British Columbians have gone to the polls on an election day marked by torrential rain and high winds across much of the province.
Here's the latest on the race to form the next provincial government between the New Democrats, led by David Eby, and John Rustad's sa国际传媒 Conservatives, with Green Leader Sonia Furstenau hoping her party can maintain a presence in the legislature:
7:20 p.m.
New Democrat Ravi Kahlon, sa国际传媒's housing minister, says he'll be in two locations tonight, starting at the NDP's election night headquarters at the Marriott Pinnacle Hotel ballroom in downtown Vancouver, then joining volunteers at his Delta North riding.
Kahlon says he did a lot of door knocking during the campaign and many people wanted to talk about housing.
He says he heard from many people who were supportive of the NDP's approach to building more affordable homes.
He says health care was also a top issue for voters.
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7:00 p.m.
Elections BC says at least three voting sites have been shut down due to power outages.
Two sites in Cariboo-Chilcotin in the sa国际传媒 Interior were closed, as well as one in the Lower Mainland riding of Maple Ridge East, with voters being redirected to other sites or asked to call the election agency for voting options.
Several sites in Kamloops, Langley and Port Moody, as well as on Hornby, Denman and Mayne islands, were temporarily shut due to power outages associated with wild weather but reopened by mid-afternoon.
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6:30 p.m.
Independent candidate Karin Kirkpatrick, who is running for re-election in the riding of West Vancouver-Capilano, says her campaign has been told voters who can't get to a location to cast their ballot because of the extreme weather may still be able to vote by phone.
Elections BC says telephone voting is available for voters in emergency or exceptional circumstances who are not otherwise able to vote by calling 1-800-661-8683.
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5:45 p.m.
An election-day storm stalled voting in several areas of the province.
Torrential rain and high winds knocked out power to voting places in more than half a dozen locations.
Voters on Haida Gwaii, on Denman, Hornby and Mayne islands, in Kamloops, the Bulkley Valley, Langley and Port Moody had to delay their votes because of power outages.
The lights remain out at Alexander Robinson Elementary school in the riding of Maple Ridge East and election officials are on site to direct voters to other polling stations.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2024.
The Canadian Press
