SUMMARY
BC Liberal candidate Steve Kim declared victory in Coquitlam-Maillardville Tuesday night but NDP candidate Selina Robinson said she still is not ready to concede.
Elections BC said Kim led the riding with a razor thin margin, taking 45.98% of the vote, only 0.54% ahead of Robinson, who had 45.44%. Green Party candidate Edward Andreas Stanbrough took 8.58% of the vote.
On Tuesday night, Robinson spoke to her supporters at the Centennial Pavilion, saying it was too early to concede.
"I really didn't think it would be this close," she said. "What it says is that Maillardville continues to be a very divided political community."
The Coquitlam councillor added that "regardless of what happens, I get to support people in Victoria or on Coquitlam council."
Her campaign manager, Tania Jarzebiak, said the Robinson campaign would wait until after all absentee ballots are counted on May 29 to see if the contest went to a judicial recount.
That did not stop Kim from declaring victory Tuesday night.
He told a crowd of supporters gathered at the Westwood Plateau Gold and Country Club that he was honored to have their support and thanked Coquitlam-Burke Mountain BC Liberal MLA Doug Horne for his "guidance."
"It's been an honour," he said.
Kim told The Tri-City News that he wanted to spend the next few days with his family to absorb the win and figure out the his next steps.
-Gary McKenna
ELECTION NIGHT LIVE BLOG
10:40 p.m. - Robinson is not conceding, saying there is too much polling information - including absentee ballots results - that is unknown.
-Maria Spitale-Leisk
10:31 p.m.: 128 of 136 ballot boxes reported
10:25 p.m. - Selina Robinson has emerged and made a statement to her supporters: "...your hard work has gotten us this far."
-Maria Spitale-Leisk
10:18 p.m. - A jubilant Steve Kim delivered his speech at Westwood Plateau Golf and Country Club - an event hosted by Coquitlam-Burke Mountain re-elected MLA Doug Horne. Kim gave thanks to Horne for his "guidance" during the race against Coquitlam Coun. Selina Robinson. "It's been an honour," he said to Horne. Afterwards, Kim spoke with The Tri-City News, saying he wanted to spend the next few days with his family to absorb the win and to figure out his next steps. As for a possible cabinet position, Kim said he'd "like to be part of the decision-making process" but there are many new faces in the Liberal caucus. On the riding front, Kim vowed to keep Riverview Hospital "a green space that provides mental health services."
-Janis Warren
10:10 p.m. - Robinson's campaign manager says they are waiting for the results of seven special polls and advanced polls that hold more than 4,000 votes.
-Maria Spitale-Leisk
10:02 p.m. -BC Liberal candidate Steve Kim is currently leading in Coquitlam-Maillardville with 45.98% of the vote compared to NDP candidate Selina Robinson with 44.52% of the vote.
-Gary McKenna
9:40 p.m. - Robinson and Kim neck and neck in the polls.
-Maria Spitale-Leisk
9:35 p.m. -Global News is calling a BC Liberal majority.
-Gary McKenna
9 p.m. - Former Liberal candidate Dennis Marsden at Liberal HQ.
-Janis Warren
8:50 p.m. - Selina Robinson's husband Dan says she is doing OK. "She's doing fine, just waiting for the results. The work is done now, just a matter of waiting to see what happens."
-Maria Spitale-Leisk
8:34 - With 1/154 polls reporting in Coquitlam-Maillardville BC Liberal candidate is leading with 38 votes, compared to NDP candidate Selina Robinson, with 23 votes. It's still early and as the television pundits keep saying "don't read too much into the numbers".
-Gary McKenna
8:30 p.m. - Supporters of NDP candidate Selina Robinson are eating pizza while watching the election results trickle in at the Centennial Pavilion. Vancouver folk band The Cattails is rehearsing. Robinson is with her family and friends in an adjacent room.
-Maria Spitale-Leisk
8:25 p.m. - It is still early butGlobal News is reporting that the BC Liberals are leading in 12 ridings, while the NDP is leading in 9. Numbers are expected to change rapidly over the next few minutes.
-Gary McKenna
8 p.m. - The polls have closed and results are expected shortly. Stay tuned!
-Gary McKenna
7 p.m. - Check this page throughout the night for all the latest provincial election coverage in Coquitlam-Maillardville.
-Gary McKenna
