Counting the absentee ballots from the May 9 election has not changed the parties’ standings.
The Liberals continue to have 43 seats, one short of a majority; the NDP 41 seats; and the Greens three seats. The Liberals will have the first opportunity to form government, however an NDP government is also a possibility.
“With 43 BC Liberal candidates elected as MLAs, and a plurality in the legislature, we have a responsibility to move forward and form a government,” Liberal leader Christy Clark said in a statement issued Wednesday afternoon. “The final result reinforces that British Columbians want us to work together, across party lines, to get things done for them.
“Our priority is to protect our strong economy and to manage B.C.’s finances responsibly, while listening closely to British Columbians on how we address important social and environmental priorities and how we can make B.C. politics more responsive, transparent, and accountable.”
BC NDP leader John Horgan also issued a statement, saying British Columbians voted for a change.
“British Columbians have voted overwhelmingly to replace Christy Clark’s Liberals with a new government that works better for families,” Horgan said. “They voted for better schools, shorter wait times for health services, to defend our coast and to fix our broken political system. The newly elected BC NDP team will be working hard every day to ensure British Columbians get a new government that works for them instead of just the wealthy and well-connected.”
