B.C. election 2020: Norm Letnick projected to win again in Kelowna-Lake Country

Norm Letnick of the BC Liberals has been projected to win again in Kelowna-Lake Country.

“I know it’s a privilege to serve, and I’m just honoured that the people of Kelowna-Lake Country have picked me again to be their voice in Victoria,” Letnick said.

“To watch the results come in through Zoom with your friends and supporters, not a big party and all the fanfare that goes with that, I’m feeling fine, but it’s bizarre,” Letnick said.

Moving forward, Letnick said his top priorities include fixing Highway 97 and Beaver Lake Road, ensuring a community health centre moves into Lake Country and improving safety in Kelowna’s Rutland neighbourhood.

4:00 B.C. election 2020: Extended interview with Kelowna-Lake Country projected winner Norm Letnick

The Central Okanagan riding is one of the BC Liberals’ safest seats in British Columbia.

The Liberals have held the seat since it was created in 1996 from the old district of Okanagan East.

Recent elections in the riding have not been competitive.

First elected in 2009, Letnick more than doubled the vote share of his closest competitor in the last two elections. He also won by more than 5,000 votes in 2009.

The BC NDP nominated Justin Kulik, a 19-year-old UBC Okanagan student who ran unsuccessfully for the NDP in the 2019 federal election.

2:28 How do you vote in the upcoming B.C. provincial election?

Candidates

• BC Liberals: Norm Letnick
• BC NDP: Justin Kulik
• BC Greens: John Janmaat
• Libertarian: Kyle Geronazzo
• Independent: Silverado Brooks Socrates

Swing riding meter

Kelowna-Lake Country is not considered a swing riding, and right-leaning parties have won here in every election for more than a century.

Letnick won here by a margin of 38.87 per cent in 2017. There were only two other ridings where the Liberals won by a larger percentage.

2017 election results

• BC Liberal: Norm Letnick — 13,834 votes (60.14%)
• BC NDP: Erik Olesen — 4,753 votes (20.66%)
• BC Greens: Alison Shaw — 4,416 votes (19.2%)

This profile will continually be updated to reflect latest information, interviews and events in the campaign.

Find full B.C. 2020 provincial election coverage here.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an unprecedented number of mail-in ballots were requested across B.C. this election. As mail-in ballots cannot be counted until after election night, these results are not final.