Peter Milobar of the BC Liberals is projected to win in Kamloops-North Thompson
The riding has long served as a “bellwether” riding and has been won by the party that formed government in almost every election since it was formed in 1991.
The notable exception to that list was the 2017 election, which saw the BC Liberals win the most seats but lose power to an alliance between the BC NDP and the BC Greens. The Liberals also captured the seat in 1996, another election where the NDP lost the popular vote but formed government.
Milobar, the Liberal incumbent, took the seat for his party in 2017 with a strong showing, winning more than 48 per cent of the vote.
The NDP was the last competitive party in the riding in 2009, when candidate Doug Brown lost to former BC Liberal health minister Terry Lake by about 500 votes.
Kamloops city councillor Sadie Hunter ran for the BC NDP in the riding in the 2020 election.
The BC Liberals have strong roots in the city outskirts and Sun Peaks regions, while the NDP performs best in Kamloops’ urban centre.
Candidates
- BC Liberals: Peter Milobar
- BC NDP: Sadie Hunter
- BC Greens: Thomas Martin
- BC Conservatives: Dennis Giesbrecht
- Independent: Brandon Russell
Swing riding meter
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The BC Liberals have won this riding in six of the seven last elections, but the NDP has come close in at least one of those.
In 2017, Peter Milobar won with a comfortable margin of 17.97 per cent. It was the 40th closest out of 87 races across B.C., and the 18th closest of the 43 seats won by the BC Liberals.
2017 election results
- BC Liberal: Peter Milobar — 12,001 votes (48.32%)
- BC NDP: Barb Nederpel — 7,538 votes (30.35%)
- BC Green: Dan Hines — 4,573 votes (20.58%)
- Communist: Peter kerek — 166 votes (0.75%)
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.
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