Early returns in the British Columbia vote show the Conservatives leading across the province, with CBC and Elections B.C. numbers coming in from advance polls on Oct. 24, 2026 — use of “bc election results” here tracks those first counts.
CBC’s live coverage reports the B.C. Conservatives were leading in more than 60 of the province’s 93 ridings in early returns, with the party holding about 50 per cent of counted votes to the NDP’s roughly 38 per cent, based on advance ballots and initial tallies.
Global News projected the B.C. Conservatives would form a majority government if the early trends held, saying the party was on track to surpass the 47-seat threshold needed for a majority as more results came in overnight.
Those early leads were concentrated in targeted swing ridings such as parts of Surrey, Richmond and the Okanagan, and in several advance-poll tallies that arrived first, CBC reporters noted while cautioning some small-count leads can change as ballots are fully counted.
Election officials reminded voters that hand-counted ballots and results from some remote polls are reported later in the night, and both outlets warned early returns are partial and not final declarations of winners across all ridings.
Political context from Global News and CBC points to cost-of-living, health-care access and housing as central issues that shaped voter sentiment this campaign, and polls released during the final week had shown the Conservatives holding a narrow lead going into voting day.
Why it matters: if the Conservatives convert their early lead into enough seat wins to pass 47 MLAs, it would end the NDP’s run in power and return the province to Conservative control — an outcome both national and local outlets flagged as a major shift in B.C. politics.
Sources
- CBC News — live updates reporting Conservatives leading in more than 60 ridings and early vote shares (about 50% Conservatives, 38% NDP).
- Global News — projection that the B.C. Conservatives were on track to form a majority government if early trends held and background on campaign issues.
