New Westminster (provincial electoral district)

New Westminster is the only electoral district in British Columbia to have existed for every general election.

Electoral history 1871-present

Note: Winners of each election are in bold.

1st British Columbia general election, 1871
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Independent William James Armstrong 128 39.63% unknown
     Independent Josiah Charles Hughes 148 45.82% unknown
     Independent Hugh McRoberts 47 14.55% unknown
Total valid votes 323 100.00%
Total rejected ballots
Turnout %
British Columbia Byelection: New Westminster January 11, 18731
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Independent William James Armstrong Acclaimed -.- % unknown
Total valid votes n/a -.- %
Total rejected ballots
Turnout %
1 The byelection was called due to Armstrong's resignation upon appointment to the Executive Council (cabinet) on December 23, 1872. This byelection was one of a series held to confirm appointments to the Executive Council, which was the old parliamentary convention. As this byelection writ was filled by acclamation, no polling day was required and the seat was filled within two weeks. The stated date is the date the return of writs was received by the Chief Electoral Officer.
2nd British Columbia election, 1875
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Government William James Armstrong 153 25.98% unknown
     Independent-Government Ebenezer Brown 154 26.15% unknown
     Government William M. Campbell 54 9.17% unknown
     Reform caucus Donald McGillivray 117 19.86% unknown
     Reform caucus Jeremiah Rogers 2 111 18.84% unknown
Total valid votes 589 100.00%
Total rejected ballots
Turnout
2 Noted lumberman on False Creek/English Bay
3rd British Columbia election, 1878
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Government Wellington John Harris 171 24.43% unknown
     Independent James Kennedy (Canadian politician) 44 6.28% unknown
     Government Donald McGillivray 202 28.86% unknown
     Opposition Henry Mathers 130 18.57% unknown
     Opposition James Orr 153 21.86% unknown
Total valid votes 700 100.00%
Total rejected ballots
Turnout
4th British Columbia election, 1882
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Opposition Henry Dawson 60 8.47% unknown
     Government William Isaac 15 2.12% unknown
     Opposition Herbert John Kirkland 127 17.94% unknown
     Government William Henry Ladner 76 10.73% unknown
     Opposition James Orr 168 23.73% unknown
     Opposition John Robson 262 37.01% unknown
Total valid votes 708 100.00%
Total rejected ballots
Turnout %
British Columbia Byelection: New Westminster March 13, 1883 3
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Opposition John Robson Acclaimed -.-% unknown
Total valid votes n/a -.- %
Total rejected ballots
Turnout %
3 Reason for byelection was resignation of John Robson upon his appointment to the Executive Council (cabinet) January 29, 1883.
5th British Columbia general election, 1886 4
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Independent Lewis Arthur Agassiz 142 6.31% unknown
     Independent Henry Dawson 11 0.49% unknown
     Independent William Isaac 17 0.76% unknown
     Independent James Kennedy (Canadian politician) 7 0.31% unknown
     Government Herbert John Kirkland 348 15.47% unknown
     Opposition Wiliam Henry Ladner 365 16.23% unknown
     Opposition Donald McGillivray 331 14.72% unknown
     Opposition James Orr 358 15.92% unknown
     Government John Robson 331 14.72% unknown
     Government Allen Casey Wells 358 15.92% unknown
Total valid votes 2,249 100.00%
Total rejected ballots
Turnout %
4 Seat increased to three members from two.

In 1890 changes in population and boundaries led to the riding's renaming as Westminster, with the following year that riding being subdivided into Westminster-Chilliwhack, Westminster-Delta, Westminster-Dewdney and Westminster-Richmond, which were to become a few elections later the Chilliwhack (later Chilliwack) Delta, and Richmond ridings. The core of the New Westminster urban area (then still separate from Vancouver's) continued to be represented by New Westminster City until 1916, when that riding was redistrubuted as a one-member seat from its maximum of three, and in the process it was given the old rural riding's name, "New Westminster".

14th British Columbia election, 1916
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Conservative Thomas Gifford 1,186 46.42% unknown
     Liberal David Whiteside 1,369 53.59% unknown
Total valid votes 2,555 100.00%
Total rejected ballots
Turnout %
15th British Columbia election, 1920
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Conservative Thomas Gifford 1,006 21.88% unknown
     Soldier-Labour William James Sloan 5 1,611 35.04% unknown
     Liberal David Whiteside 1,980 43.07% unknown
Total valid votes 4,597 100.00%
Total rejected ballots
Turnout %
5/sup> Also referred to as an Independent. Nominated by delegates representing the Great War Veterans Association, the GAUV, the B.C. Fisherman's Protective Association, the Army and Navy Veterans, and organized labour.
16th British Columbia election, 1924
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Provincial George Livingstone Cassady 591 14.21% unknown
     Canadian Labour Party Richard Carter Higgins 693 16.67% unknown
     Liberal Edwin James Rothwell 1,564 37.61% unknown
     Conservative Albert Morris Sanford 1,310 31.51% unknown
Total valid votes 4,158 100.00%
Total rejected ballots
Turnout %
17th British Columbia election, 1928
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Liberal Arthur Wellesley Gray 6 3.262 56.16% unknown
     Conservative Albert Morris Sanford 2,546 43.84% unknown
Total valid votes 5,808 100.00%
Total rejected ballots 205
Turnout %
6 "Wells Gray", namesake and instigator of the provincial park of that name in the Cariboo Mountains.
18th British Columbia election, 1933
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     United Front (Workers and Farmers) Party Douglas Thomas 125 2.18% unknown
     Liberal Arthur Wellesley Gray 7 2,694 46.98% unknown
     Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. Daniel McGrath 1,476 25.74% unknown
     Independent David Whiteside 5 1,439 25.10% unknown
Total valid votes 5,734 100.00%
Total rejected ballots 67
Turnout %
7 Endorsed by the Independent CCF.
19th British Columbia election, 1937
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Communist Edwin Henry Baker 567 7.27% unknown
     Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. Stanley Blake 1,321 16.95% unknown
     Liberal Arthur Wellesley Gray 4,055 52.02% unknown
     Labour (Party) Edward Charles Mills 86 1.10% unknown
     Conservative Thomas Robert Selkirk 1,766 22.66% unknown
Total valid votes 7,795 100.00%
Total rejected ballots 116
Turnout %
20th British Columbia election, 1941
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. Stanley Blake 2,387 26.97% unknown
     Liberal Arthur Wellesley Gray 3,694 41.74% unknown
     Conservative Mary Dorothea McBride 1,923 21.73% unknown
     Labour (Party) Edward Charles Mills 845 9.55% unknown
Total valid votes 8,849 100.00%
Total rejected ballots 178
Turnout %
21st British Columbia election, 1945
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. Clifford Augustine Greer 2,967 35.06% unknown
     Coalition Byron Ingemar Johnson 8 >b?4,900 57.91% unknown
     Labour Progressive Charles Stewart 3,432 45.62% unknown
Total valid votes 8,462 100.00%
Total rejected ballots 94
Turnout %
8 23rd Premier of British Columbia
22nd British Columbia election, 1949
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Coalition Byron Ingemar Johnson >b>7,969 61.57% unknown
     Social Credit Party Clifford Augustine Greer 2,967 35.06% unknown
     People's Party of British Columbia Edward Charles Mills 137 1.06% unknown
     Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. George Henry Mitchell 4,509 34.84% unknown
Total valid votes 12,943 100.00%
Total rejected ballots 125
Turnout %
23rd British Columbia election, 1952 9
Party Candidate Votes
1st count		 % Votes
final count		 % ±%
     Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. Rae Eddie 4,262 29.68% 6,475 52.89 % unknown
     Liberal Byron Ingemar Johnson 4,317 30.07% 5,768 47.11 unknown
     BC Social Credit League Wilbur Watson Lyle 3,616 25.18% - -% unknown
     Progressive Conservative Elizabeth C. Wood 2,163 15.06% -- --.--% unknown
Total valid votes 14,358 100.00% 12,243 %
Total rejected ballots 437
Turnout 77.94%
9(Preferential ballot: 1st and 3rd counts of three shown only)
24th British Columbia election, 1953 10
Party Candidate Votes
1st count		 % Votes
final count		 % ±%
     Labour Progressive Party Alfred Dewhurst 157 1.19% - -.-% unknown
     Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. Rae Eddie 4,903 37.02% 5,970 51.34% unknown
     Liberal Fred H. Jackson 4,309 32.53% 5,658 48.66% unknown
     Christian Democrat Mervin Casper 89 0.67% -- --.--% unknown
     BC Social Credit League Malvin A. Olsen 3,787 28.59 % - - % unknown
Total valid votes 13,245 100.00% 11,628 %
Total rejected ballots 486
Turnout 77.94%
10Preferential ballot: 1st and 4th counts of four shown only)
25th British Columbia election, 1956
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Liberal Stewart Alsbury 2,220 19.29% unknown
     Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. Rae Eddie 4,469 38.83% unknown
     Social Credit Stanley Desmond Kermeen 4,176 36.28% unknown
     Independent-SC J. Lewis Sangster 645 5.60% unknown
Total valid votes 11,510 100.00%
Total rejected ballots 82
Turnout %
26th British Columbia election, 1960
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Liberal Samuel Thomas Dare 2,519 16.00% unknown
     Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. Rae Eddie 6,496 41.25% unknown
     Social Credit Stanley Desmond Kermeen 5,041 32.01% unknown
     Progressive Conservative Frederick Craig Munroe 1,691 10.74% unknown
Total valid votes 15,747 100.00%
Total rejected ballots 127
Turnout %
27th British Columbia election, 1963
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Liberal George Herbert Barrett 2,335 17.42% unknown
     Social Credit Edith Maud Corrigan 4,717 35.19% unknown
     New Democrat Rae Eddie 5,035 37.57% unknown
     Progressive Conservative G. Basil Raikes 1,316 9.82% unknown
Total valid votes 13,403 100.00%
Total rejected ballots 98
Turnout %
28th British Columbia election, 1966
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Liberal Robert James Cooper 1,577 12.24% unknown
     Social Credit Edith Maud Corrigan 5,552 43.11% unknown
     New Democrat Rae Eddie 5,751 44.65% unknown
Total valid votes 12,880 100.00%
Total rejected ballots 160
Turnout %
29th British Columbia election, 1969
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     New Democrat Dennis Geoffrey Cocke 7,280 40.75% unknown
     Communist Harry Harris 57 0.32% unknown
     Social Credit John Earl Edmondson 7,161 40.08% unknown
     Liberal Dennis Douglas George Milne 3,368 18.85% unknown
Total valid votes 17,866 100.00%
Total rejected ballots 221
Turnout %
30th British Columbia election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     New Democrat Dennis Geoffrey Cocke 10,357 55.63% unknown
     Social Credit John Earl Edmondson 5,306 28.50% unknown
     Liberal Carl L. Miller 2,953 15.86% unknown
Total valid votes 18,616 100.00%
Total rejected ballots 287
Turnout %
31st British Columbia election, 1975
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     New Democrat Dennis Geoffrey Cocke 10,357 55.63% unknown
     Communist Roderick Doran 60 0.31% unknown
     Liberal Karl Franke 923 4.83% unknown
     Social Credit Alexander John Seigo 8,473 44.35% unknown
Total valid votes 19,106 100.00%
Total rejected ballots 166
Turnout %
32nd British Columbia election, 1979
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     New Democrat Dennis Geoffrey Cocke 11,343 59.30% unknown
     Social Credit Malvern James Hughes 7,786 40.70% unknown
Total valid votes 19,129 100.00%
Total rejected ballots 292
Turnout %
33rd British Columbia election, 1983
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Social Credit Barry David Butler 8,224 40.57% unknown
     New Democrat Dennis Geoffrey Cocke 11,455 56.52% unknown
     Liberal John Ian Paterson 590 2.91% unknown
Total valid votes 20,269 100.00%
Total rejected ballots 233
Turnout %
34th British Columbia election, 1986
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Liberal Timothy E. Courtney 1,200 5.90% unknown
     Social Credit Dwight Maxwell Ross 8,949 43.99% unknown
     New Democrat Anita Hagen 13,562 43.82% unknown
     Communist Roderick Doran 73 0.36% unknown
Total valid votes 20,342 100.00%
Total rejected ballots 245
Turnout %
35th British Columbia election, 1991
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     NDP Anita Hagen 10,384 49.89% $24,062
     BC Liberal Lori MacDonald 7,117 34.20% $2,534
     Social Credit Tom Baker 3,311 15.91% $26,509
Total Valid Votes 20,812 100.00%
Total Rejected Ballots 395 1.86%
Turnout 21,207 72.32%
36th British Columbia election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     NDP Graeme Bowbrick 10,418 46.69% $29,591
     BC Liberal Helen Sparkes 8,591 38.50% $34,673
     BC Reform Brian Stromgren 1,446 6.48%
     PDA Craig Sahlin 1,121 5.02%
     Green Michael G. Horn 488 2.19% $145
     Independent Arthur Crossman 142 0.64%
     Natural Law George Bauch 107 0.48% $224
Total Valid Votes 22,313 100.00%
Total Rejected Ballots 133 0.59%
Turnout 22,446 70.41%
37th British Columbia election, 2001
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     BC Liberal Joyce Murray 11,059 49.20% $47,701
     NDP Graeme Bowbrick 6,971 31.02% $26,704
     Green Robert Broughton 2,982 13.27% $3,401
     Marijuana Marlene P. Campbell 859 3.82% $394
     Unity Howard Vernon Irving 604 2.69%
Total Valid Votes 22,475 100.00%
Total Rejected Ballots 113 0.50%
Turnout 22,588 71.07%
38th British Columbia election, 2005
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     NDP Chuck Puchmayr 13,226 51.32%
     BC Liberal Joyce Murray 9,645 37.42%
     Green Robert Broughton 2,416 9.37%
     Marijuana Christina Racki 293 1.14%
     DRBC John Robinson Warren 152 0.59%
     Platinum Greg Calcutta 42 0.16%
Total 25,774 100.00%
B.C. General Election 2009 New Westminster
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
     New Democrat Dawn Black 11,817 56.12 +4.80
     BC Liberal Carole Millar 7,340 34.86 -2.56
     Green Matthew Laird 1,899 9.02 -0.35
Total valid votes 21,056
British Columbia provincial electoral districts (2009–)
North / Central
Southern Interior
Fraser Valley / South LM
Vancouver / North LM
Vancouver Island / South Coast
See also:
British Columbia provincial electoral districts (2001–2009)
North / Central
Southern Interior
Fraser Valley / South LM
Vancouver / North LM
Vancouver Island / South Coast
See also:
1999 electoral redistribution • 2001 general election • 2005 general election • 2008 electoral redistribution • Defunct districts
British Columbia provincial electoral districts (1991–2001)
North / Central
Southern Interior
Columbia River-Revelstoke • Kamloops • Kamloops-North Thompson • Kootenay • Nelson-Creston • Okanagan-Boundary • Okanagan East • Okanagan-Penticton • Okanagan-Vernon • Okanagan West • Shuswap • Rossland-Trail • Yale-Lillooet
Fraser Valley / South LM
Vancouver / North LM
Vancouver Island / South Coast
See also: