As the Federal party leaders wrapped up their election campaigns Monday night, it appeared likely that British Columbia voters will play a key role in determining which one gets the right to form Canada's next government. Here's a look at some of the key ridings in B.C. in the 2008 federal election:
Saanich-Gulf Islands
The home riding of Conservative cabinet minister Gary Lunn got a lot of attention during the campaign.
As the election wound down, the Conservative and Green parties filed official letters of complaint to Elections Canada about a "Shun Lunn" campaign aimed at ousting Lunn from his B.C. riding.
Both parties alleged Election Act violations against the Dogwood Initiative for its efforts to unify the left-of-centre vote behind the local Liberal candidate in Saanich-Gulf Islands.
Vote-splitting has played a role in the Saanich-Gulf Islands riding in the past, where the Liberals, Greens and NDP combined have traditionally received more votes than Lunn, who is seeking his fifth consecutive term.
The Liberal candidate, a former Green party member, is Briony Penn, who gained some measure of fame when she did a topless Lady Godiva ride in Vancouver to protest logging.
NDP's Julian West dropped out of the election three weeks ago after admitting to inappropriate actions during a skinny-dipping incident years ago.
Related links: Lunn faces dogfight in Saanich-Gulf Islands
Vancouver-Kingsway
Wendy Yuan wants to win this one badly for the Liberals.
She was one of two Liberals fighting for the party's nomination in Vancouver Kingsway in 2004. But she was asked to step aside so then-prime minister Paul Martin could parachute in star candidate David Emerson.
Then two years later, Emerson defected from the Liberals to the Tories.
Emerson's defection was never forgotten by many in the riding, and he faced constant protests whenever he returned.
But he isn't seeking re-election.
Don Davies is the NDP candidate and business owner Salomon Rayek is carrying the Tory banner.
Vancouver-Quadra
The riding on the west side of Vancouver was a huge battleground between the Liberals and the Conservatives during this campaign.
And even the Green party is expected to increase its vote total from the 2006 by-election that barely carried Liberal Joyce Murray to victory.
The Tories are relying on Deborah Meredith, a commerce lecturer at the University of B.C., while Dan Grice will again be the Green candidate.
Murray won the by-election in March by only 151 votes.
Surrey North
The Tories are counting on name recognition to win this riding from the NDP. The name is Dona Cadman and she is the widow of justice advocate Chuck Cadman.
The race has been highlighted by Cadman's reluctance to talk about the issues other than with local reporters.
And she adamantly refused to talk about a biography written by a local reporter in which she says the Tories made an offer of a $1 million life insurance policy if they could count on her husband's critical vote in Parliament.
The Liberal candidate is Marc Muhammud and the New Democrat is Rachid Arab.
Related links: Battleground B.C. Poll Tracker
Vancouver-Centre
Liberal Hedy Fry has been unstoppable in this riding that includes parts of downtown Vancouver and the West End.
But this time the five term leader is facing some tough competition in New Democrat Michael Byers, a writer and UBC professor.
Veteran politician Lorne Mayencourt, a two-term Liberal MLA in Victoria, assumed the Conservative banner federally.
The Greens will also get their share of votes with candidate Adriane Carr, who was the provincial leader and is now federal deputy leader under Elizabeth May.
Related links: New candidates put thorn in B.C. crown riding
Voting rule changes
Everyone -- from first-time voters to party leaders -- is affected by stiffer voting rules that take effect with this election. For the first time, voters require picture identification and proof of address to get into the polling place.
Elections Canada warns there may be some confusion about the change so longer line-ups are possible at the polls -- which opened at seven this morning and close at seven tonight.
Officials advise you to take your voter registration card to the poll and have your ID ready, to speed things up.
Watch live
Watch live streaming of Election 2008 starting at 7 p.m. PT
With files from The Canadian Press
