Global News is projecting that BC Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau has been reelected in the riding of Cowichan Valley.
Fursteanau, who was selected as leader just a week before the election was called, campaigned hard on Vancouver Island, spending much of her time in her own riding.
She was first elected in 2017, when the Greens won three seats in a Vancouver Island breakthrough.
Prior to that, former party leader Andrew Weaver had been the only Green candidate ever to be sent to the B.C. legislature.
It is a crucial win for the Greens, as they seek to maintain their relevance after three years of holding the balance of power.
Both the BC NDP and BC Liberals felt they had a chance in the riding, and leaders John Horgan and Andrew Wilkinson each made campaign stops there.
In 2017, only 3,075 votes separated Furstenau from the third place BC Liberal finisher.
This year, the New Democrats nominated Rob Douglas, the North Cowichan municipal councillor and former director on the Cowichan Valley Regional District board.
The BC Liberals, meanwhile, nominated Tanya Kaul, a recreation programmer with the regional district and former caucus staffer.
The riding has only been around for three elections. The Greens won in 2017 and the NDP’s Bill Routley won in 2013 and 2009.
Known as Cowichan-Malahat from 1972 to 1986, and Cowichan-Ladysmith from 1991 to 2005, the riding has in total gone to the NDP in 12 of the last 15 elections.
You can find a full list of ridings and results here, and full B.C. 2020 provincial election coverage here.
Election Results 2017
BC Green: Sonia Furstenau — 11,475 votes (37.5%)
BC NDP: Lori Iannidinardo — 9,603 votes (31.3%)
BC Liberal: Steve Housser — 8,400 votes (27.4%)
Independent: Ian Morrison — 502 votes (1.6%)
Libertarian: James Anderson — 393 votes (1.3%)
Independent: Samuel Lockhart — 145 votes (0.47%)
Independent: Eden Haythornthwaite — 124 votes (0.4%)
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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