By Canadian Press

Crucial B.C. election recounts won’t start until Sunday afternoon

Oct 24, 2024 | 2:08 PM

VICTORIA — Voting officials say recounts in two ridings that could determine the outcome of British Columbia’s election won’t start until Sunday afternoon.

Elections BC says results of the Surrey City Centre recount will be posted on Sunday when it is complete, while the outcome from Juan De Fuca—Malahat will be posted on Monday.

The election agency also says in a statement that screening of uncounted absentee and mail-in ballots has identified 65,000 votes provincewide that will also be tallied from Saturday until Monday, up from the previous estimate of 49,000.

The initial count after the Oct. 19 election ended with neither Premier David Eby’s NDP nor the B.C. Conservatives led by John Rustad securing the 47 ridings needed for a majority.

NDP candidates had leads of fewer than 100 votes in Surrey City Centre and Juan De Fuca—Malahat after the initial vote count, triggering the manual recounts.

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Elections BC says a hand recount in Kelowna Centre, where the margin is wider, will also take place as a result of a one-vote transcription discrepancy, “likely due to election official error.”

The NDP was elected or leading in 46 ridings after the initial count, the Conservatives had 45, while the Greens won two.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 24, 2024.

The Canadian Press