NDP and Conservatives tied as election vote counting continues

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – The 2024 Provincial General Election results are still being tallied, as the New Democratic Party and Conservative Party of B.C. remain tied.

More than two million votes were cast on or before October 19th across the province, approximately 57 per cent voter turnout according to ongoing Elections BC election reporting. 

100 per cent of ballot boxes have reported their results to Elections BC, and absentee and vote-by-mail ballots will be counted over the coming week.

In Peace River North, Conservative candidate Jordan Kealy won the vote to become the next MLA, receiving more than 70 per cent of the vote on October 19th. In Peace River South Conservative candidate Larry Neufeld also won his race with approximately 70 per cent of the vote. 

Across the province, 40 members of the New Democratic Party (NDP), 40 members of the Conservative Party, and two Green Party members have been elected, with 11 electoral districts remaining to complete their reporting. 

Of those 11 remaining districts, the NDP are leading in six, and the Conservative Party are leading in five. 

Province-wide, the NDP have 44.6 per cent of the vote, and the Conservative Party are reporting 43.6 per cent. The remaining 8.2 per cent belong to the Green Party.

Eight electoral districts have reported win margins under two per cent, with five of those districts reporting a margin of less than one per cent. 

Regarding political party leaders, David Eby of the NDP and John Rustad of the Conservative Party won their ridings by 22.2 per cent and 20.7 per cent respectively.

The Green Party’s Sonia Furstenau lost her riding by 13.7 per cent to NDP candidate and Minister of Children and Family Development Grace Lore.

Of the 20 cabinet ministers, five lost their races, including Minister of Education and Child Care Rachna Singh, Minister of Agriculture and Food Pam Alexis, and Minister of State for Sustainable Forestry Innovation Andrew Mercier. 

While initial results are in, there are likely to be several recounts ahead of the final election result announcement, which is expected to come between October 26th and 28th.