Low voter turnout kept contented voters homes, says BC Liberal candidate Dennis Marsden, and resulted in heavy losses for his party in the Port Moody-Coquitlam byelection.
Thursday night's by-election drew just about one-third of eligible voters to the polls, and most of those who were disgruntled cast a ballot for NDP MLA-elect Joe Trasolini, said Marsden. However, he said many of those voters would return to the BC Liberal fold or what ever centre-right coalition materializes to fight the NDP in a general election next May.
While door knocking, Marsden said he "found a huge amount of people that agree and are happy, but in a byelection they don't vote."
Marsden, who will return to his job as credit union manager after relaxing with his family this weekend, said local voters will receive a rude wake up call when they see NDP MLA Joe Trasolini walk lock in step with Adrian Dix and his left-of-centre party.
Marsden was critical of the BC Conservatives, saying they failed to make much of a difference in the local byelection, with just 15.4% of the vote, because they didn't offer a credible platform that voters could ponder.
"What we saw was a party that has no platform and so they could make the promise 'we'll get rid of this tax and that tax' with absolutely no ability to identify where they're going to get that revenue from... to pay for all the things we need."
Marsden said he's considering running again for the job of the MLA under what ever banner the centre-right voters choose to gather.
"I truly don't think it matters what they call it...it's what you stand for that's important," Marsden said.
Meanwhile, Conservative leader John Cummins is putting a brave face on the byelection loss and third-place finish.
"The number of people voting Liberal dropped by an astonishing 66% in Port Moody-Coquitlam, and 51% in Chilliwack-Hope. We did not split the vote - voters fled the Liberals in droves - some stayed home, some voted NDP, and many were excited to support the vibrant new BC Conservative party. That's why our percentage of the vote grew by more than any other party," Cummins stated in a press release.
Christine Clarke, a local Conservative party stalwart, carried the banner for the BC Conservatives.
