The NDP struggled in 2017 outside of Metro Vancouver. The party lost two seats on Vancouver Island, one seat in Northern B.C. and Columbia River-Revelstoke. The Rocky Mountain riding was held by long-time NDP MLA Norm Macdonald but her didn’t run in the last election.
Doug Clovechok, who lost to Macdonald in 2013, turned around his result and beat Gerry Taft by nearly 1,400 votes. The race was an unusual one, with Taft being found guilty of defamation and being order to pay $75,000 in damages. The judge’s decision came four days before voting day.
The Taft mess is behind the party now and Revelstoke city councillor Nicole Cherlet is the NDP candidate.
Nominated Candidates
BC Liberals: Doug Clovechok
BC NDP: Nicole Cherlet
Swing Riding Meter
The NDP has won the riding five of the last seven elections.
The riding was the 20th closest riding in the province in the 2017 election. Clovechok won by 9.4 per cent. It was the 10th closest riding of the 43 won by the BC Liberals.
Election Results 2017
Liberal: Doug Clovechok — 6,620 votes (45.4%)
NDP: Gerry Taft — 5,248 votes (36%)
Independent: Duncan Boyd MacLeod — 469 votes (3.2%)
Independent: Justin James Hooles — 371 votes (2.6%)
Libertarian: Rylan Kashuba — 154 votes (1.1%)
Find full B.C. 2020 provincial election coverage here