More than 50 per cent voter turnout shows Nanaimoites were engaged in the byelection, says a B.C. university professor.

Sheila Malcolmson won the Nanaimo riding for the NDP, beating out Tony Harris of the Liberal Party by 1,873 votes, with Michele Ney of the Green Party third in the vote count. Turnout for yesterdayB次元官网网址檚 byelection was 53 per cent, according to preliminary results from Elections B.C.

Michael Prince, professor of social policy at the University of Victoria, said he expected the voter turnout numbers to be higher than 53 per cent . He said the turnout is still very good for a byelection and that it indicates Nanaimoites didnB次元官网网址檛 suffer from voter fatigue, despite multiple elections and referendums in the last three years.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 healthy for a byelection and given the stakes in this one, it explains the turnout,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淧eople in Nanaimo were engaged.B次元官网网址�

Prince said the byelection results show the Green Party B次元官网网址済ot squeezedB次元官网网址� badly as voters mostly went for the NDP or the Liberals. He said the Greens, who saw support drop by roughly 12 per cent, likely had supporters vote for the NDP in an effort to keep the Liberals out.

B次元官网网址淚t was basically a two-party race with Sheila Malcomlson getting almost one out of every two votes and between her and Tony Harris, 90 per cent of the votes went to the two parties,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚n that kind of circumstance the Green got caught because people see it and frame it as a clear choice between two main parties.B次元官网网址�

Prince said it is hard to determine whether the Green PartyB次元官网网址檚 performance can be considered a major setback in the long or short term partly because it was a byelection and not a general election where 87 seats are available. He said the Greens should move forward from the result by attempting to distinguish themselves from the other parties.

B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檝e kind of been in the shadows and I think some people are wondering what their distinctive brand is and what their identity is,B次元官网网址� Prince said. B次元官网网址淚 think theyB次元官网网址榲e got time to rethink and refresh who they are and reconnect with their grassroots and see where they want to strategically pick a few issues and define and distinguish themselves from the other parties.B次元官网网址�

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The NDP, according to Prince, took the byelection seriously and didnB次元官网网址檛 just rely on the fact that the riding has mainly voted for New Democrats over the past 40 years. He said the NDP also had the advantage of being the party in power during the byelection, which allowed them to make significant announcements and promises throughout the campaign.

B次元官网网址淭hey took this very seriously and they made a couple of government announcements along the way, which is kind of new for the NDP to be contesting a byelection where they are actually the party in power,B次元官网网址� Prince said.

The last time a provincial byelection was held in the Nanaimo riding was in 1989. In that election, NDP candidate Jan Pullinger beat out Larry McNabb of the Social Credit Party, capturing 57 per cent of the vote. Voter turnout that year was 54 per cent, according to Elections B.C.

Prince said the NDPB次元官网网址檚 strategy of highlighting the Liberals mistakes over the last 16 years throughout their campaign was an effective strategy.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 still only a year and a half since the B.C. LiberalsB次元官网网址� four terms in power and so that 16-year message is still resonating,B次元官网网址� he said.

When it came to the Liberal Party, Prince said Tony Harris did a very good job for a first-time candidate. Harris managed to help increase the LiberalsB次元官网网址� share of the vote by nearly eight per cent. Prince said the Liberals shouldnB次元官网网址檛 be too disappointed by the loss even though a poll by Mainstreet Research on Jan. 27 suggested they could take the riding. He said he didnB次元官网网址檛 put much stock into the poll and doubts the party did either.

B次元官网网址淚 think their own numbers must have told them the NDP were going to hold it,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淏ut they grew their numbers respectably.B次元官网网址�

Based on WednesdayB次元官网网址檚 results, Prince said he doesnB次元官网网址檛 expect a general election to take place for at least a year, explaining that three major parties likely arenB次元官网网址檛 in the mood to force one in the near future.

B次元官网网址淚 think we are back to the d茅tente that weB次元官网网址檝e had over the last year or so,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪ure it is a razor-thin working relationship at the moment, but it doesnB次元官网网址檛 seem to be anybodyB次元官网网址檚 interest right now to call an election.B次元官网网址�

nicholas.pescod@nanaimobulletin.com
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