BC VOTES: Clovechok preliminary winner with 52 per cent of the vote

The Canadian Press has declared Doug Clovechok of the BC Liberal Party the winner of the Columbia River Revelstoke race.

Clovechok has preliminarily won with 2,754 of 5,278 counted votes, or 52.18 per cent with 35 of 77 polls reporting, as of 9:27 p.m.

Nicole Cherlet of the NDP won 1,853 or 35.11 per cent of the votes and Samson Boyer has 671 or 12.71 per cent of the votes.

As of Oct. 23, 3,019 vote-by-mail packages had been issued to registered voters in the riding. These will be counting in coming days with official results to be released after Nov. 6.

There are a total of 26,166 registered voters in Columbia River Revelstoke.

By around 11 p.m., results from the 77 ballot boxes in the riding were reported. According to this initial count, which does not include the mail-in ballots, Clovechok won with

UPDATE-9:16 p.m.

The polls are closed and ballots are being counted across the province.

In the Columbia River Revelstoke riding there are 77 ballot boxes.

As of 9:16 p.m. Elections BC is reporting results from 26 ballot boxes, for a total of 3,639 votes.

Doug Clovechok of the Liberal party is in the lead with 1,960 votes, followed by Nicole Cherlet of the NDP with 1,204 votes and Samson Boyer of the Greens with 475 votes.

In the 2017 election, Clovechok won with 6,620 or 45 per cent of the vote. The NDP candidate, Gerry Taft came in second with 5,248 or 36 per cent of the vote. Samson Boyer ran for the Greens in that election as well, ending up with 1,708 or 12 per cent of the vote.

This year the riding saw 6,662, of 26,166 registered voters, vote in the advanced polls, which ran Oct. 15-21.

However, with 3,019 vote-by-mail packages issued in the riding, official results are unlikely to be determined until after Nov. 6.

As the provincial results seem to be headed to an NDP majority, Clovechok is focusing on getting through the results here in Columbia River Revelstoke.

READ MORE: Horgan, NDP head for majority in B.C. election results

“My work is starting to pay off,” he said. “We did really well in Revelstoke, which was my biggest concern. Kimberley and Invermere are not in yet but we’re hopeful.”

Clovechok is watching the results at his home in Dutch Creek, with his family.

In Fairmont, Boyer is watching the results with his family. The pandemic has limited what is usually a gathering of supporters on election night.

Samson Boyer watches the election results with his family in Fairmont. (Submitted)

“Would it be crazy if I said I expect to win? I also have no expectations at all, it’s going to be interesting to see the results of an election during a pandemic and I’m sitting anxiously along with every other voter, I didn’t run any polls this year so I am as much aware as the average voter,” he said. “I’m just excited and eager to see what will come.”

Boyer said the campaign felt really rushed.

“It was really hard to organize and get out there but I’m glad that I did and I did the best I could given the circumstances. I’m proud to be here.”

READ MORE: B.C. VOTES 2020 MAP: Provincial election results, riding by riding

Boyer said one of the highlights of campaign season was being able to go out and speak with professionals in the field: climate experts, paramedics and doctors.

No matter who wins tonight, Boyer said he hopes the new MLA serves the community to the best of their ability.

https://www.facebook.com/nicolecherletndp/photos/a.117599350102986/131069965422591/

Black Press reached out to NDP candidate Nicole Cherlet and her campaign team as well.

*With Canadian Press files

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@RevelstokeRevue
editor@revelstoketimesreview.com
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