Just three names will appear on the provincial election ballot Oct. 24 for Saanich North and the Islands after the nomination deadline passed.
Incumbent MLA Adam Olsen is one out of 74 candidates for the BC Greens as he seeks to defend one of two Green seats when the provincial legislature dissolved with the election call on Sept. 21. Party leader Sonia Furstenau holds the other seat in the riding of Cowichan Valley.
Olsen faces competition from two familiar faces.
Stephen Roberts is running to represent the riding for the third time in as many elections as one of 87 candidates for the BC Liberals, who held 41 seats at dissolution.
Running for the New Democrats is Zeb King, a former colleague of Olsen on Central Saanich council. Like the BC Liberals, New Democrats have nominated candidates in all 87 ridings.
RELATED: Long-time Central Saanich councillor named NDP candidate for Saanich North and the Islands
RELATED: Stephen Roberts returns for a third run for BC Liberals in Saanich North and the Islands
RELATED:Citing stability, B.C. Premier calls snap election for Oct. 24
Notably absent from this year’s election are independent candidates. While Jordan Templeman and Scott McEachern ran as independents in 2017 and 2013 respectively, this year’s competition for the riding will come down to a trio of familiar figures.
They will have an opportunity to present their views to the public on Thursday, Oct. 15 when the Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce hosts a virtual all-candidates meeting from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Looking beyond the three major parties in British Columbia, the Libertarian Party is fielding 25 candidates, six candidates more than the BC Conservatives, a party that once governed in British Columbia (albeit during the first half of the 20th century) and fielded 56 candidates in 2013. The Christian Heritage Party of B.C. and the Communist Party of BC are each fielding five candidates, followed by the B.C. Vision with three candidates and Wexit BC with two candidates.
Overall, 332 candidates are running in the provincial general election with 308 representing 10 registered political parties. Twenty-four candidates are running as independents.
Do you have a story tip? Email: vnc.editorial@blackpress.ca.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.
