It was an easy win for the B.C. Liberals as the party won its fourth majority on Tuesday evening.
Although the final vote count will not begin until May 27, the preliminary results, posted by Elections B.C. on Tuesday evening, showed the Liberals with 50 of the 85 seats in the B.C. Legislature.
The New Democratic Party, with 33 seats, will retain its role as the opposition.
One independent member and one Green Party member were also elected.
In 2001, when the B.C. Liberals were first elected to power under Gordon Campbell, the party won 77 of the 79 seats in the B.C. Legislature, with the remaining two going to the New Democratic Party.
In 2005, the balance in the Legislative Assembly shifted as 45 Liberals and 34 New Democrats were elected.
The 2009, the Liberals won a third term with 49 members to the New Democratic Party’s 35.
Liberal and New Democrat voting in the Penticton riding mirrored the figures in the rest of the province.
In the Penticton riding, 45.83 per cent of those who cast ballots voted for Liberal candidate Dan Ashton. Provincially, the Liberals garnered 44.40 per cent support.
Of the ballots cast in this riding, 40.30 per cent were for New Democratic Party candidate Richard Cannings. At the provincial level, the New Democrats received 39.49 per cent support.
The numbers released are not the final voting results. The final count will begin on May 27.