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NanaimoNewsNOW begins its election coverage with previews of three mid-Island ridings around the Nanaimo and Parksville region. (Wikimedia Commons)
BC VOTES 2020

BC Election 2020: Mid-Island provincial riding previews

Oct 5, 2020 | 11:53 AM

NANAIMO — The 42nd British Columbia general election is Oct. 24, 2020. In the lead up to the vote, NanaimoNewsNOW is committed to presenting local candidates platforms and ideas to voters.

Visit our BC Election HQ for voter information, candidate profiles and news from the campaign.

NanaimoNewsNOW will cover three main mid-Island ridings during this election cycle: Nanaimo, Nanaimo-North Cowichan and Parksville-Qualicum.

Previews and histories for each riding is below:

The riding has been a NDP stronghold since the 1960’s with the party losing the riding just twice since 1966.

Current Nanaimo mayor Leonard Krog held the riding from 2005 through to his move into municipal politics in late-2018. During the January 2019 by-election, Sheila Malcolmson held the seat by 10-points over Tony Harris from the BC Liberals.

The riding is primarily made up of Nanaimo homes east of Hwy. 19 between Rutherford Rd. and Nanaimo Lakes Rd. This area includes a majority of Nanaimo’s downtown, Departure Bay, Hammond Bay and Country Club.

Rural homes around Westwood Lake along with residents on Protection Island complete the riding.

Malcolmson will run for re-election for the first time and will be challenged by Liberal candidate Kathleen Jones and Green candidate Lia Versaevel.

The riding of Nanaimo-North Cowichan has been comfortably held by Doug Routley since 2005 when it was called Cowichan-Ladysmith.

After being re-drawn ahead of the 2009 election, Routley and the NDP retained the seat by nearly 20-points over the BC Liberals. In the two elections since, the margin of victory for the NDP has been between 16 and 18 per cent of the vote.

The riding is expansive and borders Nanaimo, Parksville-Qualicum, Mid Island-Pacific Rim and Cowichan Valley. The main communities covered include Gabriola Island, Cedar, Cassidy, Ladysmith, Chemainus and North Cowichan. The riding also picks up residents in south Nanaimo and rural homes west of Hwy. 19.

Routley will be challenged by Liberal candidate Duck Paterson and Green candidate Chris Istace.

This riding is the only currently Liberal riding on Vancouver Island. Michelle Stilwell will seek her third term after continuing Liberal dominance in the riding in 2013.

After a brief period as Nanaimo-Parksville, the riding returned to its Parksville-Qualicum roots in 2009. The Liberals have held the riding consistently since beating the NDP’s Leonard Krog in 1996.

Voter turnout has also been consistently high with between 65 and 80 per cent of eligible voters casting a ballot in most elections since 1991.

The riding includes the communities of Parksville, Qualicum, Nanoose, Lantzville and Lasqueti Island. It also borders the Nanaimo riding and represents city residents north and west of Mostar Rd. and Rutherford Rd.

Stilwell will see opposition from NDP candidate Adam Walker, Green candidate Robert Lyon, BC Conservative Don Purdey and independent John St. John.

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NanaimoNewsNOW’s coverage continues through the election with candidate interviews and profiles leading up to Oct. 24’s vote. Additional coverage can be found on 106.9 The Wolf, 102.3 The Wave, 88.5 The Beach and 99.9 The Lounge radio stations.

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