2013 British Columbia general election

Canadian provincial election From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2013 British Columbia general election took place on May 14, 2013, to elect the 85 members of the 40th Parliament of British Columbia to the Legislative Assembly in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The British Columbia Liberal Party (BC Liberals) formed the government during the 39th Parliament prior to this general election, initially under the leadership of Premier Gordon Campbell then after his resignation, Christy Clark. The British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP) under the leadership of Carole James, and then Adrian Dix, formed the Official Opposition. The BC Green Party under the leadership of Jane Sterk and the BC Conservative Party under John Cummins were also included in polling, although neither party had representation at the end of the 39th Parliament.

Quick facts 85 seats in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia 43 seats needed for a majority, Turnout ...
2013 British Columbia general election
← 2009
May 14, 2013 (2013-05-14)
2017 →
85 seats in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
43 seats needed for a majority
Opinion polls
Turnout55.32%[1] Increase 4.33 pp
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Christy Clark Adrian Dix Jane Sterk
Party Liberal New Democratic Green
Leader since February 26, 2011 April 17, 2011 October 21, 2007
Leader's seat Vancouver-Point Grey (lost re-election) Vancouver-Kingsway Ran in Victoria-Beacon Hill (lost)
Last election 49 seats, 45.82% 35 seats, 42.15% 0 seats, 8.21%
Seats before 45 36 0
Seats won 49 34 1
Seat change Increase4 Decrease2 Increase1
Popular vote 795,946 715,999 146,607
Percentage 44.14% 39.71% 8.13%
Swing Decrease1.68pp Decrease2.44pp Decrease0.08pp
Popular vote by riding. As this is an FPTP election, seat totals are not determined by popular vote, but instead via results by each riding. Click the map for more details.
Premier before election

Christy Clark
Liberal

 Premier after election

Christy Clark
Liberal

Close

The Liberal Party won its fourth straight majority; Clark was defeated in her riding, but she was re-elected to the legislature in a subsequent by-election in Westside-Kelowna on July 10, 2013,[2] after Liberal MLA Ben Stewart stepped down on her behalf.[3] The NDP remained the official opposition, losing two seats, and the Green Party won its first-ever seat with future leader Andrew Weaver being elected in the Victoria-area riding of Oak Bay-Gordon Head.

Clark's Liberals had consistently trailed the opposition New Democrats by multiple percentage points in every public opinion poll throughout the campaign.[4] Even poll results released on the last day of the campaign suggested that the New Democrats had an eight to nine percentage point margin over the Liberals.[5] Only one pollster, Forum Research, had released a poll which suggested that the Liberals were close enough that a victory was even possible for them, although even that poll had the New Democrats ahead by two percentage points.[5] The Liberals' upset victory led to significant media debate about the quality of opinion polling in Canadian elections.

Timing

Section 23 of British Columbia's Constitution Act provides that general elections occur on the second Tuesday in May of the fourth calendar year after the last election.[6] As an election was held on May 12, 2009, the next election was scheduled for May 14, 2013. The same section, though, makes the fixed election date subject to the Lieutenant Governor's right to dissolve the Legislative Assembly as he or she sees fit.[6]

The writs were dropped April 16, 2013,[7] and the general election was held on May 14, 2013, with advance voting made available on May 8 through 11.[8]

Background

After leading the BC Liberals for 17 years, Gordon Campbell announced he would resign as Premier and party leader in November 2010. This was seen as the result of opposition to the Harmonized Sales Tax, which was very unpopular with voters.[9]

In the ensuing leadership campaign, Christy Clark, the eventual winner, suggested she would prefer to hold an election earlier than 2013 to secure her own mandate.[10] She was believed to be preparing her party for an election as early as autumn 2011.[11] However, due to the unfavourable result from the HST referendum, she decided to rule out an early election.[12]

Political parties

This is a list of political parties who ran candidates in the 2013 election:[13][14]

More information Party, Leader ...
Party Leader Expenditures[15] Notes
  British Columbia Liberal Party Christy Clark $11,740,241 The BC Liberals have formed a majority government since May 2001. With the resignation of party leader Gordon Campbell, the new party leader Christy Clark was selected on February 26, 2011.[16] The party claims it is independent of the federal Liberals and the federal Conservatives.
  British Columbia New Democratic Party Adrian Dix $9,090,489 Affiliated with the federal NDP, the BC NDP held power from 1972–1975 and 1991–2001. On April 17, 2011, Adrian Dix was chosen as the party leader in their 2011 leadership convention.
  Green Party of British Columbia Jane Sterk $177,660 The party is based on the belief in sustainability[17] and maintains a full policy platform.[18]
  British Columbia Conservative Party John Cummins $154,502 Having last won a seat in 1978, the Conservative Party has re-emerged as a minor party. According to polling in March 2013, the party holds less than one-third of the centre-right vote (shared with the BC Liberals). The party received a temporary boost when, on March 26, 2012, Abbotsford South MLA John van Dongen announced that he was leaving the BC Liberals to join the BC Conservatives, providing the party with its first representative in decades. Van Dongen shortly quit the party to sit as an independent on September 22, 2012.
  Advocational International Democratic Party of British Columbia Michael Yawney $2,780 The party was registered in 2006 and despite accumulating over two million dollars in assets the party did not nominate any candidates in the 2009 election.[19]
  British Columbia Party $0 A right-of-centre party[20] which did not nominate any candidates in the last election and only 2 candidates in the 2005 election.
  Christian Heritage Party of British Columbia Wilfred Hanni $2,111 The party is based in the supremacy of God and rule of law[21] and maintains a full policy platform.[22] It was founded in 2010 as the BC Heritage Party but changed its name to the Christian Heritage Party in 2012 when it developed ties to the federal Christian Heritage Party.
  Communist Party of British Columbia Samuel Hammond $1,375 As a provincial branch of the federal Communist Party of Canada, party advocates a communist ideology, including labour rights and limits to corporate control.[23] Active since 2001, the party nominated four candidates in 2001 and three in both the 2005 and 2009 elections.
  British Columbia Excalibur Party Michael Halliday $901 Founded in 2013, the party has developed an election platform.[24]
  BC First Party Salvatore Vetro $1,768 Founded in 2010, the party advocates for democratic reforms, including the use of referendums, free votes, and at-large elections for the position of Premier.[25] The party nominated a candidate in the 2011 by-election.
  Helping Hand Party Alan Saldanha Founded in 2011. The party is based on the belief "that helping others unconditionally provides for a meaningful existence" and intends to run only a single candidate, Alan Saldanha in Surrey-Newton.[26]
  British Columbia Libertarian Party $1,994 The party advocates for libertarian principles including protecting civil liberties and private property rights, legalizing drugs, and ending government controls on economic activity.[27] Active since the 1980s, the party nominated six candidates in both the 2005 and 2009 elections.
  British Columbia Marijuana Party Marc Emery $751 The party seeks to legalize marijuana. Active since 2000, the party nominated a full slate of candidates in 2001 and 44 candidates in 2005. The party endorsed the Green Party in the 2009 election but nominated one candidate regardless.
  Platinum Party of Employers Who Think and Act to Increase Awareness Espavo Sozo $0 Founded in 2005, the party advocates for government accountability.[28] The party nominated 11 candidates in the 2005 election but none in 2009.
  British Columbia Social Credit Party The once dominant conservative party last formed the government under Bill Vander Zalm and Rita Johnston but has not elected an MLA since 1991.[29] The party did not nominate any candidates in the 2009 election.
  Unparty: The Consensus-Building Party Michael Donovan $0 Founded in 2011, the party promotes consensus government over adversarial party politics.[30]
  BC Vision Jagmohan Bhandari $179 Founded in 2013, the party has developed an election platform that includes technology development, environmental conservation, public health, cross-generational communication, senior education, and fiscal responsibility.[31]
  Work Less Party of British Columbia Conrad Schmidt $9,420 The party seeks to legislate a 32-hour or four-day work week.[32] Active since 2003, the party nominated 11 candidate in 2005 and two in 2009.
  Your Political Party of British Columbia James Filippelli $1,884 The party seeks to reduce the influence of political parties on government and increase public review of government operations, inclusive of crown corporations and local governments. They maintain a full platform which includes making all campaign promises legally binding.[33] Active since 2002, the party nominated one candidate in 2005 and two in 2009.
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Results

More information Party, Leader ...
Elections to the 40th Legislative Assembly of British Columbia (2013)[34]
Party Leader Candidates Votes Seats
# ± % Change (pp) 2009 2013 ±
Liberal Christy Clark 85795,27443,613Increase44.13 −1.69
 
 49
49 / 85
 Steady
New Democratic Adrian Dix 85715,85524,291Increase39.72 −2.43
 
 35
34 / 85
 1Decrease
Green Jane Sterk 61146,68512,069Increase8.14 −0.07
 
 –
1 / 85
 1Increase
Conservative John Cummins 5685,63751,186Increase4.75 2.65
 
Independent 4649,30630,620Increase2.74 1.60
 
 1
1 / 85
 Steady
Libertarian 82,050564Increase0.110.02
BC First Salvatore Vetro 21,2751,275Increase0.07New
Excalibur Michael Halliday 6995995Increase0.06New
Vision Jagmohan Bhandari 4878878Increase0.05New
Christian Heritage Wilfred Hanni 2828828Increase0.05Returned
Marijuana Marc Emery 2766405Increase0.040.02
Your Political Party James Filippelli 2528193Increase0.030.01
British Columbia Party 3445445Increase0.02Returned
Communist Samuel Hammond 438944Decrease0.020.00%
Social Credit 1374374Increase0.02Returned
Helping Hand Party Alan Saldanha 1282282Increase0.02New
Unparty Michael Donovan 2244244Increase0.01New
Work Less Conrad Schmidt 2145177Decrease0.01−0.01
Advocational Michael Yawney 2137137Increase0.01New
Platinum Espavo Sozo 25656Increase–Returned
Total376 1,802,149 100.00%
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Vote and seat summaries

Ternary plots – shift of electoral support (2009–2013)
  • Ternary plot of 2009 results
    2009
  • Ternary plot of 2013 results
    2013
Electoral districts identified by colours of winning parties

MLAs elected

Synopsis of results

More information Riding, Winning party ...
Results by riding – 2013 British Columbia general election[35]
Riding Winning party Turnout[a] Votes[b]
Name 2009 Party Votes Share Margin
#		 Margin
%		 Lib NDP Grn Con Ind Oth Total
 
Abbotsford-Mission Lib Lib 10,41750.67%4,82623.48%56.63%10,4175,5911,8651,94661911920,557
Abbotsford South Lib Lib 9,56347.74%3,97719.85%55.77%9,5634,210––5,58667320,032
Abbotsford West Lib Lib 9,47350.65%4,04321.62%59.38%9,4735,4308771,7911,0824918,702
Alberni-Pacific Rim NDP NDP 10,56957.55%4,22823.02%58.22%6,34110,569–1,456––18,366
Boundary-Similkameen Lib Lib 8,49946.59%1,3867.60%61.85%8,4997,1131,602–1,030–18,244
Burnaby-Deer Lake NDP NDP 8,18948.48%9035.35%48.03%7,2868,1891,417–––16,892
Burnaby-Edmonds NDP NDP 9,25351.43%2,30312.80%49.00%6,9509,2531,573––21517,991
Burnaby-Lougheed Lib NDP 8,95244.26%7433.67%56.24%8,2098,9521,665–1,399–20,225
Burnaby North Lib Lib 10,54346.82%6682.97%55.03%10,5439,8751,577–523–22,518
Cariboo-Chilcotin Lib Lib 7,67956.18%2,93921.50%63.64%7,6794,740747–503–13,669
Cariboo North NDP Lib 5,86741.41%6034.26%59.77%5,8673,036––5,264–14,167
Chilliwack Lib Lib 9,98947.56%3,43816.37%55.85 %9,9896,5511,7662,515–18121,002
Chilliwack-Hope Lib Lib 10,05349.15%2,68913.15%57.38%10,0537,364–2,202833–20,452
Columbia River-Revelstoke NDP NDP 6,46348.26%1,61612.07%53.60%4,8476,4639211,162––13,393
Comox Valley Lib Lib 14,24844.27%1,7685.49%63.99%14,24812,4803,7181,740––32,186
Coquitlam-Burke Mountain Lib Lib 9,76649.90%2,45112.52%53.23%9,7667,3151,1441,071–27719,573
Coquitlam-Maillardville NDP NDP 9,93045.74%410.19%56.69%9,8899,9301,891–––21,710
Cowichan Valley NDP NDP 10,69640.14%1,3975.24%61.90%9,29910,6965,1021,223326–26,646
Delta North NDP Lib 9,61344.53%2030.94%59.94%9,6139,4101,3129832105821,586
Delta South Ind Ind 11,37647.80%2,65511.16%68.29%8,7213,700––11,376–23,797
Esquimalt-Royal Roads NDP NDP 10,96348.20%4,45219.57%58.23%6,51110,9634,928–343–22,745
Fort Langley-Aldergrove Lib Lib 15,98955.10%8,47829.22%60.53%15,9897,5112,2292,615672–29,016
Fraser-Nicola NDP Lib 6,00244.14%6144.52%61.52%6,0025,3881,314895––13,599
Juan de Fuca NDP NDP 12,33853.32%5,21822.55%58.07%7,12012,3383,682–––23,140
Kamloops-North Thompson Lib Lib 12,18352.06%3,04413.01%57.97%12,1839,139–1,644436–23,402
Kamloops-South Thompson Lib Lib 14,95657.11%5,75221.96%62.18%14,9569,204–1,603425–26,188
Kelowna-Lake Country Lib Lib 12,14956.78%6,84331.98%47.71%12,1495,3061,5912,351––21,397
Kelowna-Mission Lib Lib 13,68756.86%7,46631.02%53.58%13,6876,221–3,0511,113–24,072
Kootenay East Lib Lib 10,25262.99%4,22925.98%53.41%10,2526,023––––16,275
Kootenay West NDP NDP 11,34963.01%7,50841.68%56.92%3,84111,349––2,822–18,012
Langley Lib Lib 14,03951.44%6,63624.31%59.06%14,0397,4032,6083,242––27,292
Maple Ridge-Mission Lib Lib 10,32746.61%1,5076.80%57.91%10,3278,8201,8181,190––22,155
Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows NDP Lib 10,82445.49%6202.61%59.87%10,82410,2042,178–589–23,795
Nanaimo NDP NDP 10,82146.25%2,2539.63%57.96%8,56810,8212,5321,221253–23,395
Nanaimo-North Cowichan NDP NDP 11,54246.21%3,85715.44%61.11%7,68511,5423,4301,603718–24,978
Nechako Lakes Lib Lib 5,32453.79%2,58726.14%58.46%5,3242,7375101,253–749,898
Nelson-Creston NDP NDP 8,20050.73%3,62322.41%57.63%4,5778,2003,387–––16,164
New Westminster NDP NDP 13,17048.84%4,17315.48%57.81%8,99713,1702,2521,3181,03819026,965
North Coast NDP NDP 4,61756.72%1,92523.65%52.85%2,6924,617831–––8,140
North Island NDP NDP 11,88550.70%2,0028.54%57.28%9,88311,885–1,675––23,443
North Vancouver-Lonsdale Lib Lib 11,06045.47%1,1884.88%60.38%11,0609,8722,257833–30424,326
North Vancouver-Seymour Lib Lib 13,18650.92%4,66218.00%66.99%13,1868,5241,8971,2061,081–25,894
Oak Bay-Gordon Head Lib Grn 10,72240.43%2,95511.14%69.56%7,7677,53610,722492––26,517
Parksville-Qualicum Lib Lib 14,51850.13%3,78613.07%67.94%14,51810,732–3,710––28,960
Peace River North Lib Lib 7,90558.94%4,61834.43%51.47%7,9051,319–9003,287–13,411
Peace River South Lib Lib 4,37346.73%1,82719.52%49.89%4,3731,988–2,546451–9,358
Penticton Lib Lib 11,53645.85%1,3825.49%58.27%11,53610,154–2,288–1,18525,163
Port Coquitlam NDP NDP 11,75552.94%3,63516.37%57.26%8,12011,755–1,525–80522,205
Port Moody-Coquitlam Lib Lib 9,67546.39%4372.10%58.75%9,6759,2381,708––23720,858
Powell River-Sunshine Coast NDP NDP 13,12055.20%5,32822.42%63.24%7,79213,1202,856–––23,768
Prince George-Mackenzie Lib Lib 10,52455.58%4,03621.32%56.86%10,5246,4881,077845––18,934
Prince George-Valemount Lib Lib 11,29156.95%4,17521.06%56.56%11,2917,116–1,105–31419,826
Richmond Centre Lib Lib 9,46249.83%5,02626.47%43.65%9,4624,4361,6789612,3718218,990
Richmond East Lib Lib 11,59254.68%5,54526.16%47.58%11,5926,0471,1781,82738017521,199
Richmond-Steveston Lib Lib 12,13751.80%5,52923.60%55.39%12,1376,6081,8992,625–16223,431
Saanich North and the Islands Lib NDP 10,51533.27%1630.52%69.21%10,35210,51510,136–599–31,602
Saanich South NDP NDP 11,94645.55%2,69010.26%67.11%9,25611,9464,011873142–26,228
Shuswap Lib Lib 11,99247.92%4,59418.36%60.41%11,9927,3982,3383,232–6325,023
Skeena NDP NDP 5,60947.71%5224.44%55.85%5,0875,609–797–26311,756
Stikine NDP NDP 4,08147.11%90910.49%62.82%3,1724,081303533595148,662
Surrey-Cloverdale Lib Lib 18,05159.53%9,27430.59%57.79%18,0518,777–2,545949–30,322
Surrey-Fleetwood NDP Lib 8,97445.43%2001.01%55.72%8,9748,7741,147801–5919,755
Surrey-Green Timbers NDP NDP 9,38658.06%3,80523.54%52.32%5,5819,386655444–10116,167
Surrey-Newton NDP NDP 9,78856.42%3,18418.35%52.56%6,6049,788–674–28217,348
Surrey-Panorama Lib Lib 14,13954.29%4,83118.55%57.72%14,1399,3081,4781,03781–26,043
Surrey-Tynehead Lib Lib 9,17248.15%1,6338.57%52.13%9,1727,539–2,040–29819,049
Surrey-Whalley NDP NDP 10,40561.43%5,40131.88%46.28%5,00410,405–1,110–42016,939
Surrey-White Rock Lib Lib 15,09258.09%7,91230.45%64.73%15,0927,1802,3041,301–10525,982
Vancouver-Fairview Lib NDP 12,64947.32%1,3515.05%58.98%11,29812,6492,785–––26,732
Vancouver-False Creek Lib Lib 11,22852.21%3,24715.10%50.11%11,2287,9811,928–19917121,507
Vancouver-Fraserview Lib Lib 10,11846.74%4702.17%54.96%10,1189,6481,230653––21,649
Vancouver-Hastings NDP NDP 12,78259.51%6,84631.87%53.21%5,93612,7822,386––37421,478
Vancouver-Kensington NDP NDP 10,68751.37%2,72213.09%54.33%7,96510,6871,578572––20,802
Vancouver-Kingsway NDP NDP 10,40956.77%3,80920.77%48.96%6,60010,4091,327–––18,336
Vancouver-Langara Lib Lib 10,23452.60%2,78714.33%50.52%10,2347,4471,055674–4519,455
Vancouver-Mount Pleasant NDP NDP 13,84565.83%9,90347.09%49.77%3,94213,8452,506–26047821,031
Vancouver-Point Grey Lib NDP 11,49947.59%1,0634.40%58.97%10,43611,4991,6363927212824,163
Vancouver-Quilchena Lib Lib 14,49664.32%8,79139.00%59.45%14,4965,7051,667–671–22,539
Vancouver-West End NDP NDP 10,75556.81%5,40628.55%50.64%5,34910,7552,156–13254018,932
Vernon-Monashee Lib Lib 12,50346.34%3,27012.12%57.41%12,5039,2331,9053,169169–26,979
Victoria-Beacon Hill NDP NDP 12,69748.82%3,90115.00%58.67%4,38612,6978,796––13126,010
Victoria-Swan Lake NDP NDP 12,35054.49%7,09031.28%58.07%5,05512,3505,260–––22,665
West Vancouver-Capilano Lib Lib 15,77667.03%10,50944.65%60.47%15,7765,267–1,1561,01832023,537
West Vancouver-Sea to Sky Lib Lib 11,27552.50%4,30920.06%56.68%11,2756,9662,359653225–21,478
Westside-Kelowna Lib Lib 12,40558.07%5,81727.23%47.52%12,4056,588–2,368––21,361
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  = Open seat
  = turnout is above provincial average
  = winning candidate was in previous Legislature
  = Incumbent had switched allegiance
  = Previously incumbent in another riding
  = Not incumbent; was previously elected to the Legislature
  = Incumbency arose from by-election gain
  = other incumbents renominated
  = previously an MP in the House of Commons of Canada
  = Multiple candidates

Summary analysis

More information Party in 1st place, Party in 2nd place ...
Party candidates in 2nd place[36]
Party in 1st placeParty in 2nd placeTotal
LibNDPGrnConInd
Liberal 451349
New Democratic 32234
Green 11
Independent 11
Total 344521385
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More information Parties, 1st ...
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party[36]
Parties1st2nd3rd4th5th
█ Liberal 49342
█ New Democratic 34456
█ Independent 1311917
█ Green 1245112
█ Conservative 130241
█ Libertarian 24
█ Vision 22
█ Marijuana 2
█ Excalibur 12
█ BC First 11
█ British Columbia Party 11
█ Communist 1
█ Christian Heritage 1
█ Helping Hand Party 1
█ Social Credit 1
█ Your Political Party 1
█ Advocational 2
█ Platinum 1
█ Unparty 1
Close
More information Source, Party ...
Resulting composition of the 39th Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
SourceParty
Lib NDP Grn Ind Total
Seats retainedIncumbents returned 2427152
Open seats held – new MLAs 16319
Open seats held – taken by MLA previously incumbent in another riding 11
Byelection losses reversed 22
Ouster of incumbent changing allegiance 11
Seats changing handsIncumbents defeated 3216
Open seats gained 224
Total 49341185
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Voter turnout

Voter turnout was 57.1 percent, but varied from riding to riding. 10 of the 85 ridings had less than 50 percent voter turnout. Richmond and Kelowna were the only major cities with under 50 percent turnout.

  • Voter turnout in the 2013 BC general election
    Voter turnout in the 2013 BC general election

Retiring incumbents

Seats changing hands

8 incumbent MLAs lost their seats:

More information Party, Name ...
Party Name Constituency Year elected Seat held by party since Defeated by Elected party in 2013
  New Democratic Harry Lali Fraser-Nicola 2009 2009 Jackie Tegart   BC Liberal
  New Democratic Gwen O'Mahony Chilliwack-Hope 2012 2012 Laurie Throness   BC Liberal
  New Democratic Jagrup Brar Surrey-Fleetwood 2004 2009 Peter Fassbender   BC Liberal
  BC Liberal Harry Bloy Burnaby-Lougheed 2009 2009 Jane Shin   New Democratic
  New Democratic Joe Trasolini Port Moody-Coquitlam 2012 2012 Linda Reimer   BC Liberal
  BC Liberal Margaret MacDiarmid Vancouver-Fairview 2009 2009 George Heyman   New Democratic
  BC Liberal Christy Clark Vancouver-Point Grey 2011 2011 David Eby   New Democratic
  BC Liberal Ida Chong Oak Bay-Gordon Head 1996 1996 Andrew Weaver   Green Party
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Open seats changing hands

More information Party in 2009, Candidate ...
Party in 2009 Candidate Retiring incumbent Constituency Defeated by Elected party in 2013
  New Democratic Elizabeth Rosenau Michael Sather Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Doug Bing   BC Liberal
  New Democratic Sylvia Bishop Guy Gentner Delta North Scott Hamilton   BC Liberal
  BC Liberal Stephen P. Roberts Murray Coell Saanich North and the Islands Gary Holman   New Democratic
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Opinion polls

  • Voting intentions leading up to the 2013 election
    Voting intentions leading up to the 2013 election
  • Voting intentions since the 2009 election
    Voting intentions since the 2009 election
More information Opinion polling in the election period, Polling firm ...
Close
More information Opinion polling from 2009 to March 2013, Polling firm ...
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Notes

  1. [a]
    Including spoilt ballots
  2. [b]
    Parties receiving more than 1% of the popular vote, or fielding candidates in at least half of the constituencies, are listed separately.

References

Further reading

External links

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