Nine votes.

It was the margin of victory B次元官网网址� for now B次元官网网址� for NDP candidate Ronna-Rae Leonard, who topped the Courtenay-Comox polls in TuesdayB次元官网网址檚 provincial election with 37.15 per cent of the vote, edging Jim Benninger of the Liberals.

Leonard garnered 10,058 votes, Benninger 10,049, Ernie Sellentin of the Green Party 4,907 and Conservative candidate Leah McCulloch 2,061.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 no declaring a win, but man, we have a lot to celebrate,B次元官网网址� Leonard said at a post-election party at The Avalanche. B次元官网网址淚 just got a text from someone saying, B次元官网网址楶reventing a majority government is a real win.B次元官网网址� Across the province, the NDP has done such a tremendous job tonight. Thank you all so much for all your hard work. Tomorrow is another day, and letB次元官网网址檚 make it happen.B次元官网网址�

At the other end of town, Benninger was not ready to give up the fight.

B次元官网网址淣o - no conceding,B次元官网网址� he said, when Leonard was declared. B次元官网网址淣ine votes out of the number of votes cast - I think itB次元官网网址檚 too early. We have to wait for the process to play out. We have a lot of folks in our Valley that go down south and we caught a lot of them before they left, and they mail-in their ballots, and thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot to count, and with nine votes in the mix I think itB次元官网网址檚 worth waiting for.B次元官网网址�

In fact, a Benninger concession does not even apply.

According to Elections BC, B次元官网网址淏次元官网网址� if the difference between the first two candidates is less than 1/500 of the total ballots considered, the District Electoral Officer must make an application for a judicial recount.B次元官网网址�

The difference between Leonard and Benninger is less than 1/1,000.

The time, date and place of the judicial recount must be determined within the next 72 hours.

The mail-in and absentee votes will be counted May 22-24.

All election results will only become official after those counts are in.

While there arenB次元官网网址檛 enough mail-in and absentee votes to make a difference in most ridings, the Courtenay-Comox riding is one exception.

Benninger could not stress enough, the importance of the votes yet to be counted.

B次元官网网址淭hese are people that really took the time and effort who took the extra step to find out how to do the mail-in ballot, and so these people on both sides are very dedicated and I wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be surprised if we ended up in another dead heat,B次元官网网址� he said.

As for the ruling government, even that race was as close as it gets. Province-wide, the Liberals won 43 seats and the NDP 41.

Leonard a veteran

Leonard is no stranger to the political game. She served three terms on Courtenay council, and was the NDP candidate for Vancouver Island North in the 2011 federal election, where she placed second in voting behind John Duncan of the Conservatives. In 2014, she lost to Gord Johns at the NDP nomination meeting for the newly formed Courtenay-Alberni riding. Johns went on to unseat Duncan as MP in the 2015 federal election.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just as exciting (as the federal election),B次元官网网址� Leonard said. B次元官网网址淲e know Courtenay-Comox tends to have close races, and we like to keep voters up at night to see what the results will be. The boundaries changed, so it was anybodyB次元官网网址檚 game, really.B次元官网网址�

She likened the ebb and flow of Tuesday night to being in labour.

B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e wanting to be delivered. It comes in waves of feeling really good and wondering whatB次元官网网址檚 going to happen next.B次元官网网址�

As for priorities, Leonard said the NDP will be holding its platform forward, trying to ensure a more affordable life for British Columbians.

B次元官网网址淎nd build a better B.C. B次元官网网址� like weB次元官网网址檝e been promising all along.B次元官网网址�

Benninger hopeful

Benninger was happy with the campaign he ran.

B次元官网网址淚 was confident - we have a great campaign team, weB次元官网网址檝e done this before and we know how it works, and weB次元官网网址檙e just going to let it play out. This is a democracy and we will see where this goes with all of the processes - that includes the mail-in ballots and any other counts that need to be done. ItB次元官网网址檚 too early to tell at this stage, but we will be patient.B次元官网网址�

He is still hopeful his patience pays off.

B次元官网网址淵ou know, I think with nine votes in the mix, I think those mail-in votes will make the difference. IB次元官网网址檓 not sure if we can really say that we have a winner tonight. A couple of weeks out I still think itB次元官网网址檚 worth waiting for.B次元官网网址�

McCulloch proud

McCulloch, who ran for a leaderless party, said she was happy with her campaign.

B次元官网网址淚t wasnB次元官网网址檛 about number of votes for me. I ran from the heart on this campaign, and I was hoping people would respond to that. People tend to vote along party lines and I get thatB次元官网网址� but I had so many amazing comments, IB次元官网网址檝e been overwhelmed with the number of people who said, B次元官网网址榃e wish you were our candidateB次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 heartwarming, because I know I ran an honest campaign.B次元官网网址�

When asked whether she plans on staying in the political spotlight, McCulloch said itB次元官网网址檚 likely, in one capacity or another.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 going to be blunt - I donB次元官网网址檛 like politics. I (ran) because I believe that B.C. needs something different, and because people are hungry for something different.

B次元官网网址淭his has been an incredible experience for me. I think I ran an incredible campaign, on peanuts and no party backing. We have done an incredible amount with what little we had. What I have gained from this is incredible knowledge, and incredible resolve, for next time.B次元官网网址�

So there will be a next time?

B次元官网网址淧robably. IB次元官网网址檓 not ruling out other things. IB次元官网网址檝e spent my life serving people, and I will continue to do soB次元官网网址� My position is always one of service, and doing the best for my community.B次元官网网址�

Sellentin was unavailable for comment.