5 former B.C. United MLAs ousted after running as Independents
A handful of incumbent MLAs running as Independents were hoping to win re-election, potentially shifting the balance of power in the legislature.
That didn’t happen.
Former B.C. United MLAs Karin Kirkpatrick (West Vancouver-Capilano), Coralee Oakes, (Prince George-North Cariboo), Tom Shypitka (Kootenay-Rockies), Dan Davies (Peace River North) and Mike Bernier (Peace River South) were hoping voters in their ridings will choose a third option and vote Independent.
None were elected and all five lost their seats to the B.C. Conservatives, according to the CTV News Decision Desk.
All of the candidates opted to run as Independents after Kevin Falcon announced he would be withdrawing all of the candidates that had been acclaimed for B.C. United in a move he explicitly said was meant to prevent vote-splitting on the right, setting up a tight, two-way race.
Only nine independents have been elected in B.C. since political parties were first listed on the ballot 121 years ago. However, the five incumbents running this time around were hardly political outsiders, all having won their ridings handily in 2020 before serving as members of the official Opposition.
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