Polls close in rain-drenched British Columbia election

By Chuck Chiang, The Canadian Press on October 19, 2024.

A man wears an I Voted sticker at the Elections BC office in Victoria, B.C., on Sept. 25. Voters in British Columbia - at least those who are not among the one million people who already voted in advance - are going to the polls today to elect the next provincial government in a tight race between New Democrats and Conservatives. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

VANCOUVER – Polls have closed in British Columbia after a rain-drenched election day in much of the province.

Voters braved high winds and torrential downpours brought by an atmospheric river weather system that forced closures of several polling stations due to power outages.

Residents faced a choice for the next government that would have seemed unthinkable just a few months ago, between the incumbent New Democrats led by David Eby and John Rustad’s B.C. Conservatives, who received less than two per cent of the vote last election

Green Leader Sonia Furstenau has acknowledged her party won’t win, but she’s hoping to retain a presence in the legislature, where the party currently has two members.

Elections BC has said results are expected quickly, with electronic vote tabulation being used provincewide for the first time.

The election authority expects most votes to be counted by about 8:30 p.m., and that the count will be “substantially complete” within another half-hour.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2024.