It was a close race in Burnaby-North, with final results not in by press time. But B.C. Liberal candidate Richard Lee stayed ahead of B.C. NDP candidate Janet Routledge by a thin margin of votes throughout the evening.
That gap widened toward the end of the night, with Lee coming in at 5,637 votes to Routledge's 4,975 votes after 108 of 129 ballot box results were reported.
"We are optimistic on the numbers," Lee said at about 10 p.m. "I would like to thank all the volunteers for helping me - they don't eat, they don't sleep, sometimes."
Lee, who has held the riding since 2001, had a handful of volunteers at his campaign office on Tuesday night. He watched the computer screens along with his wife Anne early in the evening, smiling with a sense of suppressed optimism.
While the Burnaby results had not yet trickled in at that point, Lee said the B.C. Liberals' numbers overall were encouraging.
"This riding is always close," he told media and supporters, adding he expected to be waiting until at least 11 p.m. for final results.
"It's going to be a long night, Richard," his campaign manager said.
Lee won the riding in 2009 in a similarly close race against NDP candidate Mondee Redman. That election came down to 9,377 votes for Lee, 8,552 votes for Redman.
And in 2005, the race was even tighter, with Lee winning with 10,421 votes to NDP candidate Pietro Calendino's 10,356 votes.
Early Tuesday evening, the mood at B.C. NDP candidate Janet Routledge's campaign office was much more boisterous than the sedate, low-key setting at Lee's headquarters.
While Routledge was not on hand for most of the evening, more than 30 supporters and volunteers gathered in the lowly lit office to watch the race on a large TV.
But as the evening wore on, the tone in the office turned to one of consternation and concern.
While supporters cheered when B.C. NDP candidate David Eby pulled ahead of Christy Clark in Vancouver-Point Grey at one point, there were sighs of disappointment as the gap between Lee and Routledge grew.
Routledge, a first-time candidate, was previously a director of political action with the B.C. Federation of Labour and regional coordinator at Public Service Alliance of Canada. She spearheaded the anti-harmonized sales tax movement in North Burnaby.
B.C. Green Party candidate Carrie McLaren came in at 858 votes as of press time. McLaren was celebrating in Vancouver with other Green party candidates, including those from Burnaby and New Westminster.
When the NOW called at 10:30 p.m., they were just popping open a bottle of champagne, elated at getting one candidate voted in - Andrew Weaver in Oak Bay-Gordon Head.
"We're just so excited we got at least one in tonight," she said, adding the candidates were watching to see how many broke through the double digits.
As far as McLaren's future plans? "Keep going," she said. "Keep building.
B.C. Conservative candidate Wayne Marklund came in at 356 votes as of press time.
Though he came in fourth in the riding, it hasn't deterred him from seeking office again.
"I've just started," he told the NOW. "When my house sells, I'm moving back to Burnaby North."
Marklund currently lives in Port Coquitlam but has his business, Candu Glass, in Burnaby.
Marklund was one of four Conservative candidates who were listed as unaffiliated on the election ballot, because of paperwork issues with Elections B.C.
"Unfortunately, my name is not attached to the B.C. Conservatives," he said. "But I truly believe being the oldest newest party, we've actually gained ground with the 60 candidates that we ran. We got our word out. Smaller government, lower taxes and accountability. I truly hope whoever wins this election picks up some of the traits of the B.C. Conservatives."
It's important that people use the democratic rights they have, lest those rights be lost, he said.
"The people paid to establish this," he said. "If we don't use it, . nobody can guarantee we'll have those rights anymore."
