent Liberal Sam Sullivan by more than 400 votes.