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Donna Barnett re-elected MLA

Province-wide results unclear due to close ridings
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Donna Barnett was comfortably re-elected as the MLA for the Cariboo-Chilcotin with 7,710 votes or 59 per cent of the vote, despite feeling “nervous” earlier in the evening.

Provincially, the race was much tighter with the seat count bouncing back and forth between a tie (between the Liberals and the NDP) and a Liberal minority. Meanwhile, Green support increased substantially, taking home three seats, meaning they could hold the balance of power in a minority government. While the initial results indicate the province will likely see a minority government by the Liberals, the final results may have to wait for several days as absentee ballots, which aren’t included in initial counts, are counted and recounts are made that could flip the results in some ridings.

The initial counts are made by volunteers, while the official count is done by the District Electoral Officers says Lorne Landry, the District Electoral Officer for the Cariboo-Chilcotin.

After Lorne finishes the official count, which includes absentee ballots from other areas and are mailed to him in Williams Lake, Canada Post takes the ballots to a warehouse in Victoria.

“If it ever goes to a judicial recount, if the results are very close, then those boxes are considered,” he says.

Barnett says she was happy to be re-elected.

“I feel great. I’m very proud of our party, our premier. I’m proud of my colleagues. Those who are not successful, they worked hard, they deserved to win and they should not ever be ashamed of themselves. They’ve done a great job for the province,” said Barnett after the riding was called. “I thank all the voters of the Cariboo-Chilcotin for their confidence in me. I will continue to work as hard as I always have and I’d also like to thank my volunteers.”

Rita Giesbrecht, the Green candidate for the Cariboo-Chilcotin, was cheerful before the results came in.

“We have been feeling really, really stoked all day. We feel like we have altered the face of politics in the Cariboo-Chilcotin … We are declaring a win no matter what, based on what we have accomplished in the Cariboo-Chilcotin.”

After it became clear Barnett won the riding, Giesbrecht remained optimistic.

“Me getting a seat in Legislature obviously is the aim, I didn’t run for anything else. I ran to win, but on the other hand not winning does not mean that you throw in the towel… We’ll be continuing to push with that momentum going forward,” she said. “The Green Party is playing the long game because we feel like it’s worth it.”

At a provincial level, Green votes increased from 8 per cent in 2013 to 17 per cent in 2017. Locally, Green support jumped from 5 per cent in 2013 to 15 per cent in 2017.

Sally Watson, the NDP candidate for the Cariboo-Chilcotin, said she was proud of her performance.

“I believe that we did very well and I did well enough to try again,” she said, adding that all three local candidates worked hard. “We believed in different things and we did what we could for our constituents. I am proud of my volunteers. I am very proud of everyone who supported me.”

Provincially, the NDP won 40 percent of the vote, while locally the NDP won 3,434 votes or 26 per cent.