The votes are in but they are still being counted, in one of the tightest political races in B.C.’s history.

As it stands now, the NDP walked away with 46 seats, the Conservatives with 45 and the Greens with 2 seats. One has enough to form a majority, but that could change.

Several ridings required a recount as the margin of victory was less than 100 votes. Meaning all mail-in and out of district ballot as being counted now. However, we won’t know the full results until Oct. 26th.

What we do know for sure is who won in Northwest, B.C. The NDP’s Tamara Davidson held the riding of North Coast-Haida Gwaii, the only Northern, B.C. riding to go remain in NDP hands. After two previous attempts in in Federal politics, the Conservatives’ Claire Rattee was finally successful in the Skeena riding. 

And in Bulkley Valley-Stikine, former Mayor of Telkwa, Sharon Hartwell, unseated long-time NDP MLA and MP Nathan Cullen, who was also a cabinet minister in the previous provincial government, to claim that seat for the Conservatives.

It’s still unclear who will govern B.C. in the coming years, but for now we check-in with Sharon Hartwell in the Bulkley Valley, and Tamara Davidson about what their priorities will be once they reach Victoria. I spoke with Davison at the Crest hotel in Prince Rupert following the results on election night.