Final B.C. election results won't be known until at least Sunday, could be as late as Monday

Recounts in British Columbia's Election to Begin Sunday Afternoon

Voting officials have announced that recounts in two pivotal ridings that could influence the outcome of British Columbia's election are set to start Sunday afternoon.

Following the initial count from the October 19 election, neither Premier David Eby’s NDP nor John Rustad’s B.C. Conservatives achieved the 47 ridings necessary for a majority.

Currently, 11 ridings remain too close to call. The B.C. NDP has been confirmed as the winner in 40 ridings and is leading in six, while the Conservative Party of B.C. has also won 40 ridings and is ahead in five. The B.C. Greens have secured two seats.

This situation means that the recounts and the counting of mail-in ballots could potentially grant either party a majority or require negotiations with the Greens to establish a government.

The election agency reported that the review of uncounted absentee and mail-in ballots has uncovered 65,000 votes across the province that will be tallied from Saturday through Monday, an increase from the earlier estimate of 49,000.

Additionally, a partial manual recount will take place in Kelowna Centre due to a one-vote discrepancy in the transcription from a single electronic tabulator, which is "likely due to election official error." However, this recount will only cover the votes processed by that specific tabulator, and the Conservative candidate currently leads by 148 votes. In contrast, the NDP holds narrower leads of 23 votes in Juan de Fuca-Malahat and 95 votes in Surrey City Centre.

Elections B.C. explained, "A ballot account is a form completed by election officials showing the number of ballots issued and the votes for each candidate, based on the tabulator results tape." They added, "While the tabulator in question [in Kelowna Centre] passed all testing and produced results accurately, a recount of the ballots counted by that tabulator will be conducted as a result of the ballot account error."

If the NDP retains one or both of the ridings in Surrey City Centre and Juan De Fuca—Malahat, the party could form a minority government with Green support. Conversely, if the Conservatives win both ridings, they will have a majority.

While the Greens could also back a Conservative-led minority government, significant ideological differences exist between the two parties.

The recount in Kelowna Centre was requested by NDP candidate Loyal Woodridge.

Elections B.C. stated, "Recount requests in Courtenay-Comox, Maple Ridge East, Oak Bay-Gordon Head, and Surrey-Guildford did not meet the requirements ... and were declined."

Updates on the tally of mail-in ballots in all districts will be posted on its website at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, as well as whenever a district's count is completed.

A small number of remaining absentee ballots, which represent about one percent of the over two million total ballots cast, will be counted on Monday, with results updated on the website hourly.

Elections B.C. noted, "Because of B.C.'s vote anywhere model, electoral districts are counting results for multiple electoral districts. This means that voting results will not be finalized until every district has finished counting."