Foster Wins Third Term In Vernon-Monashee

Eric Foster has won his third term in Vernon Monashee, taking 48% of the vote, compared to 29% for the NDP’s Barry Dorval and 21% for Green Keli Westgate, the highest ever for the Greens in the riding.

Foster says the Liberal’s campaign message resonated with voters.

“The difference was our platform and the economy in the province, and what we’re proposing to do if we form government,” Foster tells Kiss FM.

The former Lumby mayor won by almost 4,900 votes, and actually increased his percentage support from 46 to 48 from the 2013 election.

The NDP slid from 33% to 29, while the Greens shot up from 6% to 21% with Westgate, an employee of Spa Hills Compost.

Don Jefcoat of the Libertarian Party had 313 supporters, or just over 1%.

Foster says housing will be his top priority locally, along with more jobs provincially, in his next term.

Dorval doesn’t blame a left-wing vote split for not winning.

“We’ll sure it lessened my chances to win, but the reality is, Keli is a very compelling candidate. She’s smart and well spoken,” says Dorval, an English teacher at Seaton Secondary.

Dorval was pleased to see the New Democrats do so well provincially.

“We’re going to have the possibility of significant change and reform in this province, particularly, I would hope, around electoral reform. That’s where everything can change,” adds Dorval.

Greg Kyllo posted a landslide win over the NDP candidate Sylvia Lindgren in the Shuswap.

“It wasn’t about winning this election, it was really about earning it. I hope the efforts I’ve put are indicative of the election results,” Kyllo told Kiss FM

Norm Letnick and Steve Thomson both won third terms in Kelowna ridings, with Christy Clark taking Kelowna West.

The two ridings in the South Okanagan stayed Liberal, as did both Kamloops ridings, with former mayor Peter Milobar winning Terry Lake’s former riding of Kamloops North Thompson.

Vernon-Monashee

Barry Charles Dorval BC NDP 7,588 29.26%
Eric Bailey Foster BC Liberal Party 12,473 48.10%
Don Jefcoat Libertarian 313 1.21%
Keli Westgate BC Green Party 5,557 21.43%

108 of 119 ballot boxes reported 25,931 100%

CLICK HERE for all the BC results from Elections BC.