Candidates in razor-thin B.C. races could be waiting days for mail-in results
Wilson Miao has never run for elected office before.
But the 34-year-old marketing and communications specialist is both humbled and excited about the possibility of flipping his Richmond Centre riding from blue to red.
“I want to be the person that really makes a difference,” Miao told CTV News Tuesday afternoon.
“Just have to be patient and neutral,” he added, not wanting to celebrating until every vote is counted.
That’s because Miao’s race, where he’s leading Conservative incumbent Alice Wong, hinges on the mail-in vote.
Elections Canada puts the number of what it calls “voting kits received” in the riding as of midnight Monday into Tuesday at 4,810.
That number is before mail-in ballots are verified, which is when officials make sure, among other things, that voters haven’t cast multiple ballots, and that the person who requested the ballot is the person who voted.
“We’re doing it in a slow methodical way to make sure all the processes are followed,” said Elections Canada spokesperson Diane Benson.
Benson said the verification should be complete across Canada’s 338 ridings by the end of Tuesday, with the actual counting of mail-in ballots set for Wednesday.
“If there’s a really high volume it could be that the count goes on until Thursday or Friday,” Benson said.
Miao said he’s been told he should be prepared to wait until Saturday.
Another riding that’s too close to call according to the CTV News Decision Desk: Vancouver Granville, where Jody Wilson-Raybould first won as a Liberal in 2015, then an independent in 2019.
As of this writing, Liberal candidate Taleeb Noormohamed leads the NDP’s Anjali Appadurai by a mere 230 votes.
Elections Canada lists the number of “kits” received for Vancouver Granville at 6,275.
And pollster Mario Canseco, who calls the race “compelling,” said, in such a close race, knowing the approximate number of mail-in ballots doesn’t really help, when you don’t know where in the riding the ballots are coming from.
“You have three vast swaths of land,” he explained.
“One of them is heavily NDP, the other one is heavily Conservative, and the one that is closer to to Vancouver South tends to be more Liberal. So it's ultimately about getting out the vote.”
On Vancouver Island, Green Party incumbent Paul Manly is hoping mail-ins make a difference, but acknowledged on Twitter it would be hard to close that gap.
Manly currently tracks third behind his NDP and Conservative opponents.
Elections Canada puts the number of kits received in Nanaimo-Ladysmith at 7,575.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
RCMP uncovers plot to sell drones and equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
Demonstrators kicked out of Ontario legislature for disruption after failed keffiyeh vote
A group of demonstrators were kicked out of the legislature after a second NDP motion calling for unanimous consent to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh failed to pass.
BREAKING Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Keeping these exotic pets is 'cruel' and 'dangerous,' Canadian animal advocates say
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
Cherry blossoms blooming in Canada: Here's what to know
There is a swaying sea of colour in some cities across Canada, and it's a sure sign of spring: cherry blossoms are in bloom.
Murder charges filed against U.S. woman who crashed into building hosting birthday party, killing 2 kids
A Michigan woman was charged Tuesday with second-degree murder and other crimes after prosecutors say she drunkenly smashed her SUV into a boat club that was hosting a birthday party, killing two young siblings and injuring several other people.
Toronto's police chief clarifies initial statement on Umar Zameer acquittal, says he 'accepts' jury's finding
Toronto's Chief of Police has clarified a statement that he'd hoped for "a different outcome" made just after Umar's Zameer acquittal, telling reporters Tuesday he supports and accepts the jury's finding in the five-week trial.