Incumbent Carla Qualtrough of the Liberals has jumped out to an early lead on federal election night in Delta.
With 60 of 189 polls reporting, Qualtrough has a 1000-vote lead over Tanya Corbet of the Conservatives.
NDP candidate Randy Anderson-Fennell is well further back in third, followed by Craig DeCraene of the Greens, Angelina Ireland of the People’s Party, and independents Amrit Bains and Tony Bennett.
When the first poll results came in, which showed Qualtrough edging Corbet by two votes at Sunshine Hills, cheers rang out at Qualtrough’s campaign headquarters on Scott Road.
“I lost Sunshine Hills last time, so it’s a good sign that I won it tonight,” said Qualtrough as she announced the first results to her supporters.
Liberal supporters were already in good spirits after TV stations predicted a Liberal minority government.
“I’m very happy that there is a Liberal government prediction overall. Of course I was hoping for a majority because I think that makes governing more stable, but I’m excited about the prospects of moving forward with our progressive agenda and I’m hoping that translates into a Liberal win here in Delta,” Qualtrough said.
A crowd of Conservative party supporters and volunteers have been filing into Gracie’s Next Door eatery in Tsawwassen after the B.C. polls officially closed.
The televised results for the rest of the country were already showing the Liberals holding a wide lead by the time the room partially filled with a couple dozen or so supporters waiting for Corbet.
As the B.C. numbers trickled in, one supporter told the Optimist the result in the rest of the Canada was not what he expected. He said he was still hopeful the Conservatives would finish strong in this province and retake Delta, at least.
NDP candidate Randy Anderson-Fennell, who was at the Sundance Pub in East Ladner, said the early results were as expected.
“We knew going into this that it was going to be an exciting campaign and that people were going to hear our message. We are excited about the message we have got out there and how people have responded to it,” he said. “The up rise that we have seen across the country is really exciting and we’re going to be waiting as the final results roll in.”
He said he was very pleased with his campaign here in Delta.
