After deliberations in a Supreme Court hearing for the judicial recount that we be held in the Kelowna-Centre riding, it was decided that media will be permitted to observe the tabulations.
After the final count for the 2024 Provincial Election concluded on Oct. 28, it was announced that Elections BC will apply to have judicial recounts performed in the Kelowna-Centre Surrey-Guildford, ridings due to the razor thin margins.
There were 25,747 ballots cast for Kelowna-Centre MLA candidates but 34 of the votes were not counted as they were considered 'rejected ballots'.
Final counts showed a 38 vote difference between B.C. Conservative candidate Kristina Loewen, who secured 11,031 votes, and B.C. NDP candidate Loyal Wooldridge with 10,993.
On Oct. 30, Elections BC identified three out-of district ballots that had not been counted in Kelowna-Centre, bringing the margin to 40 votes.
A judicial recount is applied for in the Supreme Court if the difference between the top two candidates falls within 1/500 of the total ballots cast, as it does in Kelowna-Centre.
Justice Beames will oversee the judicial recount, which will take place in Kelowna on Nov 7.
She decided that accredited members of the media will be able to observe the recount process, which will involve more than 60 tabulators, scruiteneers, data collectors and counsel for both the B.C. Conservatives and the B.C. NDP.
