NDP candidate Wayne Stetski wins in Kootenay–Columbia by just 285 votes

It came down to the very last few polls, but NDP candidate Wayne Stetski has eked out a win against incumbent Conservative MP David Wilks in Kootenay–Columbia by a slender 285-vote margin. Stetski took home 23,529 (37.2%) votes to David Wilks’ 23,244 (36.8%).

Liberal candidate Don Johnston finished third with 12,315 votes (19.8%).

Green candidate Bill Green finished fourth with 4,115 (6.5%).

The lead changed hands several times through the night in what was a very dramatic contest for the large rural riding in Southeastern B.C.

Wilks has lost in a riding that had been a Conservative stronghold since the Reform revolution. In 2011, he took 55.9% of the vote, beating challenger Mark Shmigelsky of the NDP, who finished with with 33.2%

The biggest gains in Kootenay–Columbia were made by the Liberal Party, who built on a 3.5% showing in 2011 and brought that up to 19.5%. They fielded a strong candidate in Don Johnston, an executive in the non-profit sector who was once the CEO of the Columbia Basin Trust.

NDP supporters rally and watch election results in the basement of the Revelstoke United Church on Oct. 19. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

Although the riding was targeted by strategic voting organizations and there was lots of strategic voting talk, it’s hard to say what the effect was. The Liberals gained 16% over the last election, and it’s certain a lot of that gain came at the expense of the Conservatives, who dropped by 19.1%.

In Revelstoke, according to an unofficial count taken from NDP polling scrutineers, Wayne Stetski took 1,990 votes, Liberal Don Johnston took 1,092 votes, David Wilks took 963 votes and Bill Green took 291 votes. These numbers are not official — just one party’s tally.

Voter turnout was high in the riding. Voter turnout was 63,203 of the 85,653 registered electors. According to Elections Canada, 73.79% of registered electors voted. That’s up from 63.45 from the 2011 election.

The results are preliminary and not yet official.