In the end the Columbia River Revelstoke riding did not have to wait for election results until after all mail in ballots were counted, as at about 9 p.m. on election night, October 24, 2020, BC Liberal Doug Clovechok was declared the winner.
On Monday morning with 77 of 77 polls reporting, the results stood at Clovechok (BC Lib) 5,770 votes and 48.62 per cent of the total, Nicole Cherlet (NDP0 wit 4,551 and 38.5 per cent, and Samson Boyer (Green) 1545 votes and 13.03 per cent of the total.
The final count will come in after all absentee ballots, including mail in (of which there were 3,019 sent out in CRR) are counted.
Clovechok is confident that won’t alter the results too much, and he is ready to get to work as an opposition MLA.
“Obviously, I’m disappointed in the results overall,” he said Monday. “But we heard the people speak and I am ready to get to work as an opposition MLA.”
He says he appreciates the continued support from the people of Columbia River Revelstoke.
“It’s a validation of my work and I’m so appreciative of the people who said ‘hey, we trust you’. It’s not lost on me. I think we ran a good campaign, no mud slinging. I said I’d run on my record and based on the results, people believe I’ve worked hard.
“My focus is going to be on representing the people who elected me, and to those who didn’t vote for me, I’m your MLA too. I am the MLA for all the people of Columbia River Revelstoke. Our office doors are open and we are here to help.”
Clovechok also reflected on what is a bit of a divide between rural and urban voters, as the NDP received far more support in urban areas and the BC Liberals did better in the rural.
“It’s hard to put a finger on it,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that we have to have a divide at all, but we’re very different. we’re hunters, we’re outdoors people. A lot of people in the Lower Mainland don’t really understand us. As BC Liberals we’ve worked hard to get urban BC to understand us. But I intend to be a strong voice for rural British Columbia. We’re mountain people. We’re different and it’s okay to be different.
“We choose to live where we do and we know we can’t have Vancouver General Hospital next door, but we do need equal access. So there’s a lot of work ahead of us.”
As for the BC Liberals themselves, Clovechok says there is some work ahead analyzing where the election leaves them as a party.
“But my focus will be on being the MLA for Columbia River Revelstoke.”
