In 2013: BC Liberal Mike Bernier won 46 per cent of the vote.
In 2009: Liberal incumbent Blair Lekstrom defeated NDP candidate Pat Shaw by over 2,500 votes which, in this sparsely populated riding, led to a 63-27 per cent victory.
History & Geography: The smaller of the two Peace River ridings, Peace River South was created in 1956. The towns of Chetwynd, Tumbler Ridge and Dawson Creek make up the bulk of the population in this riding that borders Alberta. It has gone to the Social Credit, Reform, and Liberals parties, but never the NDP.
Candidates
BC Liberals – Mike Bernier: Prior to entering provincial politics, the education minister served as mayor of Dawson Creek, and worked as manager of the South Peace for Pacific Northern Gas. He was first elected as a Dawson Creek councillor in 2005 before becoming mayor in 2008.
NDP – Stephanie Goudie: works at the Kenn Borek Aquatic Centre and the Dawson Creek Literary Society, and is Vice President of CUPE local 2403.
Greens: The Green Party does has not fielded a candidate in this riding as of yet.
2017 Stats: Peace River South
Population (2014): 28,104 (84th)
Population Deviation from Average: -47.1 per cent
Area: 30,364 sq km (12th)
Pop Density: 0.9 (80th)
Average Age: 38.2 years (75th)
English as Second Language: 8.20 per cent (85th)
Top 3 Second Languages:
German – 2.32 per cent
Tagalog (Pilipino, Filipino) – 0.66 per cent
Chinese, n.o.s. – 0.21 per cent