BC election 2024: Kootenay-Rockies

Kootenay-Rockies is a provincial riding located in the Kootenays and Okanagan regions.

This riding is currently represented by Independent MLA Tom Shypitka who first took office in 2017. Shypitka collected 9,897 votes, winning 57.9 per cent of the vote in the 2020 B.C. provincial election.

1:44 B.C. election: A look at Kootenay-Rockies riding

This is a riding to watch this election.

Shypitka is now running as an independent, after Conservative candidate Pete Davis refused to run in Columbia River-Revelstoke.

The NDP has won in this region before with Sam Atwal as the candidate. Shypitka and Davis are going after a smaller pool of voters than some other independent seats with weaker NDP candidates.

For many voters, their riding may have changed in this upcoming provincial election.

This riding was formally known as Kootenay from 1966 to 2001, East Kootenay from 2001 to 2009 and Kootenay East from 2009 to 2024.

Following the 2020 provincial election, the Electoral Boundaries Commission was required to complete a redistribution of seats.

After the final report was released, an act was passed in 2023 to increase seats in the B.C. legislature from 87 to 93. This includes four new ridings in the Lower Mainland, one on Vancouver Island, and one in the Interior.

In addition, 72 ridings had their boundaries adjusted. Forty-one ridings had their names changed.

Voters will decide who will represent Kootenay-Rockies during the upcoming B.C. provincial election on Oct. 19, 2024.

Visit this page on election night for a complete breakdown of up-to-the-minute results.