B.C. election 2020: Ben Stewart projected to retain seat in Kelowna West

Ben Stewart of the BC Liberals is projected to retain his seat in Kelowna West.

The riding remains among the safest BC Liberal seats in the province.

Former premier Christy Clark won the riding in a 2013 byelection after the BC Liberals won the 2013 provincial election — but Clark lost her own seat.

Stewart, who stepped aside for Clark, won the riding back in another by-election in 2018 after Clark resigned in the wake of her 2017 election defeat.

The riding was formerly known as Westside-Kelowna.

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Candidates

• BC Liberals: Ben Stewart
• BC NDP: Spring Hawes
• BC Libertarian Party: Matt Badura
• BC Greens: Peter Truch

Swing riding meter

The BC Liberals have won Kelowna West in every contest since it was formed in 2009 from portions of three other districts — all of which are also very Liberal friendly.

In the 2017 election, the Liberals won by a margin of 33.71 per cent. Only nine of B.C.’s 87 ridings saw the winner finish with a wider margin of victory. The Liberals won with a larger margin in just five ridings.

2018 byelection results

• BC Liberal: Ben Stewart — 8,406 votes (56.28%)
• NDP: Shelley Cook — 3,511 votes (23.51%)
• BC Greens: Robert Stupka — 1,893 votes (12.67%)
• BC Conservative: Mark Thompson — 1,006 votes (6.73%)
• Libertarian: Kyle Geronazzo — 121 votes (0.81%)

2017 election results

• BC Liberal: Christy Clark — 15,674 votes (58.98%)
• BC NDP: Shelley Cook — 6,712 votes (25.25%)
• BC Greens: Robert Mellalieu — 3,628 votes (13.64%)
• Independent: Brian Thiesen — 570 votes (2.14%)

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.