1996 British Columbia general election

Canadian provincial election

1996 British Columbia general election

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| <- 1991 | May 28, 1996 | 2001 ->

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<- outgoing members

elected members ->

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75 seats of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
38 seats were needed for a majority
Turnout| 59.11%[1] 4.92 pp
|  | First party  | Second party

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|  |
Leader  | Glen Clark | Gordon Campbell
Party  | New Democratic | Liberal
Leader since  | February 18, 1996  | September 11, 1993
Leader's seat  | Vancouver Kingsway | Vancouver-Point Grey
Last election  | 51 seats  | 17 seats
Seats won  | 39  | 33
Seat change  | 12  | 16
Popular vote  | 624,395  | 661,929
Percentage  | 39.45%  | 41.82%
Swing  | 1.26  | 8.58

* * *

| Third party  | Fourth party

Ref

PDA

Leader  | Jack Weisgerber | Gordon Wilson
Party  | Reform | Progressive Democrat
Leader since  | January 15, 1995  | December 5, 1993
Leader's seat  | Peace River South | Powell River-Sunshine Coast
Last election  | 0 seats  | pre-creation
Seats won  | 2  | 1
Seat change  | 2  | 1
Popular vote  | 146,734  | 90,797
Percentage  | 9.27%  | 5.74%
Swing  | 9.09  | 5.74

* * *

| Premier before election

Glen Clark
New Democratic

| Premier after election

Glen Clark
New Democratic

|

The 1996 British Columbia general election was the 36th provincial election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on April 30, 1996,[2] and held on May 28, 1996. Voter turnout was 59.1 per cent of all eligible voters.

New Democratic Party leader and provincial premier Mike Harcourt had resigned as the result of a fundraising scandal involving one of the members of his caucus. Glen Clark was chosen by the party to replace Harcourt. While polling prior to Harcourt's resignation had shown the NDP to be on-track for a landslide defeat, Clark was able to turn their fortunes around and led the party to a second majority government, defeating the Liberal Party of Gordon Campbell, who had become leader of the Liberal Party after Gordon Wilson had been forced out of the position because of his relationship with another Liberal member of the legislature, Judi Tyabji.

After Wilson was defeated by Campbell in the convention to choose a new leader, he and Tyabji left the Liberal Party to establish the Progressive Democratic Alliance. Wilson was able to win re-election, but Tyabji was not, who went down to defeat with all of the other candidates fielded by the new party.

The once-dominant Social Credit Party collapsed. It elected Grace McCarthy as its leader in 1993, but she was unable to make a bid to get into the legislature until 1994, when she lost a by-election in the longtime Socred stronghold of Matsqui. Soon afterward, four of its remaining six members defected to Reform BC, leaving Social Credit without official status in the legislature. One more seat was lost in a by-election, reducing the party's representation to one MLA, Cliff Serwa. Serwa retired before the election, however, leaving the party with no incumbents. Party leader Larry Gillanders withdrew from the race while the campaign was in progress, saying that all right-wing parties should unite to topple the ruling NDP. The Socreds won only 0.4% of the vote and were completely shut out of the legislature. While the party still nominally existed until 2023 (with a hiatus from 2013 to 2016), it never elected another MLA.

Reform BC held on to two of its four seats.

Although the Liberals won the largest share of the popular vote, most of their votes were wasted in the outer regions of the province, and it won only 8 seats in the Vancouver area. Additionally, they suffered from vote-splitting with Reform, the Progressive Democrats, and what little remained of the Socreds. These factors allowed the NDP to win 6 more seats than the opposition Liberals, eking out a majority government. This was the last election to return an NDP majority until 2020, 24 years later.

This was also the first provincial election held in BC since the voting age was lowered from 19 to 18 in 1992.[3]

## Opinion polls

[edit]

Evolution of voting intentions at provincial level  Polling firm  | Last day
of survey  | Source  | BCNDP | BCLP | RPBC | PDA | BCSC | Other  | ME | Sample

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Election 1996 | May 28, 1996  |  | 39.45  | 41.82 | 9.27  | 5.74  | 0.40  | 3.32  |  |
McIntyre & Mustel  | May 23, 1996  | [4] | 43.3 | 40.9  | 9.9  | —  | 0  | —  | 4.4  | 630
Angus Reid  | May 14, 1996  | [5] | 40  | 41 | 12  | —  | —  | —  | 3.5  | 800
McIntyre & Mustel  | May 11, 1996  | [6] | 45 | 35.4  | 14.7  | 1.7  | 0.5  | —  | 4.8  | 516
Angus Reid  | May 2, 1996[5] | [7] | 45 | 33  | 17  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —
McIntyre & Mustel  | May 1, 1996  | [8] | 44 | 36  | 16  | 1.6  | 1.4  | —  | 4.2  | 544
Election called (April 30, 1996)[2]
Evolution of voting intentions at provincial level  Polling firm  | Last day
of survey  | Source  | BCNDP | BCLP | RPBC | PDA | BCSC | Other  | ME | Sample

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|  |  |  |  |
Marktrend  | April 14, 1996  | [9] | 38 | 32  | 21  | —  | —  | —  | 4.4  | 503
Angus Reid  | March 12, 1996  | [10] | 40 | 38  | 16  | 3  | 1  | —  | 4.0  | 600
McIntyre & Mustel  | March 1996  | [11] | 38 | 38 | 20  | —  | 1  | 3  | —  | 295
MarkTrend  | February 23, 1996  | [12] | 29  | 38 | 27  | —  | —  | —  | 4.4  | 502
Viewpoints  | January 17, 1996  | [13] | 34.9  | 40.6 | 20  | —  | —  | —  | 2.5  | 1,600
MarkTrend  | January 1996  | [13] | 28  | 37 | 27  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —
Glen Clark becomes leader of the NDP and Premier (February 22, 1996)
Angus Reid  | December 12, 1995  | [14] | 35  | 40 | 22  | —  | —  | —  | 4.1  | 605
Mike Harcourt announces resignation as Premier and leader of the NDP (November 15, 1995)|[15]
Angus Reid  | November 8, 1995  | [16] | 24  | 49 | 22  | —  | —  | —  | —  | 805
McIntyre & Mustel  | March 1995  | [17] | 28  | 47 | 21  | —  | 2  | 3  | —  | 284
Jack Weisgerber becomes leader of the BC Reform Party (January 15, 1995)[18]
MarkTrend  | December 1994  | [19] | 25  | 41 | 28  | —  | —  | —  | 4.4  | 500
McIntyre & Mustel  | December 1994  | [20] | 31  | 42 | 20  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —
Viewpoints  | November 1994  | [21] | 30  | 42 | 22  | —  | —  | —  | —  | 2,000
McIntyre & Mustel  | September 1994  | [11] | 25  | 41 | 26  | —  | 5  | 3  | —  | 304
Angus Reid  | September 1994  | [22] | 30  | 44 | 19  | —  | —  | 7  | —  | —
McIntyre & Mustel  | June 5, 1994  | [23] | 21  | 39 | 28  | —  | 7  | 5  | 4.5  | 505
Viewpoints  | June 1994  | [24] | 30  | 39 | 24  | —  | —  | 3  | —  | —
Marktrend  | June 1994  | [24] | 23  | 38 | 34  | —  | —  | 3  | —  | —
Angus Reid  | March 1994  | [25] | 25  | 53 | 7  | 0.4[26] | 10  | —  | 4  | 600
| March 1994  | [27] | 25  | 38 | 21  | —  | 10  | —  | —  | —
Angus Reid  | December 1993  | [28] | 21  | 47 | —  | —  | 14  | —  | —  | 603
McIntyre & Mustel  | December 1993  | [29] | 20  | 49 | —  | —  | 18  | —  | 4.5  | 502
PDA founded (December 5, 1993)
Angus Reid  | September 1993  | [30] | 26  | 48 | —  | —  | 14  | —  | 4  | 600
Gordon Campbell becomes leader of the BC Liberals (September 11, 1993)
McIntyre & Mustel  | September 1993  | [31] | 27  | 50 | —  | —  | 19[29] | —  | 5  | —
Angus Reid  | June 1993  | [30] | 27  | 42 | —  | —  | 22  | —  | —  | —
Angus Reid  | March 10, 1993  | [32] | 42 | 32  | —  | —  | 17  | —  | 4  | 600
Angus Reid  | November 1992  | [32] | 31  | 47 | —  | —  | —  | —  | —  | —
Angus Reid-Southam News  | August 31, 1992  | [33] | 33  | 46 | —  | —  | 16  | —  | 8  | 176
Angus Reid-Southam News  | July 1992  | [33] | 48 | 32  | —  | —  | 11  | —  | —  | —
Election 1991 | October 17, 1991  |  | 40.71 | 33.25  | 0.18  | \-  | 24.27  | 1.59  |  |

## Results

[edit]

Elections to the 36th Legislative Assembly of British Columbia (1996)[34] Party  | Leader  | Candidates  | Votes  | Seats

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#  | ±  | %  | Change (pp)  | 1991 | 1996  | ±
| New Democratic | Glen Clark | 75 | 624,395 | 29,004 | 39.45  | -1.26 |

|  | 51  |

39 / 75

| 12
| Liberal | Gordon Campbell | 75 | 661,929 | 175,721 | 41.82  | 8.58 |  |

| 17  |

33 / 75

| 16
| Reform | Jack Weisgerber | 75 | 146,734 | 143,701 | 9.27  | 9.09 |  |

| –  |

2 / 75

| 2
| Progressive Democrat | Gordon Wilson | 66 | 90,797 | 90,797 | 5.74  | 5.74 |  |

| –  |

1 / 75

| 1
| Social Credit | Larry Gillanders | 38 | 6,276 | 345,384 | 0.40  | -23.65 |

|  | 7  |

0 / 75

| 7
| Green | Stuart Parker | 71 | 31,511 | 18,861 | 1.99  | 1.13 |  |

| Independent |  | 23 | 10,067 | 214 | 0.64  | −0.07
| Family Coalition |  | 14 | 4,150 | 2,840 | 0.26  | 0.17
| Natural Law |  | 38 | 2,919 | 2,919 | 0.18  | New
| Libertarian |  | 17 | 2,041 | 1,181 | 0.13  | 0.07
| Conservative | Peter B. Macdonald | 8 | 1,002 | 576 | 0.06  | 0.03
| Western Canada Concept | Doug Christie | 5 | 374 | 277 | 0.02  | −0.02
| Common Sense, Community, Family  | Ross Ellis | 5 | 291 | 291 | 0.02  | New
| Communist |  | 3 | 218 | 126 | 0.01  | 0.01
Total | 513  | 1,582,704  | 100.00%
Rejected ballots[1] | 9,951 | 20,782
Turnout[1] | 1,592,655 | 99,455 | 71.50% | 3.57
Registered voters[1] | 2,227,424 | 238,370

## MLAs elected

[edit]

Abbotsford: John van Dongen

Alberni: Gerard A. Janssen

Bulkley Valley-Stikine: Bill Goodacre

Burnaby-Edmonds: Fred G. Randall

Burnaby North: Pietro Calendino

Burnaby-Willingdon: Joan Sawicki

Cariboo North: John Wilson

Cariboo South: David Zirnhelt

Chilliwack: Barry Penner

Columbia River-Revelstoke: Jim Doyle

Comox Valley: Evelyn Gillespie

Coquitlam-Maillardville: John Cashore

Cowichan-Ladysmith: Jan Pullinger

Delta North: Reni Masi

Delta South: Fred Gingell

Esquimalt-Metchosin: Moe Sihota

Fort Langley-Aldergrove: Rich Coleman

Kamloops: Cathy McGregor

Kamloops-North Thompson: Kevin Krueger

Kootenay: Erda Walsh

Langley: Lynn Stephens

Malahat-Juan de Fuca: Rick Kasper

Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows: Bill Hartley

Matsqui: Mike de Jong

Mission-Kent: Dennis Streifel

Nanaimo: Dale Lovick

Nelson-Creston: Corky Evans

New Westminster: Graeme Bowbrick

North Coast: Dan Miller

North Island: Glenn Robertson

North Vancouver-Lonsdale: Katherine Whittred

North Vancouver-Seymour: Daniel Jarvis

Oak Bay-Gordon Head: Ida Chong

Okanagan-Boundary: Bill Barisoff

Okanagan East: John Weisbeck

Okanagan-Penticton: Rick Thorpe

Okanagan-Vernon: April Sanders

Okanagan West: Sindi Hawkins

Parksville-Qualicum: Paul Reitsma

Peace River North: Richard Neufeld

Peace River South: Jack Weisgerber

Port Coquitlam: Mike Farnworth

Port Moody-Burnaby Mountain: Christy Clark

Powell River-Sunshine Coast: Gordon Wilson

Prince George-Mount Robson: Lois Boone

Prince George North: Paul Ramsey

Prince George-Omineca: Paul Nettleton

Richmond Centre: Doug Symons

Richmond East: Linda Reid

Richmond-Steveston: Geoff Plant

Rossland-Trail: Ed Conroy

Saanich North and the Islands: Murray Coell

Saanich South: Andrew Petter

Shuswap: George Abbott

Skeena: Helmut Giesbrecht

Surrey-Cloverdale: Bonnie McKinnon

Surrey-Green Timbers: Sue Hammell

Surrey-Newton: Penny Priddy

Surrey-Whalley: Joan Smallwood

Surrey-White Rock: Wilf Hurd

Vancouver-Burrard: Tim Stevenson

Vancouver-Fraserview: Ian Waddell

Vancouver-Hastings: Joy MacPhail

Vancouver-Kensington: Ujjal Dosanjh

Vancouver-Kingsway: Glen Clark

Vancouver-Langara: Val Anderson

Vancouver-Little Mountain: Gary Farrell-Collins

Vancouver-Mount Pleasant: Jenny Kwan

Vancouver-Point Grey: Gordon Campbell

Vancouver-Quilchena: Colin Hansen

Victoria-Beacon Hill: Gretchen Brewin

Victoria-Hillside: Steve Orcherton

West Vancouver-Capilano: Jeremy Dalton

West Vancouver-Garibaldi: Ted Nebbeling

Yale-Lillooet: Harry Lali

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### Synopsis of results

[edit]

Main article: Results of the 1996 British Columbia general election by riding

Results by riding – 1996 British Columbia general election[35] Riding  | Winning party  | Turnout
[a 1] | Votes[a 2]

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Name  | 1991 | Party  | Votes  | Share  | Margin
#  | Margin
%  | NDP  | Lib  | Ref  | PD | Grn  | SC | FCP | NLP | Ind | Oth | Total
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Abbotsford |  | SC  |  | Lib  | 10,998 | 50.24% | 5,593 | 25.55% | 69.25% | 5,405 | 10,998 | 4,086 | 1,126 | 274 | – | – | – | – | – | 21,889
Alberni |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 7,398 | 52.01% | 2,299 | 16.16% | 73.32% | 7,398 | 5,099 | 823 | 578 | 195 | – | – | 58 | – | 72 | 14,223
Bulkley Valley-Stikine |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 4,779 | 37.02% | 1,053 | 8.16% | 71.05% | 4,779 | 3,726 | 3,473 | 624 | 151 | 155 | – | – | – | – | 12,908
Burnaby-Edmonds |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 9,912 | 46.45% | 1,142 | 5.35% | 70.63% | 9,912 | 8,770 | 1,008 | 1,067 | 387 | 120 | – | 77 | – | – | 21,341
Burnaby North |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 8,926 | 45.47% | 766 | 3.90% | 72.70% | 8,926 | 8,160 | 1,081 | 976 | 395 | – | – | 62 | – | 31 | 19,631
Burnaby-Willingdon |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 10,501 | 45.54% | 823 | 3.57% | 71.73% | 10,501 | 9,678 | 999 | 1,161 | 458 | – | – | 74 | – | 190 | 23,061
Cariboo North |  | NDP  |  | Lib  | 5,533 | 40.87% | 353 | 2.61% | 70.05% | 5,180 | 5,533 | 2,561 | – | 168 | – | – | – | – | 97 | 13,539
Cariboo South |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 6,372 | 41.45% | 322 | 2.09% | 70.88% | 6,372 | 6,050 | 2,684 | – | 267 | – | – | – | – | – | 15,373
Chilliwack |  | Lib  |  | Lib  | 9,273 | 37.90% | 3,284 | 13.42% | 68.57% | 5,989 | 9,273 | 3,237 | – | 232 | – | – | – | 5,736 | – | 24,467
Columbia River-Revelstoke |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 6,264 | 42.52% | 1,092 | 7.41% | 71.04% | 6,264 | 5,172 | 2,687 | 282 | 270 | – | – | 58 | – | – | 14,733
Comox Valley |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 13,230 | 42.76% | 2,509 | 8.11% | 72.86% | 13,230 | 10,721 | 3,451 | 1,039 | 1,296 | – | 398 | – | 804 | – | 30,939
Coquitlam-Maillardville |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 10,812 | 45.91% | 1,372 | 5.83% | 72.33% | 10,812 | 9,440 | 1,434 | 1,289 | – | 133 | – | 123 | – | 320 | 23,551
Cowichan-Ladysmith |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 12,249 | 49.85% | 4,466 | 18.18% | 73.97% | 12,249 | 7,783 | 2,434 | 1,459 | 645 | – | – | – | – | – | 24,570
Delta North |  | NDP  |  | Lib  | 9,305 | 45.50% | 648 | 3.17% | 74.88% | 8,657 | 9,305 | 755 | 1,385 | 347 | – | – | – | – | – | 20,449
Delta South |  | Lib  |  | Lib  | 13,415 | 58.78% | 7,431 | 32.56% | 74.55% | 5,984 | 13,415 | 1,371 | 1,215 | 333 | 200 | 304 | – | – | – | 22,822
Esquimalt-Metchosin |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 13,833 | 59.54% | 7,063 | 30.40% | 68.16% | 13,833 | 6,770 | 1,179 | 921 | 376 | – | – | 60 | 58 | 35 | 23,232
Fort Langley-Aldergrove |  | Lib  |  | Lib  | 12,005 | 47.30% | 4,636 | 18.26% | 76.09% | 7,369 | 12,005 | 3,484 | 1,737 | 472 | – | 316 | – | – | – | 25,383
Kamloops |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 10,135 | 44.30% | 862 | 3.77% | 69.56% | 10,135 | 9,273 | 1,721 | 1,241 | – | 508 | – | – | – | – | 22,878
Kamloops-North Thompson |  | NDP  |  | Lib  | 7,313 | 43.43% | 368 | 2.19% | 72.65% | 6,945 | 7,313 | 1,710 | – | 401 | 468 | – | – | – | – | 16,837
Kootenay |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 6,398 | 38.59% | 511 | 3.08% | 68.15% | 6,398 | 5,887 | 3,718 | – | 363 | – | – | – | 215 | – | 16,581
Langley |  | Lib  |  | Lib  | 9,277 | 46.62% | 3,482 | 17.50% | 73.19% | 5,795 | 9,277 | 3,224 | 1,195 | 262 | 148 | – | – | – | – | 19,901
Malahat-Juan de Fuca |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 10,686 | 48.63% | 3,130 | 14.24% | 72.91% | 10,686 | 7,556 | 1,887 | 1,061 | 601 | – | – | – | 98 | 84 | 21,973
Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 12,946 | 46.07% | 1,986 | 7.07% | 73.30% | 12,946 | 10,960 | 1,470 | 2,011 | 464 | – | – | 90 | – | 158 | 28,099
Matsqui |  | SC  |  | Lib  | 10,903 | 50.81% | 5,554 | 25.88% | 68.41% | 5,349 | 10,903 | 4,405 | – | 216 | – | 385 | 199 | – | – | 21,457
Mission-Kent |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 8,232 | 44.16% | 1,120 | 6.01% | 70.92% | 8,232 | 7,112 | 1,618 | 1,243 | 324 | – | – | – | 113 | – | 18,642
Nanaimo |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 11,210 | 48.75% | 3,538 | 15.39% | 69.79% | 11,210 | 7,672 | 1,867 | 1,337 | 486 | – | 311 | – | – | 113 | 22,996
Nelson-Creston |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 9,179 | 44.90% | 2,745 | 13.43% | 75.20% | 9,179 | 6,434 | 2,114 | – | 2,282 | – | 360 | 73 | – | – | 20,442
New Westminster |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 10,418 | 46.69% | 1,827 | 8.19% | 70.41% | 10,418 | 8,591 | 1,446 | 1,121 | 488 | – | – | 107 | 142 | – | 22,313
North Coast |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 7,298 | 64.82% | 4,399 | 39.07% | 63.33% | 7,298 | 2,899 | 830 | – | 232 | – | – | – | – | – | 11,259
North Island |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 8,385 | 45.80% | 1,604 | 8.76% | 69.55% | 8,385 | 6,781 | 1,776 | 887 | 479 | – | – | – | – | – | 18,308
North Vancouver-Lonsdale |  | NDP  |  | Lib  | 9,325 | 46.37% | 2,174 | 10.81% | 71.16% | 7,151 | 9,325 | 1,241 | 1,736 | 417 | – | – | 93 | – | 149 | 20,112
North Vancouver-Seymour |  | Lib  |  | Lib  | 14,165 | 56.35% | 7,489 | 29.79% | 76.91% | 6,676 | 14,165 | 1,737 | 1,713 | 645 | 105 | – | 44 | – | 54 | 25,139
Oak Bay-Gordon Head |  | NDP  |  | Lib  | 12,340 | 46.59% | 640 | 2.42% | 79.49% | 11,700 | 12,340 | 675 | 937 | 566 | 48 | 56 | 47 | 118 | – | 26,487
Okanagan-Boundary |  | NDP  |  | Lib  | 7,011 | 38.35% | 27 | 0.15% | 75.05% | 6,984 | 7,011 | 2,810 | 775 | 356 | 183 | – | 163 | – | – | 18,282
Okanagan East |  | Lib  |  | Lib  | 9,382 | 38.37% | 2,950 | 12.06% | 70.24% | 5,176 | 9,382 | 3,116 | 6,432 | 347 | – | – | – | – | – | 24,453
Okanagan-Penticton |  | NDP  |  | Lib  | 10,661 | 43.07% | 1,569 | 6.34% | 73.41% | 9,092 | 10,661 | 2,976 | 1,444 | 464 | – | – | 113 | – | – | 24,750
Okanagan-Vernon |  | SC  |  | Lib  | 9,776 | 39.06% | 2,279 | 9.11% | 71.03% | 7,497 | 9,776 | 5,356 | 1,839 | 334 | 227 | – | – | – | – | 25,029
Okanagan West |  | SC  |  | Lib  | 15,575 | 46.00% | 7,294 | 21.54% | 71.02% | 8,281 | 15,575 | 4,858 | 4,225 | 519 | 399 | – | – | – | – | 33,857
Parksville-Qualicum |  | NDP  |  | Lib  | 13,459 | 41.19% | 483 | 1.48% | 77.12% | 12,976 | 13,459 | 3,955 | 1,669 | 422 | – | – | 110 | – | 81 | 32,672
Peace River North |  | SC  |  | Ref  | 5,299 | 48.41% | 2,162 | 19.75% | 60.49% | 1,975 | 3,137 | 5,299 | 169 | – | 240 | – | – | 125 | – | 10,945
Peace River South |  | SC  |  | Ref  | 3,901 | 31.89% | 123 | 1.01% | 62.60% | 3,778 | 3,774 | 3,901 | 183 | 145 | 452 | – | – | – | – | 12,233
Port Coquitlam |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 14,767 | 46.37% | 1,457 | 4.58% | 73.48% | 14,767 | 13,310 | 1,335 | 1,789 | 417 | 124 | – | – | – | 102 | 31,844
Port Moody-Burnaby Mountain |  | NDP  |  | Lib  | 10,272 | 44.73% | 468 | 2.04% | 73.40% | 9,804 | 10,272 | 1,039 | 1,408 | 441 | – | – | – | – | – | 22,964
Powell River-Sunshine Coast |  | Lib  |  | PD  | 10,833 | 49.05% | 4,745 | 21.49% | 75.37% | 6,088 | 3,911 | 677 | 10,833 | 518 | – | – | – | – | 57 | 22,084
Prince George-Mount Robson |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 4,713 | 40.67% | 949 | 8.19% | 63.84% | 4,713 | 3,764 | 2,076 | 788 | 247 | – | – | – | – | – | 11,588
Prince George North |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 5,837 | 39.58% | 914 | 6.20% | 66.75% | 5,837 | 4,923 | 2,430 | 891 | 173 | – | – | – | 495 | – | 14,749
Prince George-Omineca |  | SC  |  | Lib  | 5,514 | 36.88% | 308 | 2.06% | 67.79% | 5,206 | 5,514 | 2,998 | 1,023 | 209 | – | – | – | – | – | 14,950
Richmond Centre |  | Lib  |  | Lib  | 9,925 | 55.52% | 4,202 | 23.51% | 68.67% | 5,723 | 9,925 | 614 | 996 | 235 | 154 | – | 38 | 65 | 126 | 17,876
Richmond East |  | Lib  |  | Lib  | 10,205 | 55.60% | 4,442 | 24.20% | 71.62% | 5,763 | 10,205 | 792 | 1,093 | 235 | 139 | – | 43 | – | 83 | 18,353
Richmond-Steveston |  | Lib  |  | Lib  | 9,643 | 56.65% | 4,602 | 27.04% | 74.36% | 5,041 | 9,643 | 556 | 919 | 188 | 88 | – | 38 | 450 | 99 | 17,022
Rossland-Trail |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 8,635 | 50.74% | 2,712 | 15.94% | 74.99% | 8,635 | 5,923 | 1,366 | 660 | 434 | – | – | – | – | – | 17,018
Saanich North and the Islands |  | Lib  |  | Lib  | 13,374 | 47.57% | 2,828 | 10.06% | 77.89% | 10,546 | 13,374 | 1,627 | 1,533 | 898 | – | – | 72 | – | 63 | 28,113
Saanich South |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 11,394 | 46.11% | 527 | 2.13% | 77.16% | 11,394 | 10,867 | 676 | 1,198 | 343 | – | – | 86 | – | 144 | 24,708
Shuswap |  | NDP  |  | Lib  | 8,596 | 34.55% | 727 | 2.92% | 72.79% | 7,869 | 8,596 | 5,617 | 1,325 | 237 | 221 | – | – | 1,014 | – | 24,879
Skeena |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 5,353 | 40.34% | 635 | 4.79% | 70.72% | 5,353 | 4,718 | 2,744 | – | 205 | 249 | – | – | – | – | 13,269
Surrey-Cloverdale |  | Lib  |  | Lib  | 14,297 | 48.27% | 5,466 | 18.46% | 74.75% | 8,831 | 14,297 | 2,690 | 2,417 | 366 | 306 | 709 | – | – | – | 29,616
Surrey-Green Timbers |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 10,278 | 50.11% | 3,348 | 16.32% | 69.40% | 10,278 | 6,930 | 1,183 | 1,150 | 228 | 114 | 255 | 32 | 101 | 241 | 20,512
Surrey-Newton |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 13,969 | 49.54% | 4,181 | 14.83% | 71.33% | 13,969 | 9,788 | 1,244 | 1,841 | 340 | 174 | 577 | 48 | – | 217 | 28,198
Surrey-Whalley |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 7,396 | 50.14% | 2,820 | 19.12% | 65.38% | 7,396 | 4,576 | 1,302 | 968 | 243 | 115 | – | 70 | – | 82 | 14,752
Surrey-White Rock |  | Lib  |  | Lib  | 18,039 | 58.04% | 9,824 | 31.61% | 75.89% | 8,215 | 18,039 | 2,519 | 1,110 | 677 | 226 | – | – | 295 | – | 31,081
Vancouver-Burrard |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 10,646 | 49.70% | 2,671 | 12.47% | 62.68% | 10,646 | 7,975 | 671 | 1,014 | 563 | – | – | 93 | – | 458 | 21,420
Vancouver-Fraserview |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 8,774 | 45.97% | 380 | 1.99% | 71.94% | 8,774 | 8,394[a 3] | 643 | 815 | 225 | 177 | – | 57 | – | – | 19,085
Vancouver-Hastings |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 9,894 | 54.01% | 3,549 | 19.37% | 67.96% | 9,894 | 6,345 | 568 | 824 | 486 | 137 | – | 64 | – | – | 18,318
Vancouver-Kensington |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 9,496 | 50.74% | 1,888 | 10.09% | 70.25% | 9,496 | 7,608 | 472 | 537 | 349 | 135 | 119 | – | – | – | 18,716
Vancouver-Kingsway |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 10,525 | 55.46% | 3,528 | 18.59% | 71.07% | 10,525 | 6,997 | 367 | 518 | 264 | 75 | – | 65 | 69 | 98 | 18,978
Vancouver-Langara |  | Lib  |  | Lib  | 11,038 | 60.20% | 5,523 | 30.12% | 68.66% | 5,515 | 11,038 | 519 | 839 | 337 | – | – | 89 | – | – | 18,337
Vancouver-Little Mountain |  | NDP  |  | Lib  | 12,036 | 50.25% | 2,646 | 11.05% | 68.32% | 9,390 | 12,036 | 489 | 1,062 | 714 | 85 | – | 82 | 96 | – | 23,954
Vancouver-Mount Pleasant |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 11,155 | 64.05% | 6,912 | 39.69% | 60.50% | 11,155 | 4,243 | 354 | 584 | 759 | 86 | – | 114 | – | 121 | 17,416
Vancouver-Point Grey |  | NDP  |  | Lib  | 12,637 | 48.86% | 1,563 | 6.04% | 71.03% | 11,074 | 12,637 | 406 | 857 | 683 | – | 62 | 76 | – | 70 | 25,865
Vancouver-Quilchena |  | Lib  |  | Lib  | 15,509 | 68.68% | 10,532 | 46.64% | 75.71% | 4,977 | 15,509 | 495 | 827 | 627 | 91 | – | 57 | – | – | 22,583
Victoria-Beacon Hill |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 11,960 | 52.51% | 4,324 | 18.98% | 68.17% | 11,960 | 7,636 | 654 | 1,093 | 1,008 | 96 | – | 64 | 73 | 194 | 22,778
Victoria-Hillside |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 11,585 | 53.32% | 4,723 | 21.74% | 67.53% | 11,585 | 6,862 | 979 | 1,227 | 790 | – | – | 97 | – | 188 | 21,728
West Vancouver-Capilano |  | Lib  |  | Lib  | 16,675 | 71.29% | 13,189 | 56.38% | 76.63% | 3,486 | 16,675 | 1,326 | 1,182 | 461 | – | 174 | 47 | – | 40 | 23,391
West Vancouver-Garibaldi |  | Lib  |  | Lib  | 12,326 | 57.17% | 6,038 | 28.00% | 73.03% | 6,288 | 12,326 | 1,430 | 693 | 532 | 98 | – | 36 | – | 159 | 21,562
Yale-Lillooet |  | NDP  |  | NDP  | 7,080 | 41.06% | 1,168 | 6.77% | 72.21% | 7,080 | 5,912 | 3,419 | 706 | – | – | 124 | – | – | – | 17,241

1. ^ including spoilt ballots
2. ^ parties receiving more than 1% of the popular vote, or fielding candidates in at least half of the constituencies, are listed separately. Family Coalition is also shown separately, as it received more votes than Natural Law while fielding fewer candidates.
3. ^ Gulzar Singh Cheema was previously a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba

= Open seat
= turnout is above provincial average
= winning candidate was in previous Legislature
= Incumbent had switched allegiance
= Previously incumbent in another riding
= Not incumbent; was previously elected to the Legislature
= Incumbency arose from by-election gain
= other incumbents renominated
= previously an MP in the House of Commons of Canada
= Multiple candidates

### Summary analysis

[edit]

Party candidates in 2nd place[36] Party in 1st place | Party in 2nd place | Total

|
|

NDP | Lib | PD
| New Democratic |  | 39 |  | 39
| Liberal | 32 |  | 1 | 33
| Reform | 1 | 1 |  | 2
| Progressive Democrat | 1 |  |  | 1
Total  | 34 | 40 | 1 | 75
Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party[36] Parties | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th

|
|
|
|
|

█ New Democratic | 39 | 34 | 2 |  |
█ Liberal | 33 | 40 | 2 |  |
█ Reform | 2 |  | 44 | 24 | 5
█ Progressive Democrat | 1 | 1 | 24 | 37 | 3
█ Green |  |  | 2 | 9 | 52
█ Independent |  |  | 1 |  | 4
█ Social Credit |  |  |  | 4 | 2
█ Family Coalition |  |  |  | 1 | 5
█ Libertarian |  |  |  |  | 2

### Seats changing hands

[edit]

Of the 75 seats, 23 were open, of which 21 had members who chose not to stand for reelection, and two arose from MLAs campaigning in another riding. Voters in only 20 seats changed allegiance from the previous election in 1991:

NDP to Liberal (12)

* Cariboo North
* Delta North
* Kamloops-North Thompson
* North Vancouver-Lonsdale
* Oak Bay-Gordon Head
* Okanagan-Boundary
* Okanagan-Penticton
* Parksville-Qualicum
* Port Moody-Burnaby Mountain
* Shuswap
* Vancouver-Little Mountain
* Vancouver-Point Grey

Social Credit to Liberal (5)

* Abbotsford
* Matsqui
* Okanagan-Vernon
* Okanagan West
* Prince George-Omineca

Social Credit to Reform (2)

* Peace River North
* Peace River South

Liberal to Progressive Democrat (1)

* Powell River-Sunshine Coast

|

Resulting composition of the 36th Legislative Assembly of British Columbia Source | Party

|

NDP | Lib | Ref | PD | Total
Seats retained | Incumbents returned  | 28 | 8 |  |  | 36
Open seats held  | 11 | 5 |  |  | 16
Ouster of incumbents changing affiliation  |  | 3 |  |  | 3
Seats changing hands | Incumbents defeated  |  | 8 |  |  | 8
Open seats gained – new MLAs  |  | 5 |  |  | 5
Open seats gained – taken by MLAs previously incumbent in another riding  |  | 2 |  |  | 2
Byelection gains held  |  | 2 |  |  | 2
Incumbents changing allegiance  |  |  | 2 | 1 | 3
Total | 39 | 33 | 2 | 1 | 75

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d "B.C. Voter Participation: 1983 to 2013" (PDF). Elections BC. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 28, 2019. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
2. ^ a b Haysom, Ian (May 1, 1996). "B.C. calls vote after budget". Calgary Herald. p. A3.
3. ^ "Electoral History of B.C." Elections BC. May 9, 2008. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
4. ^ McInnes, Craig (May 25, 1996). "B.C. vote too close to call, poll finds: Key to outcome may lie in how many Reformers opt for Liberals to block a win by NDP". The Globe and Mail. p. A13.
5. ^ a b "B.C. NDP, Liberals in dead heat poll shows". The Gazette. May 16, 1996. p. A9.
6. ^ McInnes, Craig (May 13, 1996). "NDP pads lead in B.C. campaign poll: Liberal Leader still slips as voters' pick for premier despite publicity efforts last week B.C. Poll". The Globe and Mail. p. A4.
7. ^ Haysom, Ian (May 6, 1996). "No one is ready to dismiss third-place Reform party". The Ottawa Citizen. p. A6.
8. ^ McInnes, Craig (May 3, 1996). "NDP climbs into lead in B.C. poll Support for opposition drops as new Premier pulls party past early-favourite Liberals". The Globe and Mail. p. A8.
9. ^ Hauka, Don (April 18, 1996). "Poll surge heartens NDP: Premier urged to drop writ as voters sour on Liberals". The Province. p. A5.
10. ^ Rowlands, Bob (May 16, 1996). "NDP, Grits in dead heat". The Times Colonist. p. 1.
11. ^ a b McInnes, Craig (May 3, 1996). "NDP climbs into lead in B.C. poll: Support for opposition drops as new Premier pulls party past early-favourite Liberals". The Globe and Mail. p. A8.
12. ^ "Poll shows NDP stalled". The Vancouver Sun. March 2, 1996. p. A18.
13. ^ a b "New poll shows NDP closing gap on Grits". The Times Colonist. January 24, 1996. p. A4, 1.
14. ^ Fong, Petti (December 18, 1995). "New Democrats surge ahead in latest B.C. poll". The Vancouver Sun. p. A1.
15. ^ Schreiner, John; Damsell, Keith (November 16, 1995). "B.C. premier quits after poll results". Financial Post. p. 5.
16. ^ "Grits likely next B.C. government". Times Colonist. November 12, 1995. p. 1.
17. ^ "Poll rains on hopes of NDP in B.C. Liberals get twice the backing no matter who takes over". The Globe and Mail. November 21, 1995. p. N4.
18. ^ Leyne, Les (January 15, 1995). "Weisberger elected leader on first ballot". Times Colonist. p. 1.
19. ^ Hunter, Justine (December 15, 1994). "Voters say they still prefer Liberals". The Vancouver Sun. p. B8.
20. ^ McLintock, Barbara (December 14, 1996). "NDP on rise, says survey". The Province. p. A12.
21. ^ Baldrey, Keith (November 25, 1994). "NDP's own poll puts Liberals in lead". The Vancouver Sun. p. B4.
22. ^ Kieran, Brian (January 15, 1995). "NDP facing an uphill election battle". The Province. p. A6.
23. ^ Austin, Ian; Hauka, Don (June 10, 1994). "Support grows for B.C. Reform: Gain from Grits: Poll". The Province. p. A12.
24. ^ a b "Two polls put B.C. Liberals on top". Times Colonist. June 4, 1994. p. 1.
25. ^ Smyth, Michael (March 19, 1994). "Poll: Grits leave NDP in distance". Times Colonist. p. 1.
26. ^ Hunter, Justine (March 19, 1994). "Harcourt's popularity on rise, poll says: Liberals still first with voters, Reform party shows gains". The Vancouver Sun. p. A3.
27. ^ Cernetig, Miro (March 10, 1994). "Socreds' collapse creates a political vacuum". The Globe and Mail. p. A4.
28. ^ Leyne, Les (January 6, 1994). "B.C. Liberals keep big lead in Reid poll". Times Colonist. p. 1.
29. ^ a b McLintock, Barbara; Colebourn, John (December 15, 1993). "Campbell's Grits No. 1: NDP, Socreds eat Liberals' dust". The Province. p. A6.
30. ^ a b Hunter, Justine (October 30, 1993). "Socred support plummets to only 14%, Reid poll shows". The Vancouver Sun. p. A6.
31. ^ McLintock, Barbara (September 10, 1993). "We like Gordon Campbell best, for now: Poll". The Province. p. A5.
32. ^ a b Baldrey, Keith (March 18, 1993). "B.C. Liberals dive in poll: Leader thought taking party down with him". The Vancouver Sun. p. A1.
33. ^ a b O'Neil, Peter (September 4, 1992). "Honeymoon over – or blip in poll". The Vancouver Sun. p. A4.
34. ^ Elections BC 2002, p. 21.
35. ^ Elections BC 2002, pp. 21–34.
36. ^ a b Summarized from "1996 Voting Results by Voting Area". Elections BC. Retrieved March 13, 2024.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Electoral History of British Columbia: Supplement, 1987–2001 (PDF). Elections BC. 1988. ISBN 0-7726-4789-5.
* Mutimer, David, ed. (2002). Canadian Annual Review of Politics and Public Affairs, 1996. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. ISBN 9781442672093.

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* Elections BC 1996 Election
* Losing the vote, winning the election, CBC video

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