SUMMARY
It began like a horse race and ended with a BC Liberal win as Linda Reimer bested BC NDP candidate Joe Trasolini with a narrow victory.
"I am deeply honoured by the faith the voters in this constituency placed in me," Reimer said in an interview.
As of Tuesday morning, Elections BC had Reimer with 46.85% of the vote (8,915 votes), Joe Trasolini had 44% (8,372 votes), Green Party candidate Billie Helps had 8% of the vote (1,527) and Liberterian Jeff Monda had 1.62% (325).
Reimer said the hard work of her campaign team helped put her over the top as well as a strong message and a good team of candidates fielded by the BC Liberal Party. However, she admitted she was anxious throughout the night as the polls see-sawed, although she pulled away from Trasolini at about 9:30 p.m.
"Itold my campaign team last evening, I really didn't know how this was going to go, of course it was a tough battle for me in Port Moody-Coquitlam running against a former mayor," Reimer said.
Trasolini, meanwhile, ended the evening conceding that Reimer won the Port Moody-Coquitlam riding with a clean and hard-fought campaign. "We expected a tight race and I can say we did the best we could and we accept what the voters tell us," he told a supportive crowd of friends, family and supporters at the Old Mill Boathouse in Port Moody.
He speculated that fear of change may have been behind the BC Liberal win, and negative advertising may have played a part, as well. A low voter turnout also may have contributed to the NDP loss, Trasolini said in an interview.
"I think the negative ads, as much as we like to think the best of people, may have worked," he said.
There was some hope that by the end of the evening, uncounted votes may boost the NDP fortunes.
The Green Party did better in this riding than in the past, with Billie Helps pulling in 8% of the vote.
Below is a summation of the evening, contributed byTri-City News writers.
-Diane Strandberg
ELECTION NIGHT LIVE BLOG
10 p.m. - Newly elected MLA Linda Reimer still a no-show at the Westwood Plateau Golf and Country Club, where BC Liberal candidates in the Tri-Cities and their supporters gathered.
- Janis Warren
10:05 p.m. -Port Moody-Coquitlam NDP MLA Joe Trasolini is trailing with 44.25% of the vote compared to BC Liberal challenger Linda Reimer, who has 46.35% of the vote.
-Gary McKenna
9:54 p.m. - Trasolini's support is dropping. He now has 43% of the vote to BC Liberal challenger Linda Reimer's 43%.
9:35 p.m. -Global News is calling a BC Liberal government.
-Gary McKenna
9:20 -The mood is pretty subdued at the Inlet Boathouse in Port Moody, where NDP MLA Joe Trasolini is expected to hold his post-election gathering. Election BC numbers are much closer. CTV says 3,125 for Trasolini and 2,967 for BC Liberal candidate Linda Reimer.
8:55 - Don't count your chickens BC Liberals Reimer and BC NDP Joe Trasolini neck and neck.
-Diane Strandberg
8:38 - No sign of Joe Trasolini yet at the Old Mill Boathouse, but cucumber and fruit salsa appetizers are being served, a youthful band is tuning up and one-time Coquitlam civic candidate Fred Soofi is confident of an NDP win in this riding.
-Diane Strandberg
8:36 - NDP MLA Joe Trasolini is leading in Port Moody-Coquitlam with 49% of the vote, compared to BC Liberal candidate Linda Reimer with 41%. Only three polls reporting so far.
-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 Port Moody-Coquitlam.
-Gary McKenna
