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Follow our BC Election 2024 live blog HERE throughout the night for the latest election news from across the province, and we’ll update this story with Okanagan and other riding results as they come in.

The BC Conservatives dominated the Okanagan and interior BC as well as the north on election night.

According to results late Saturday night, the party won 21 of 25 seats, including a loss to well-known NDP candidate Nathan Cullen in northern British Columbia.

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While the NDP also lost Boundary-Similkameen, it appeared to retain a seat in the Okanagan, where it had made a breakthrough in the last election, and two seats in the Kootenays and another in northern British Columbia

Those few seats appeared to help Prime Minister David Eby’s NDP win a narrow one-seat election victory.

BC Conservative leader John Rustad handily won his seat in Nechako Lakes, a rural area west of Prince George, a seat held for decades by the right-of-center party.

Border-Similkameen

BC Conservative candidate Donegal Wilson, a political newcomer, defeated the NDP’s Roly Russell, who won in 2020 during the COVID pandemic.

The previous four elections were won by the British Columbia Liberals, and the two before that were won by the NDP. The Liberals had changed their name to BC United in 2023 and then dropped out of the election in a shocking move designed to consolidate the right-of-center vote behind the BC Conservatives.

In a poll-reporting speech after her victory, Wilson promised to bring “common sense” back to B.C. to build a future that works for everyone.

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“To everyone who has told me they feel unheard – I hear you. I will be your voice in Victoria,” Donegal said. “I will continue to listen to you, meet with you and ensure that the rural communities of Boundary-Similkameen are represented.”

The riding area covers a vast area along the U.S. border and includes Princeton, Keremeos, Osoyoos, Oliver, Grand Forks, Christina Lake and Big White Ski Area.

A major problem in Boundary-Similkameen was the collapse of the nearly century-old BC Tree Fruits Cooperative, which bought, stored and sold much of the Okanagan’s tree fruit.

The cooperative sought protection from creditors after drowning in a mountain of debt exceeding $50 million. In a court case, the company was ordered to sell its assets, which included large fruit warehouses.

Under the NDP, the British Columbia government did not attempt to save the co-op, but provided an estimated $4 million in bridge financing to co-op members to ensure they would receive money owed to them for past harvests without having to wait, until the cooperative leaves the cooperative -The company’s credit protection process has been completed.

Another major issue was the closure of hospital emergency rooms in the riding. Communities in the riding, where agriculture, forestry, mining and tourism play a large role in the economy, also struggled with wildfires and floods.

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Vernon Lumby

NDP candidate Harwinder Sandhu had a narrow lead of several hundred votes in defending his seat against Conservative candidate Dennis Giesbrecht, a political newcomer.

With all but one poll counted, Sandhu had 11,518 votes to Giesbrecht’s 11,142 votes.

Former BC United candidate Kevin Acton, who ran as an independent, came in third with 15 percent of the vote.

Sandhu won the race for the NDP in 2020 after the eight previous elections were won by right-of-center parties, including the BC Liberals.

Kelowna Center

In the Kelowna Center election, Conservative candidate Kristina Loewen, a political newcomer, was ahead of BC NDP candidate Loyal Woodridge, a Kelowna city councillor, by just a handful of votes.

With all but one poll counted, Loewen had 10,739 votes to Woodbridge’s 10,592 votes.

Former BC United candidate Michael Humer, who ran as an independent, came in third with 10 percent of the vote.

Skeena

The BC Conservatives held Skeena in northwestern BC, with Claire Rattée winning for them. Rattée, a Kitimat councilor, defeated NDP candidate Sarah Zimmerman, a Terrace councilor.

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With all but one poll counted, Rattée had 6,171 votes to Zimmerman’s 5,283.

The relationship between the NDP and the right-of-center parties has fluctuated back and forth for decades. The last three elections were won by the British Columbia Liberals, but the previous three elections were held by the NDP.

Bulkley Valley Stikine

BC NDP candidate Nathan Cullen lost his seat. Cullen, who also served five terms as a federal NDP MP, was defeated by Conservative Sharon Hartwell, the former mayor of Telkwa.

With all but one poll counted, Hartwell had 4,874 votes to Cullen’s 3,599.

Peace River North and South

The two Peace River ridings were won by conservative candidates. Jordan Kealey won comfortably in Peace River North, and Larry Neufeld also won by a wide margin in Peace River South. Two independent candidates who were former BC United representatives placed second ahead of the NDP candidates.

Kootenay Rockies

Conservative Pete Davis defeated NDP candidate Sam Atwal and independent candidate Tom Shypitka, who had been the BC United representative. Shypitka had won the previous two elections as a BC Liberal.

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Read more of our BC election coverage in these communities:

• Vancouver
•Surrey
• Burnaby
• Richmond and Delta
• Langley
• North Vancouver and West Vancouver
• Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and New Westminster
• Maple Ridge and Port Moody
• Abbotsford and Chilliwack
• Okanagan and surrounding areas of BC
• Vancouver Island

RACE FOR BC: Follow our coverage of the 2024 BC election campaign HERE. Not a subscriber yet? Please click HERE for a special subscription offer.

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