The final B.C. Election vote count is in and the Liberals will have a minority government.
The Courtenay-Comox riding in question after the May 9th election has gone to New Democrat Ronna-Rae Leonard with a 189 more votes than Liberal Jim Benniger after three days of recounts and absentee ballots.
Leonard ended up with 10,618 votes to Benninger’s 10,470. The difference of 189 votes means a judicial recount will not be triggered. The initial vote count in the Courtenay-Comox was Leonard leading Benniger by 9 votes.
The final tally leaves Liberals with 43 seats, NDP 41, Greens 3, leaving the Liberals a seat below what is needed for a majority in an 87 seat legislature.
"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,” said Liberal Leader Christy Clark in a statement.
Province wide, Liberals won the popular vote count by 1,566 ballots.