1996 British Columbia general election

1996 British Columbia general election

←  1991 May 28, 1996 2001  →
←  outgoing members elected members  →
75 seats of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia 38 seats were needed for a majority
Turnout	59.11% [1] 4.92 pp
First party Second party   Leader Glen Clark Gordon Campbell Party New Democratic Liberal Leader since 1996 1993 Leader's seat Vancouver Kingsway Vancouver-Point Grey Last election 51 seats 17 seats Seats won 39 33 Seat change 12 16 Popular vote 624,395 661,929 Percentage 39.45% 41.82% Swing 1.26 8.58   Third party Fourth party   Ref PDA Leader Jack Weisgerber Gordon Wilson Party Reform Progressive Democrat Leader since 1995 1993 Leader's seat Peace River South Powell River-Sunshine Coast Last election 0 seats pre-creation Seats won 2 1 Seat change 2 1 Popular vote 146,734 90,797 Percentage 9.27% 5.74% Swing 9.09 5.74
Premier before election Glen Clark New Democratic Premier after election Glen Clark New Democratic

The 1996 British Columbia general election was the 36th provincial election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on April 30, 1996, ^[2] and held on May 28, 1996. Voter turnout was 59.1 per cent of all eligible voters.

New Democratic Party leader and provincial premier Mike Harcourt had resigned as the result of a fundraising scandal involving one of the members of his caucus. Glen Clark was chosen by the party to replace Harcourt. While polling prior to Harcourt's resignation had shown the NDP to be on-track for a landslide defeat, Clark was able to turn their fortunes around and led the party to a second majority government, defeating the Liberal Party of Gordon Campbell, who had become leader of the Liberal Party after Gordon Wilson had been forced out of the position because of his relationship with another Liberal member of the legislature, Judi Tyabji.

After Wilson was defeated by Campbell in the convention to choose a new leader, he and Tyabji left the Liberal Party to establish the Progressive Democratic Alliance. Wilson was able to win re-election, but Tyabji was not, who went down to defeat with all of the other candidates fielded by the new party.

The once-dominant Social Credit Party collapsed. It elected Grace McCarthy as its leader in 1993, but she was unable to make a bid to get into the legislature until 1994, when she lost a by-election in the longtime Socred stronghold of Matsqui. Soon afterward, four of its remaining six members defected to Reform BC, leaving Social Credit without official status in the legislature. One more seat was lost in a by-election, reducing the party's representation to one MLA, Cliff Serwa. Serwa retired before the election, however, leaving the party with no incumbents. Party leader Larry Gillanders withdrew from the race while the campaign was in progress, saying that all right-wing parties should unite to topple the ruling NDP. The Socreds won only 0.4% of the vote and were completely shut out of the legislature. While the party still nominally existed until 2023 (with a hiatus from 2013 to 2016), it never elected another MLA.

Reform BC held on to two of its four seats.

Although the Liberals won the largest share of the popular vote, most of their votes were wasted in the outer regions of the province, and it won only 8 seats in the Vancouver area. Additionally, they suffered from vote-splitting with Reform, the Progressive Democrats, and what little remained of the Socreds. These factors allowed the NDP to win 6 more seats than the opposition Liberals, eking out a majority government. This was the last election to return an NDP majority until 2020, 24 years later.

This was also the first provincial election held in BC since the voting age was lowered from 19 to 18 in 1992. ^[3]

Opinion polls

Evolution of voting intentions at provincial level

Polling firm	Last day of survey	Source	BCNDP	BCLP	RPBC	PDA	BCSC	Other	ME	Sample
Election 1996	May 28, 1996		39.45	41.82	9.27	5.74	0.40	3.32
McIntyre & Mustel	May 23, 1996	[4]	43.3	40.9	9.9	—	0	—	4.4	630
Angus Reid	May 14, 1996	[5]	40	41	12	—	—	—	3.5	800
McIntyre & Mustel	May 11, 1996	[6]	45	35.4	14.7	1.7	0.5	—	4.8	516
Angus Reid	May 2, 1996 [5]	[7]	45	33	17	—	—	—	—	—
McIntyre & Mustel	May 1, 1996	[8]	44	36	16	1.6	1.4	—	4.2	544
Election called (April 30, 1996) [2]

Evolution of voting intentions at provincial level

Polling firm	Last day of survey	Source	BCNDP	BCLP	RPBC	PDA	BCSC	Other	ME	Sample
Marktrend	April 14, 1996	[9]	38	32	21	—	—	—	4.4	503
Angus Reid	March 12, 1996	[10]	40	38	16	3	1	—	4.0	600
McIntyre & Mustel	March 1996	[11]	38	38	20	—	1	3	—	295
MarkTrend	February 23, 1996	[12]	29	38	27	—	—	—	4.4	502
Viewpoints	January 17, 1996	[13]	34.9	40.6	20	—	—	—	2.5	1,600
MarkTrend	January 1996	[13]	28	37	27	—	—	—	—	—
Glen Clark becomes leader of the NDP and Premier (February 22, 1996)
Angus Reid	December 12, 1995	[14]	35	40	22	—	—	—	4.1	605
Mike Harcourt announces resignation as Premier and leader of the NDP (November 15, 1995)| [15]
Angus Reid	November 8, 1995	[16]	24	49	22	—	—	—	—	805
McIntyre & Mustel	March 1995	[17]	28	47	21	—	2	3	—	284
Jack Weisgerber becomes leader of the BC Reform Party (January 15, 1995) [18]
MarkTrend	December 1994	[19]	25	41	28	—	—	—	4.4	500
McIntyre & Mustel	December 1994	[20]	31	42	20	—	—	—	—	—
Viewpoints	November 1994	[21]	30	42	22	—	—	—	—	2,000
McIntyre & Mustel	September 1994	[11]	25	41	26	—	5	3	—	304
Angus Reid	September 1994	[22]	30	44	19	—	—	7	—	—
McIntyre & Mustel	June 5, 1994	[23]	21	39	28	—	7	5	4.5	505
Viewpoints	June 1994	[24]	30	39	24	—	—	3	—	—
Marktrend	June 1994	[24]	23	38	34	—	—	3	—	—
Angus Reid	March 1994	[25]	25	53	7	0.4 [26]	10	—	4	600
	March 1994	[27]	25	38	21	—	10	—	—	—
Angus Reid	December 1993	[28]	21	47	—	—	14	—	—	603
McIntyre & Mustel	December 1993	[29]	20	49	—	—	18	—	4.5	502
PDA founded (December 5, 1993)
Angus Reid	September 1993	[30]	26	48	—	—	14	—	4	600
Gordon Campbell becomes leader of the BC Liberals (September 11, 1993)
McIntyre & Mustel	September 1993	[31]	27	50	—	—	19 [29]	—	5	—
Angus Reid	June 1993	[30]	27	42	—	—	22	—	—	—
Angus Reid	March 10, 1993	[32]	42	32	—	—	17	—	4	600
Angus Reid	November 1992	[32]	31	47	—	—	—	—	—	—
Angus Reid-Southam News	August 31, 1992	[33]	33	46	—	—	16	—	8	176
Angus Reid-Southam News	July 1992	[33]	48	32	—	—	11	—	—	—
Election 1991	October 17, 1991		40.71	33.25	0.18	-	24.27	1.59

Results

Elections to the 36th Legislative Assembly of British Columbia (1996) ^[34]

Party		Leader	Candidates	Votes						Seats
				#	±	%	Change (pp)			1991	1996	±
	New Democratic	Glen Clark	75	624,395	29,004	39.45	-1.26			51	39 / 75	12
	Liberal	Gordon Campbell	75	661,929	175,721	41.82	8.58		8.58	17	33 / 75	16
	Reform	Jack Weisgerber	75	146,734	143,701	9.27	9.09		9.09	–	2 / 75	2
	Progressive Democrat	Gordon Wilson	66	90,797	90,797	5.74	5.74		5.74	–	1 / 75	1
	Social Credit	Larry Gillanders	38	6,276	345,384	0.40	-23.65			7	0 / 75	7
	Green	Stuart Parker	71	31,511	18,861	1.99	1.13		1.13
	Independent		23	10,067	214	0.64	-0.07
	Family Coalition		14	4,150	2,840	0.26	0.17
	Natural Law		38	2,919	2,919	0.18	New
	Libertarian		17	2,041	1,181	0.13	0.07
	Conservative	Peter B. Macdonald	8	1,002	576	0.06	0.03
	Western Canada Concept	Doug Christie	5	374	277	0.02	-0.02
	Common Sense, Community, Family	Ross Ellis	5	291	291	0.02	New
	Communist		3	218	126	0.01	0.01
Total			513	1,582,704		100.00%
Rejected ballots [1]				9,951	20,782
Turnout [1]				1,592,655	99,455	71.50%	3.57
Registered voters [1]				2,227,424	238,370

MLAs elected

Abbotsford: John van Dongen    Alberni: Gerard A. Janssen    Bulkley Valley-Stikine: Bill Goodacre    Burnaby-Edmonds: Fred G. Randall    Burnaby North: Pietro Calendino    Burnaby-Willingdon: Joan Sawicki    Cariboo North: John Wilson    Cariboo South: David Zirnhelt    Chilliwack: Barry Penner    Columbia River-Revelstoke: Jim Doyle    Comox Valley: Evelyn Gillespie    Coquitlam-Maillardville: John Cashore    Cowichan-Ladysmith: Jan Pullinger    Delta North: Reni Masi    Delta South: Fred Gingell    Esquimalt-Metchosin: Moe Sihota    Fort Langley-Aldergrove: Rich Coleman    Kamloops: Cathy McGregor    Kamloops-North Thompson: Kevin Krueger    Kootenay: Erda Walsh    Langley: Lynn Stephens    Malahat-Juan de Fuca: Rick Kasper    Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows: Bill Hartley    Matsqui: Mike de Jong    Mission-Kent: Dennis Streifel

Nanaimo: Dale Lovick    Nelson-Creston: Corky Evans    New Westminster: Graeme Bowbrick    North Coast: Dan Miller    North Island: Glenn Robertson    North Vancouver-Lonsdale: Katherine Whittred    North Vancouver-Seymour: Daniel Jarvis    Oak Bay-Gordon Head: Ida Chong    Okanagan-Boundary: Bill Barisoff    Okanagan East: John Weisbeck    Okanagan-Penticton: Rick Thorpe    Okanagan-Vernon: April Sanders    Okanagan West: Sindi Hawkins    Parksville-Qualicum: Paul Reitsma    Peace River North: Richard Neufeld    Peace River South: Jack Weisgerber    Port Coquitlam: Mike Farnworth    Port Moody-Burnaby Mountain: Christy Clark    Powell River-Sunshine Coast: Gordon Wilson    Prince George-Mount Robson: Lois Boone    Prince George North: Paul Ramsey    Prince George-Omineca: Paul Nettleton    Richmond Centre: Doug Symons    Richmond East: Linda Reid    Richmond-Steveston: Geoff Plant

Rossland-Trail: Ed Conroy    Saanich North and the Islands: Murray Coell    Saanich South: Andrew Petter    Shuswap: George Abbott    Skeena: Helmut Giesbrecht    Surrey-Cloverdale: Bonnie McKinnon    Surrey-Green Timbers: Sue Hammell    Surrey-Newton: Penny Priddy    Surrey-Whalley: Joan Smallwood    Surrey-White Rock: Wilf Hurd    Vancouver-Burrard: Tim Stevenson    Vancouver-Fraserview: Ian Waddell    Vancouver-Hastings: Joy MacPhail    Vancouver-Kensington: Ujjal Dosanjh    Vancouver-Kingsway: Glen Clark    Vancouver-Langara: Val Anderson    Vancouver-Little Mountain: Gary Farrell-Collins    Vancouver-Mount Pleasant: Jenny Kwan    Vancouver-Point Grey: Gordon Campbell    Vancouver-Quilchena: Colin Hansen    Victoria-Beacon Hill: Gretchen Brewin    Victoria-Hillside: Steve Orcherton    West Vancouver-Capilano: Jeremy Dalton    West Vancouver-Garibaldi: Ted Nebbeling    Yale-Lillooet: Harry Lali

Synopsis of results

Main article: Results of the 1996 British Columbia general election by riding

Results by riding - 1996 British Columbia general election ^[35]

Riding	Winning party								Turnout [a 1]	Votes [a 2]
Name	1991		Party		Votes	Share	Margin #	Margin %		NDP	Lib	Ref	PD	Grn	SC	FCP	NLP	Ind	Oth	Total
Abbotsford		SC		Lib	10,998	50.24%	5,593	25.55%	69.25%	5,405	10,998	4,086	1,126	274	–	–	–	–	–	21,889
Alberni		NDP		NDP	7,398	52.01%	2,299	16.16%	73.32%	7,398	5,099	823	578	195	–	–	58	–	72	14,223
Bulkley Valley-Stikine		NDP		NDP	4,779	37.02%	1,053	8.16%	71.05%	4,779	3,726	3,473	624	151	155	–	–	–	–	12,908
Burnaby-Edmonds		NDP		NDP	9,912	46.45%	1,142	5.35%	70.63%	9,912	8,770	1,008	1,067	387	120	–	77	–	–	21,341
Burnaby North		NDP		NDP	8,926	45.47%	766	3.90%	72.70%	8,926	8,160	1,081	976	395	–	–	62	–	31	19,631
Burnaby-Willingdon		NDP		NDP	10,501	45.54%	823	3.57%	71.73%	10,501	9,678	999	1,161	458	–	–	74	–	190	23,061
Cariboo North		NDP		Lib	5,533	40.87%	353	2.61%	70.05%	5,180	5,533	2,561	–	168	–	–	–	–	97	13,539
Cariboo South		NDP		NDP	6,372	41.45%	322	2.09%	70.88%	6,372	6,050	2,684	–	267	–	–	–	–	–	15,373
Chilliwack		Lib		Lib	9,273	37.90%	3,284	13.42%	68.57%	5,989	9,273	3,237	–	232	–	–	–	5,736	–	24,467
Columbia River-Revelstoke		NDP		NDP	6,264	42.52%	1,092	7.41%	71.04%	6,264	5,172	2,687	282	270	–	–	58	–	–	14,733
Comox Valley		NDP		NDP	13,230	42.76%	2,509	8.11%	72.86%	13,230	10,721	3,451	1,039	1,296	–	398	–	804	–	30,939
Coquitlam-Maillardville		NDP		NDP	10,812	45.91%	1,372	5.83%	72.33%	10,812	9,440	1,434	1,289	–	133	–	123	–	320	23,551
Cowichan-Ladysmith		NDP		NDP	12,249	49.85%	4,466	18.18%	73.97%	12,249	7,783	2,434	1,459	645	–	–	–	–	–	24,570
Delta North		NDP		Lib	9,305	45.50%	648	3.17%	74.88%	8,657	9,305	755	1,385	347	–	–	–	–	–	20,449
Delta South		Lib		Lib	13,415	58.78%	7,431	32.56%	74.55%	5,984	13,415	1,371	1,215	333	200	304	–	–	–	22,822
Esquimalt-Metchosin		NDP		NDP	13,833	59.54%	7,063	30.40%	68.16%	13,833	6,770	1,179	921	376	–	–	60	58	35	23,232
Fort Langley-Aldergrove		Lib		Lib	12,005	47.30%	4,636	18.26%	76.09%	7,369	12,005	3,484	1,737	472	–	316	–	–	–	25,383
Kamloops		NDP		NDP	10,135	44.30%	862	3.77%	69.56%	10,135	9,273	1,721	1,241	–	508	–	–	–	–	22,878
Kamloops-North Thompson		NDP		Lib	7,313	43.43%	368	2.19%	72.65%	6,945	7,313	1,710	–	401	468	–	–	–	–	16,837
Kootenay		NDP		NDP	6,398	38.59%	511	3.08%	68.15%	6,398	5,887	3,718	–	363	–	–	–	215	–	16,581
Langley		Lib		Lib	9,277	46.62%	3,482	17.50%	73.19%	5,795	9,277	3,224	1,195	262	148	–	–	–	–	19,901
Malahat-Juan de Fuca		NDP		NDP	10,686	48.63%	3,130	14.24%	72.91%	10,686	7,556	1,887	1,061	601	–	–	–	98	84	21,973
Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows		NDP		NDP	12,946	46.07%	1,986	7.07%	73.30%	12,946	10,960	1,470	2,011	464	–	–	90	–	158	28,099
Matsqui		SC		Lib	10,903	50.81%	5,554	25.88%	68.41%	5,349	10,903	4,405	–	216	–	385	199	–	–	21,457
Mission-Kent		NDP		NDP	8,232	44.16%	1,120	6.01%	70.92%	8,232	7,112	1,618	1,243	324	–	–	–	113	–	18,642
Nanaimo		NDP		NDP	11,210	48.75%	3,538	15.39%	69.79%	11,210	7,672	1,867	1,337	486	–	311	–	–	113	22,996
Nelson-Creston		NDP		NDP	9,179	44.90%	2,745	13.43%	75.20%	9,179	6,434	2,114	–	2,282	–	360	73	–	–	20,442
New Westminster		NDP		NDP	10,418	46.69%	1,827	8.19%	70.41%	10,418	8,591	1,446	1,121	488	–	–	107	142	–	22,313
North Coast		NDP		NDP	7,298	64.82%	4,399	39.07%	63.33%	7,298	2,899	830	–	232	–	–	–	–	–	11,259
North Island		NDP		NDP	8,385	45.80%	1,604	8.76%	69.55%	8,385	6,781	1,776	887	479	–	–	–	–	–	18,308
North Vancouver-Lonsdale		NDP		Lib	9,325	46.37%	2,174	10.81%	71.16%	7,151	9,325	1,241	1,736	417	–	–	93	–	149	20,112
North Vancouver-Seymour		Lib		Lib	14,165	56.35%	7,489	29.79%	76.91%	6,676	14,165	1,737	1,713	645	105	–	44	–	54	25,139
Oak Bay-Gordon Head		NDP		Lib	12,340	46.59%	640	2.42%	79.49%	11,700	12,340	675	937	566	48	56	47	118	–	26,487
Okanagan-Boundary		NDP		Lib	7,011	38.35%	27	0.15%	75.05%	6,984	7,011	2,810	775	356	183	–	163	–	–	18,282
Okanagan East		Lib		Lib	9,382	38.37%	2,950	12.06%	70.24%	5,176	9,382	3,116	6,432	347	–	–	–	–	–	24,453
Okanagan-Penticton		NDP		Lib	10,661	43.07%	1,569	6.34%	73.41%	9,092	10,661	2,976	1,444	464	–	–	113	–	–	24,750
Okanagan-Vernon		SC		Lib	9,776	39.06%	2,279	9.11%	71.03%	7,497	9,776	5,356	1,839	334	227	–	–	–	–	25,029
Okanagan West		SC		Lib	15,575	46.00%	7,294	21.54%	71.02%	8,281	15,575	4,858	4,225	519	399	–	–	–	–	33,857
Parksville-Qualicum		NDP		Lib	13,459	41.19%	483	1.48%	77.12%	12,976	13,459	3,955	1,669	422	–	–	110	–	81	32,672
Peace River North		SC		Ref	5,299	48.41%	2,162	19.75%	60.49%	1,975	3,137	5,299	169	–	240	–	–	125	–	10,945
Peace River South		SC		Ref	3,901	31.89%	123	1.01%	62.60%	3,778	3,774	3,901	183	145	452	–	–	–	–	12,233
Port Coquitlam		NDP		NDP	14,767	46.37%	1,457	4.58%	73.48%	14,767	13,310	1,335	1,789	417	124	–	–	–	102	31,844
Port Moody-Burnaby Mountain		NDP		Lib	10,272	44.73%	468	2.04%	73.40%	9,804	10,272	1,039	1,408	441	–	–	–	–	–	22,964
Powell River-Sunshine Coast		Lib		PD	10,833	49.05%	4,745	21.49%	75.37%	6,088	3,911	677	10,833	518	–	–	–	–	57	22,084
Prince George-Mount Robson		NDP		NDP	4,713	40.67%	949	8.19%	63.84%	4,713	3,764	2,076	788	247	–	–	–	–	–	11,588
Prince George North		NDP		NDP	5,837	39.58%	914	6.20%	66.75%	5,837	4,923	2,430	891	173	–	–	–	495	–	14,749
Prince George-Omineca		SC		Lib	5,514	36.88%	308	2.06%	67.79%	5,206	5,514	2,998	1,023	209	–	–	–	–	–	14,950
Richmond Centre		Lib		Lib	9,925	55.52%	4,202	23.51%	68.67%	5,723	9,925	614	996	235	154	–	38	65	126	17,876
Richmond East		Lib		Lib	10,205	55.60%	4,442	24.20%	71.62%	5,763	10,205	792	1,093	235	139	–	43	–	83	18,353
Richmond-Steveston		Lib		Lib	9,643	56.65%	4,602	27.04%	74.36%	5,041	9,643	556	919	188	88	–	38	450	99	17,022
Rossland-Trail		NDP		NDP	8,635	50.74%	2,712	15.94%	74.99%	8,635	5,923	1,366	660	434	–	–	–	–	–	17,018
Saanich North and the Islands		Lib		Lib	13,374	47.57%	2,828	10.06%	77.89%	10,546	13,374	1,627	1,533	898	–	–	72	–	63	28,113
Saanich South		NDP		NDP	11,394	46.11%	527	2.13%	77.16%	11,394	10,867	676	1,198	343	–	–	86	–	144	24,708
Shuswap		NDP		Lib	8,596	34.55%	727	2.92%	72.79%	7,869	8,596	5,617	1,325	237	221	–	–	1,014	–	24,879
Skeena		NDP		NDP	5,353	40.34%	635	4.79%	70.72%	5,353	4,718	2,744	–	205	249	–	–	–	–	13,269
Surrey-Cloverdale		Lib		Lib	14,297	48.27%	5,466	18.46%	74.75%	8,831	14,297	2,690	2,417	366	306	709	–	–	–	29,616
Surrey-Green Timbers		NDP		NDP	10,278	50.11%	3,348	16.32%	69.40%	10,278	6,930	1,183	1,150	228	114	255	32	101	241	20,512
Surrey-Newton		NDP		NDP	13,969	49.54%	4,181	14.83%	71.33%	13,969	9,788	1,244	1,841	340	174	577	48	–	217	28,198
Surrey-Whalley		NDP		NDP	7,396	50.14%	2,820	19.12%	65.38%	7,396	4,576	1,302	968	243	115	–	70	–	82	14,752
Surrey-White Rock		Lib		Lib	18,039	58.04%	9,824	31.61%	75.89%	8,215	18,039	2,519	1,110	677	226	–	–	295	–	31,081
Vancouver-Burrard		NDP		NDP	10,646	49.70%	2,671	12.47%	62.68%	10,646	7,975	671	1,014	563	–	–	93	–	458	21,420
Vancouver-Fraserview		NDP		NDP	8,774	45.97%	380	1.99%	71.94%	8,774	8,394 [a 3]	643	815	225	177	–	57	–	–	19,085
Vancouver-Hastings		NDP		NDP	9,894	54.01%	3,549	19.37%	67.96%	9,894	6,345	568	824	486	137	–	64	–	–	18,318
Vancouver-Kensington		NDP		NDP	9,496	50.74%	1,888	10.09%	70.25%	9,496	7,608	472	537	349	135	119	–	–	–	18,716
Vancouver-Kingsway		NDP		NDP	10,525	55.46%	3,528	18.59%	71.07%	10,525	6,997	367	518	264	75	–	65	69	98	18,978
Vancouver-Langara		Lib		Lib	11,038	60.20%	5,523	30.12%	68.66%	5,515	11,038	519	839	337	–	–	89	–	–	18,337
Vancouver-Little Mountain		NDP		Lib	12,036	50.25%	2,646	11.05%	68.32%	9,390	12,036	489	1,062	714	85	–	82	96	–	23,954
Vancouver-Mount Pleasant		NDP		NDP	11,155	64.05%	6,912	39.69%	60.50%	11,155	4,243	354	584	759	86	–	114	–	121	17,416
Vancouver-Point Grey		NDP		Lib	12,637	48.86%	1,563	6.04%	71.03%	11,074	12,637	406	857	683	–	62	76	–	70	25,865
Vancouver-Quilchena		Lib		Lib	15,509	68.68%	10,532	46.64%	75.71%	4,977	15,509	495	827	627	91	–	57	–	–	22,583
Victoria-Beacon Hill		NDP		NDP	11,960	52.51%	4,324	18.98%	68.17%	11,960	7,636	654	1,093	1,008	96	–	64	73	194	22,778
Victoria-Hillside		NDP		NDP	11,585	53.32%	4,723	21.74%	67.53%	11,585	6,862	979	1,227	790	–	–	97	–	188	21,728
West Vancouver-Capilano		Lib		Lib	16,675	71.29%	13,189	56.38%	76.63%	3,486	16,675	1,326	1,182	461	–	174	47	–	40	23,391
West Vancouver-Garibaldi		Lib		Lib	12,326	57.17%	6,038	28.00%	73.03%	6,288	12,326	1,430	693	532	98	–	36	–	159	21,562
Yale-Lillooet		NDP		NDP	7,080	41.06%	1,168	6.77%	72.21%	7,080	5,912	3,419	706	–	–	124	–	–	–	17,241

1. including spoilt ballots
2. parties receiving more than 1% of the popular vote, or fielding candidates in at least half of the constituencies, are listed separately. Family Coalition is also shown separately, as it received more votes than Natural Law while fielding fewer candidates.
3. Gulzar Singh Cheema was previously a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba

  = Open seat

  = turnout is above provincial average

  = winning candidate was in previous Legislature

  = Incumbent had switched allegiance

  = Previously incumbent in another riding

  = Not incumbent; was previously elected to the Legislature

  = Incumbency arose from by-election gain

  = other incumbents renominated

  = previously an MP in the House of Commons of Canada

  = Multiple candidates

Summary analysis

Party candidates in 2nd place ^[36]

Party in 1st place		Party in 2nd place			Total
		NDP	Lib	PD
	New Democratic		39		39
	Liberal	32		1	33
	Reform	1	1		2
	Progressive Democrat	1			1
Total		34	40	1	75

Candidates ranked 1st to 5th place, by party ^[36]

Parties	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
█  New Democratic	39	34	2
█  Liberal	33	40	2
█  Reform	2		44	24	5
█  Progressive Democrat	1	1	24	37	3
█  Green			2	9	52
█  Independent			1		4
█  Social Credit				4	2
█  Family Coalition				1	5
█  Libertarian					2

Seats changing hands

Of the 75 seats, 23 were open, of which 21 had members who chose not to stand for reelection, and two arose from MLAs campaigning in another riding. Voters in only 20 seats changed allegiance from the previous election in 1991:

NDP to Liberal (12) Cariboo North Delta North Kamloops-North Thompson North Vancouver-Lonsdale Oak Bay-Gordon Head Okanagan-Boundary Okanagan-Penticton Parksville-Qualicum Port Moody-Burnaby Mountain Shuswap Vancouver-Little Mountain Vancouver-Point Grey

Social Credit to Liberal (5) Abbotsford Matsqui Okanagan-Vernon Okanagan West Prince George-Omineca Social Credit to Reform (2) Peace River North Peace River South Liberal to Progressive Democrat (1) Powell River-Sunshine Coast

Resulting composition of the 36th Legislative Assembly of British Columbia

Source		Party
		NDP	Lib	Ref	PD	Total
Seats retained	Incumbents returned	28	8			36
	Open seats held	11	5			16
	Ouster of incumbents changing affiliation		3			3
Seats changing hands	Incumbents defeated		8			8
	Open seats gained - new MLAs		5			5
	Open seats gained - taken by MLAs previously incumbent in another riding		2			2
	Byelection gains held		2			2
	Incumbents changing allegiance			2	1	3
Total		39	33	2	1	75

References

1. "B.C. Voter Participation: 1983 to 2013" (PDF). Elections BC. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 28, 2019. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
2. Haysom, Ian (May 1, 1996). "B.C. calls vote after budget". Calgary Herald. p. A3.
3. "Electoral History of B.C." Elections BC. May 9, 2008. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
4. McInnes, Craig (May 25, 1996). "B.C. vote too close to call, poll finds: Key to outcome may lie in how many Reformers opt for Liberals to block a win by NDP". The Globe and Mail. p. A13.
5. "B.C. NDP, Liberals in dead heat poll shows". The Gazette. May 16, 1996. p. A9.
6. McInnes, Craig (May 13, 1996). "NDP pads lead in B.C. campaign poll: Liberal Leader still slips as voters' pick for premier despite publicity efforts last week B.C. Poll". The Globe and Mail. p. A4.
7. Haysom, Ian (May 6, 1996). "No one is ready to dismiss third-place Reform party". The Ottawa Citizen. p. A6.
8. McInnes, Craig (May 3, 1996). "NDP climbs into lead in B.C. poll Support for opposition drops as new Premier pulls party past early-favourite Liberals". The Globe and Mail. p. A8.
9. Hauka, Don (April 18, 1996). "Poll surge heartens NDP: Premier urged to drop writ as voters sour on Liberals". The Province. p. A5.
10. Rowlands, Bob (May 16, 1996). "NDP, Grits in dead heat". The Times Colonist. p. 1.
11. McInnes, Craig (May 3, 1996). "NDP climbs into lead in B.C. poll: Support for opposition drops as new Premier pulls party past early-favourite Liberals". The Globe and Mail. p. A8.
12. "Poll shows NDP stalled". The Vancouver Sun. March 2, 1996. p. A18.
13. "New poll shows NDP closing gap on Grits". The Times Colonist. January 24, 1996. p. A4, 1.
14. Fong, Petti (December 18, 1995). "New Democrats surge ahead in latest B.C. poll". The Vancouver Sun. p. A1.
15. Schreiner, John; Damsell, Keith (November 16, 1995). "B.C. premier quits after poll results". Financial Post. p. 5.
16. "Grits likely next B.C. government". Times Colonist. November 12, 1995. p. 1.
17. "Poll rains on hopes of NDP in B.C. Liberals get twice the backing no matter who takes over". The Globe and Mail. November 21, 1995. p. N4.
18. Leyne, Les (January 15, 1995). "Weisberger elected leader on first ballot". Times Colonist. p. 1.
19. Hunter, Justine (December 15, 1994). "Voters say they still prefer Liberals". The Vancouver Sun. p. B8.
20. McLintock, Barbara (December 14, 1996). "NDP on rise, says survey". The Province. p. A12.
21. Baldrey, Keith (November 25, 1994). "NDP's own poll puts Liberals in lead". The Vancouver Sun. p. B4.
22. Kieran, Brian (January 15, 1995). "NDP facing an uphill election battle". The Province. p. A6.
23. Austin, Ian; Hauka, Don (June 10, 1994). "Support grows for B.C. Reform: Gain from Grits: Poll". The Province. p. A12.
24. "Two polls put B.C. Liberals on top". Times Colonist. June 4, 1994. p. 1.
25. Smyth, Michael (March 19, 1994). "Poll: Grits leave NDP in distance". Times Colonist. p. 1.
26. Hunter, Justine (March 19, 1994). "Harcourt's popularity on rise, poll says: Liberals still first with voters, Reform party shows gains". The Vancouver Sun. p. A3.
27. Cernetig, Miro (March 10, 1994). "Socreds' collapse creates a political vacuum". The Globe and Mail. p. A4.
28. Leyne, Les (January 6, 1994). "B.C. Liberals keep big lead in Reid poll". Times Colonist. p. 1.
29. McLintock, Barbara; Colebourn, John (December 15, 1993). "Campbell's Grits No. 1: NDP, Socreds eat Liberals' dust". The Province. p. A6.
30. Hunter, Justine (October 30, 1993). "Socred support plummets to only 14%, Reid poll shows". The Vancouver Sun. p. A6.
31. McLintock, Barbara (September 10, 1993). "We like Gordon Campbell best, for now: Poll". The Province. p. A5.
32. Baldrey, Keith (March 18, 1993). "B.C. Liberals dive in poll: Leader thought taking party down with him". The Vancouver Sun. p. A1.
33. O'Neil, Peter (September 4, 1992). "Honeymoon over - or blip in poll". The Vancouver Sun. p. A4.
34. Elections BC 2002, p. 21.
35. Elections BC 2002, pp. 21–34.
36. Summarized from "1996 Voting Results by Voting Area". Elections BC . Retrieved March 13, 2024.

Further reading

• Electoral History of British Columbia: Supplement, 1987–2001 (PDF). Elections BC. 1988. ISBN   0-7726-4789-5.
• Mutimer, David, ed. (2002). Canadian Annual Review of Politics and Public Affairs, 1996 . Toronto: University of Toronto Press. ISBN   9781442672093.

External links

• Elections BC 1996 Election
• Losing the vote, winning the election, CBC video