In the Esquimalt-Metchosin riding B次元官网网址� which also includes Colwood B次元官网网址� Mitzi Dean (NDP), Andy MacKinnon (Green), Desta McPherson (independent), and RJ Senko (Liberal) are facing off. Learn more about these candidates here.

On voting day, incumbent NDP candidate Mitzi Dean told Black Press Media she felt her and her team had run a B次元官网网址済ood, solid campaign.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 have a wonderful team, my team is so supportive and supportive of each other,B次元官网网址� Dean said. B次元官网网址淎nd I love being in my community and talking to people and finding out whatB次元官网网址檚 important to them. I am asking for a second mandate because weB次元官网网址檝e made some progress and we want to continue the work.B次元官网网址�

B.C. Liberal candidate RJ Senko called his campaign a B次元官网网址渟print.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 did not get the nomination until about four days into the campaign,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭he gun went off and I wasnB次元官网网址檛 even on the track.B次元官网网址�

While there was a lot of virtual campaigning due to COVID-19, Senko said he also turned to some traditional campaign tactics.

B次元官网网址淧eople have been willing to engage, which is refreshing,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 want to represent this community, I love it and I think we need to move away from the left versus right political spectrum and do whatB次元官网网址檚 right for the people in the riding.B次元官网网址�

Here's BC Liberal candidate RJ Senko's speaking about his campaign just a few hours before polls close. On to go chat with another candidate!

B次元官网网址� Nina Grossman (@NinaGrossman)

Andy MacKinnon, a two-time Green party candidate for Esquimalt-Metchosin, said itB次元官网网址檚 been a B次元官网网址渧ery different kind of election.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲e put a lot more time and effort into social media campaigns and things like that,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 always happy when lots of people vote. I think the democratic process is really important. ItB次元官网网址檚 way more important to me that people get out and vote than they get out and vote for me.B次元官网网址�

MacKinnon echoed the stance of Green party leader Sonia Furstenau in condemning the decision to call an election.

B次元官网网址淚t was a surprise election of course,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚n my opinion [it was] a totally unnecessary election in an attempt by a government to gain a majority government. We went from zero to 100 kilometres per hour in no time at all. It was a bit frantic at the beginning.B次元官网网址�

Here's BC Green candidate Andy MacKinnon, who says he's feeling positive at the end of his campaign.

B次元官网网址� Nina Grossman (@NinaGrossman)

Independent candidate Desta McPherson was running for the first time.

B次元官网网址淲hen I got out to the people and started door-knocking, it was phenomenal, the response I got,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚t was such a good feeling.B次元官网网址�

Desta said she wants to be a B次元官网网址済ood, strong voiceB次元官网网址� for her community.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 going to let the people speak,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淎nd weB次元官网网址檒l go from there. But IB次元官网网址檓 not done by a long shot. One way or another, I am not done.B次元官网网址�

And time for Desta McPherson, independent candidate in the Esquimalt-Metchosin district.

B次元官网网址� Nina Grossman (@NinaGrossman)

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

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 the Esquimalt-Metchosin riding, 10,232 people cast advance ballots, of the 41,312 registered voters in the riding.

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 12,166 mail-in ballot packages were requested by voters in the Esquimalt-Metchosin riding.

The regionB次元官网网址檚 electoral officer told Black Press Media that some polling stations were busier than others and vote-by-mail numbers likely impacted the ridingB次元官网网址檚 overall turnout.

READ MORE:

Across B.C., a total of 724,279 mail-in ballots were requested and 497,900 have been returned to Elections BC, as of Friday, Oct. 23. This represents approximately 69 per cent.

There are roughly 3.5 million registered voters in the province.

Voter information cards sent by mail will provide the location of assigned polling stations in your community. If you did not receive a card, you can still vote, find your assigned polling station online at by using your postal code.

Black Press Media will be with you election day, bringing you live coverage of our local candidates as the poll results come in. Find coverage of the other Greater Victoria ridings by clicking the link below.

READ MORE: B.C. votes 2020

Seven ridings encompass Greater Victoria with a grand total of 27 candidates vying for your vote.

In Saanich North and the Islands, Zeb King, Adam Olsen, and Stephen Roberts are vying for your vote.

In Saanich South, Kate OB次元官网网址機onnor, Lana Popham and Rishi Sharma are on the ballot. Find the latest on Saanich South here.

In the Oak Bay-Gordon Head riding, Florian Castle, Nicole Duncan, Roxanne Helme, and Murray Rankin are vying for your vote. Find the latest on Oak Bay-Gordon Head here.

In Victoria-Swan Lake, Rob Fleming, Annemieke Holthuis, David Somerville, Walt Parsons, and Jenn Smith round out the ballot. Find the latest on Victoria-Swan Lake here.

Karen Bill, Grace Lore, Jenn Neilson, and Jordan Reichert are running in Victoria-Beacon Hill. Find the latest on Victoria-Beacon Hill here.

In the West ShoreB次元官网网址檚 other riding, Langford-Juan de Fuca, Gord Baird, Kelly Darwin, John Horgan, and Tyson Riel Strandlund are vying for your vote. Find the latest on Langford-Juan de Fuca here.

For more election coverage, go to .

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 that tonightB次元官网网址檚 election results may change.

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