VANCOUVER — It was a landslide victory in the last election in Chilliwack-Kent when Laurie Throness won the riding for the BC Liberal Party, taking 52.75 per cent of the vote and defeating Patti MacAhonic of the NDP by a margin of 20.35 percentage points.

Throness left the Liberal party during this campaign after making comments on birth control and eugenics, but he is still seeking re-election as an Independent. Elections BC says he remains on the ballot as a BC Liberal candidate.

Jeff Hammersmark is the candidate for the Green party and Kelli Paddon is running for the NDP.

Also in the race is Eli Gagne for the Libertarian party.

Jason Lum is running as an Independent.

The Chilliwack-Kent riding includes the communities of Kent, Rosedale, Chilliwack, Harrison Hot Springs and Cultus Lake.

There are 43,698 registered voters in the riding, compared to 37,942 in the last election.

As of Oct. 20, 7,650 vote-by-mail packages had been issued to registered voters.

The previous voter turnout rate in the riding was 59.55 per cent, compared to 61.18 per cent provincewide.

At dissolution, the NDP held 41 seats, the BC Liberal Party had 41 seats and the Green party two seats. Two seats were held by Independents and one seat was vacant.

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Last election statistics at a glance: 

Previous candidates (in order of rank):

1. Throness, Laurie

Affiliation: BC Liberal Party

Total valid votes: 11,841

Vote share: 52.75 per cent

2. MacAhonic, Patti

Affiliation: NDP

Total valid votes: 7,273

Vote share: 32.40 per cent

3. Bleuer, Josie

Affiliation: Green party

Total valid votes: 3,335

Vote share: 14.86 per cent

Previous riding statistics at a glance: 

Total registered voters: 37,942

Total registered voters who voted: 22,594

Voter turnout: 59.55 per cent

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 20, 2020 and was generated automatically.

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Digital Data Desk, The Canadian Press