2023 Vancouver-Mount Pleasant provincial by-election

2023 Vancouver-Mount Pleasant provincial by-election

←  2020 June 24, 2023 (2023-06-24) 43rd  →
Riding of Vancouver-Mount Pleasant
Turnout	17.84%
First party Second party Third party   BCU GRN Candidate Joan Phillip Jackie Lee Wendy Hayko Party New Democratic BC United Green Last election 66.95% 12.98% 20.07% Popular vote 5,459 1,101 931 Percentage 67.79% 13.67% 11.56% Swing 0.84% 0.69% 8.51%
MLA before election Melanie Mark New Democratic Elected MLA Joan Phillip New Democratic

A by-election was held in the provincial riding of Vancouver-Mount Pleasant in British Columbia on June 24, 2023, to elect a new member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia following the resignation of NDP MLA Melanie Mark. ^[1]

The by-election was held on the same day as one in Langford-Juan de Fuca. ^{[2] [3]}

Background

Constituency

The seat covers an urban area in the city of Vancouver. The riding consists of its namesake neighbourhood Mount Pleasant and the eastern parts of downtown Vancouver including Chinatown and the Downtown Eastside.

Representation

The seat has been held by the British Columbia New Democratic Party for most of its history. ^[4] Future member of Parliament Jenny Kwan represented the seat from 1996 to 2015. ^[5]

On February 22, 2023, Melanie Mark announced her resignation as MLA and cabinet minister. In her resignation speech, Mark criticized how "institutions fundamentally resist change ... particularly colonial institutions and government at large", and said that she would "continue to advocate and fight from outside of this House". ^[6]

Candidates

• Kimball Cariou (Communist), leader of the Communist Party; ^[7] previously the Communist candidate in Vancouver-Hastings during the 2020 provincial election ^[8]
• Wendy Hayko (Green), emergency management expert; ^[9] previously the Green candidate in Vancouver-Quilchena during the April 2022 provincial by-election ^[10]
• Jackie Lee (United), businessman ^[11]
• Karin Litzcke (Conservative), education advocate; ^[12] previously the People's Party candidate in Vancouver East during the 2021 Canadian federal election, ^[13] and the Libertarian candidate in Vancouver-Kingsway during the 2020 provincial election.
• Joan Phillip (New Democratic), Indigenous leader; ^[14] previously the NDP candidate in Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola during the 2021 Canadian federal election ^[15]

Results

v t e British Columbia provincial by-election, June 24, 2023: Vancouver-Mount Pleasant
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	New Democratic	Joan Phillip	5,459	67.79	+0.84	$75,828.03
	BC United	Jackie Lee	1,101	13.67	+0.69	$62,774.86
	Green	Wendy Hayko	931	11.56	−8.51	$9,323.27
	Conservative	Karin Litzcke	395	4.91		$9,989.00
	Communist	Kimball Cariou	167	2.07		$381.50
Total valid votes			8,053
Total rejected ballots			21	0.26
Turnout			8,074	17.84	−30.17
Registered voters			45,265
	New Democratic hold		Swing
Source: Elections BC [16]

2020 result

v t e 2020 British Columbia general election : Vancouver-Mount Pleasant
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures
	New Democratic	Melanie Mark	14,530	66.95	+1.63	$22,210.72
	Green	Kelly Tatham	4,356	20.07	+3.14	$5,570.94
	Liberal	George Vassilas	2,816	12.98	−3.06	$8,413.63
Total valid votes			21,702	99.03	–
Total rejected ballots			212	0.97	−0.07
Turnout			21,914	48.01	−9.61
Registered voters			45,644
	New Democratic hold		Swing		−0.76
Source: Elections BC [17] [18]

References

1. Larsen, Karin (February 22, 2023). "Melanie Mark, first First Nations woman to serve in B.C. Legislature, delivers tearful resignation". CBC News . Retrieved February 23, 2023.
2. Premier, Office of the (May 27, 2023). "Byelections called for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant, Langford-Juan de Fuca | BC Gov News". news.gov.bc.ca. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
3. "Byelection called for Langford-Juan de Fuca, John Horgan's former seat". Times Colonist. May 28, 2023. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
4. "Former premier John Horgan officially resigns B.C. seat of Langford-Juan de Fuca". thestar.com. March 31, 2023. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
5. LABC. "Official Biography: Jenny Wai Ching Kwan (40th Parliament)". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia.
6. Larsen, Karin (February 22, 2023). "Melanie Mark, first First Nations woman to serve in B.C. Legislature, delivers tearful resignation". CBC News . Retrieved February 23, 2023.
7. "COMMUNIST PARTY OF BC PLATFORM for the June 24, 2023 by-elections VOTE KIMBALL CARIOU (Vancouver-Mount Pleasant) and TYSON RIEL STRANDLUND (Langford-Juan de Fuca) – Communist Party of B. C." Retrieved June 18, 2023.
8. "Kimball Cariou – Communist Party of B. C." Retrieved June 18, 2023.
9. "Wendy Hayko". BC Green Party. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
10. "(2022) Wendy Hayko named candidate for Vancouver-Quilchena by-election". BC Green Party. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
11. "B.C. Premier David Eby calls two byelections for June 24". thestar.com. May 27, 2023. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
12. Jordan (June 1, 2023). "Vancouver and Langford 2023 byelections coming, here's the candidates". B.C. Rise News, Politics. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
13. "Election 2021: Your quick guide to every Vancouver MP candidate". Vancouver Is Awesome. September 17, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
14. Shaw, Rob (April 30, 2023). "Rob Shaw: NDP acclaims Indigenous leader and climate activist Joan Phillip to run in Vancouver-Mount Pleasant - BC News". www.castanet.net. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
15. "Canada election: Extended interview with NDP candidate Joan Phillip | Watch News Videos Online". Global News. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
16. "2023 Langford-Juan de Fuca and Vancouver-Mount Pleasant By-elections". Elections BC. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
17. "Statement of Votes — 42nd Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
18. "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved March 21, 2021.

See also

• List of British Columbia by-elections