With 85 writs issued in 85 ridings Tuesday, British Columbia’s 41st election is officially underway.
All four B.C. Liberal incumbents on the North Shore are seeking re-election and each of the three main parties has nominated a slate of local challengers.
In West Vancouver-Sea to Sky, Jordan Sturdy is facing off against New Democrat Michelle Livaja and the B.C. Green Party’s Dana Taylor. There is also one independent candidate, Tristan Galbraith.
West Vancouver-Capilano MLA Ralph Sultan is running his fifth consecutive term in office with NDP’s Mehdi Russell and the Greens’ Michael Markwick seeking to unseat him.
In North Vancouver-Lonsdale, Naomi Yamamoto is hoping for re-election but faces a challenger in the NDP’s Bowinn Ma as well as the Greens’ Richard Warrington.
North Vancouver-Seymour’s Jane Thornthwaite is back on the ballot for a third time since 2009. The NDP has selected Michael Charrois as their candidate and the Greens have nominated Joshua Johnson. The B.C. Libertarian Party’s leader Clayton Welwood is also on the North Vancouver-Seymour ballot.
Capilano University political science professor Tim Schouls said voters can expect a classic showdown between the Liberals’ “free enterprise” message of low taxes and stimulating the economy against the NDP’s social democracy vision for bettering the lives of middle class and low-income British Columbians, while the Greens target the environmentalist vote.
Liberal leader Christy Clark’s campaign will likely focus on pocketbook issues, Schouls said.
“I suspect she’s going to say ‘Look at our record. We’ve done relatively well, all things considered,’” he said.
John Horgan, meanwhile, will have to compete by focusing on issues like the cost of housing, child care, and poverty.
“I think the rhetoric he’s going to probably use is that B.C. is a province for everybody, not just for the rich,” he said.
And the Greens are a growing X-factor in the election, Schouls noted, who will have to position themselves to the left of the NDP, which may result in vote splitting.
Schouls said he expects to see perhaps a couple of tight races on the North Shore, but he isn’t holding his breath for any of the ridings to flip from Liberal hands, given the North Shore’s long history of supporting the party. The last time a candidate from outside the Liberal Party won a riding here was David Schreck in 1991.
“From the perspective of today, I don’t think it’s likely – unless there are very strong candidates. Incumbency is a very, very strong thing,” Schouls said. “I would be very surprised if any of them are dislodged but you never know. I mean, look what happened in the last federal election.”
Also expect a dirtier election as the NDP’s strategy to campaign on their platform and not the Liberals’ scandals in 2014 “gained little traction,” Schouls said.
“It was their election to win and they lost it. But I don’t think that reflects well on parties when they engage in an exercise of mutual crucifixion. I think that sullies the otherwise good name of politics,” he said.
General voting day is May 9 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Advance voting is available on April 29 and 30, and from May 3 to May 6 at any polling station.
For those who have made their decision without having even seen the parties’ platforms yet, votes can be cast at any time throughout the campaign period at district electoral offices.
Those who aren’t yet registered but eligible can register or update their voter registration when they vote.
All voters must prove their identity and residential address to receive a ballot. A complete list of acceptable identification is available at elections.bc.ca.
