A Coquitlam city councillor is the new MLA for Coquitlam-Maillardville.
Today (Wednesday), following a judicial recount, Elections BC announced NDP candidate Coun. Selina Robinson had 41 votes over the BC Liberals' Steve Kim - up six votes following the May 14 general election.
The final count was automatically subject to a judicial recount because the difference between the top two candidates was less than 1/500 or 0.2% of the total ballots considered, spokesperson Don Main said.
Under the Election Act, there is a two-day appeal period before Mr. Justice Barry M. Davies can issue a court certificate confirming the results to Bob Johnston, the district electoral officer for Coquitlam-Maillardville.
The appeal period will end on Thursday.
Robinson will take over the seat previously held by NDP MLA Diane Thorne, a former Coquitlam city councillor who has retired.
Speaking Wednesday, Robinson told The Tri-City News she is overwhelmed with the support and congratulations she has received.
She is also at awe with the amount of work she has still to do such as securing a constituency office, hiring staff and organizing her next steps with the NDP caucus.
"I have been in limbo for the past three weeks," she said. "I went back to city council and I trained for Ride to Conquer Cancer.... It wasn't until 8 p.m. last night, when I received a call from Steve Kim [who conceded], that I began to celebrate."
Robinson said she hasn't decided whether she will prompt a by-election or will take the same route as fellow councillor Linda Reimer, the MLA-elect for Port Moody-Coquitlam, who has asked city council for permission to vacate her seat until January, thus avoiding a by-election.
