Lana Popham of the NDP was re-elected as MLA in Saanich South according to preliminary results Oct. 24. As of 11:30 p.m., Popham had received 7,641 out of 14,684 counted votes (52.04 per cent) with results from 90 of 92 polls reporting.

Rishi Sharma of the BC Liberal Party, with 3,667 votes, held a slim lead over Kate OB次元官网网址機onnor of the Green Party (3,376) in second spot.

B次元官网网址淚 did have a lot of great conversations about the confidence people had in how the government was handling the pandemic,B次元官网网址� Popham said just before midnight Saturday. B次元官网网址淚 really think that had a lot to do with the result the party had tonight.B次元官网网址�

While she wonB次元官网网址檛 accept the results as final until the mail-in ballots are counted by hand after Nov. 6, Popham said the preliminary results stemmed from her trying hard to connect with voters on issues of local importance. Those included fixing the water quality in Elk and Beaver lakes B次元官网网址� the province is matching funding with the CRD to install an oxygenator that will reduce annual blooms of blue green algae.

Campaigning in a pandemic meant a lot more phone calls to constituents than face-to-face conversations and Popham said it gave her a chance to speak more in-depth about issues with people.

Sharma said it was B次元官网网址渄isheartening to see the [preliminary] numbersB次元官网网址� showing Popham with the majority. A significant number of mail-in ballots remain to be counted, he said, adding many of those voters are older adults who wanted to avoid polling places amid the pandemic B次元官网网址� a demographic he B次元官网网址渮eroed in onB次元官网网址� while campaigning.

B次元官网网址淥ut of respect for those who voted by mail,B次元官网网址� Sharma said he wonB次元官网网址檛 be conceding. While he felt the snap election was a B次元官网网址渟ly fox moveB次元官网网址� that left other parties playing catch-up, Sharma congratulated the B.C. NDP on a strong campaign.

Just before 10 p.m. on election night OB次元官网网址機onnor told Black Press Media she was watching the results come in along with everyone else. Though she was B次元官网网址渄isappointedB次元官网网址� official results wonB次元官网网址檛 be available for some time, OB次元官网网址機onnor is pleased to have had the opportunity to show voters of all ages that B次元官网网址測oung people can and should have a place in politicsB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� a message she feels has resonated.

The 18-year-old added that her goal throughout the election has been to emphasize the importance of B次元官网网址渋ntergenerational leadershipB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址渃hallenge peopleB次元官网网址檚 idea of who should be in politics.B次元官网网址�

As of Oct. 23, 14,230 vote-by-mail packages had been issued to registered voters in Saanich South, where there are 38,954 registered voters.

Early voting for the 2020 provincial election has broken records, according to data released by Elections BC Thursday (Oct. 22).

Voting was B次元官网网址渞easonably busyB次元官网网址� at polling stations across the riding, said Susan Ross-Strocel, district electoral officer for Saanich South.

Many Saanich South polling stations including St. AndrewB次元官网网址檚 Regional High School, McKenzie elementary and Lakehill elementary were quieter than usual. Voters trickled in and out without much of a wait despite fewer voting tables to allow for social distancing.

Susan Ross-Strocel, District Electoral Officer for Saanich South, said all polling stations in the riding were B次元官网网址渞easonably busyB次元官网网址� through the day and noted that with many voters casting their ballots ahead of Election Day, flow through the stations has been steady.

B次元官网网址� Devon Bidal (@devonscarlett)

Andrew Watson, communications director for Elections BC, told Black Press Media that B次元官网网址渟afe voting has been the focusB次元官网网址� during this snap election. He noted that while turnout was steady through the morning, the B次元官网网址渞ecord turnoutB次元官网网址� for advanced voting and vote-by-mail meant that fewer people were voting on Election Day.

The agency said 681,055 people cast their ballot during seven days of advanced voting that ended Wednesday, compared to 614,389 in 2017. In 2013, there were 366,558 people who voted in advance and 290,220 in 2009, with fewer yet in earlier elections.

In Saanich South 7,918 people took advantage of advanced voting this election.

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Due to the pandemic, more British Columbians have decided to vote by mail-in ballot than ever before. Election results wonB次元官网网址檛 be finalized until after Nov. 6, when those mail-in ballots are counted. An estimated 14,230 mail-in ballots were requested by Elections BC within the Saanich South riding. There are 41,697 registered voters in the region.

Across B.C., a total 724,279 mail-in ballots were returned to Election BC, as of Friday, Oct. 23.

There are roughly 3.5 million registered voters in the province.

READ MORE: B.C. votes 2020

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EDITORB次元官网网址橲 NOTE: Due to the ongoing pandemic, Elections BC estimates that roughly 35 per cent of voters used mail-in ballots, which will be counted beginning on Nov. 6. This means the Oct. 24 election results may change.

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