No. 10: South Okanagan deals with election during pandemic

Photo: Contributed

Castanet Penticton is counting down the top stories of 2020.

We’ll count down to the year’s No. 1 story on Dec. 31 and publish the newsmaker on New Year’s Day.

It was a provincial election like no other in the South Okanagan, with an incumbent facing a challenger in Penticton and an open seat up for grabs in Boundary-Similkameen, all while a global pandemic raged. 

Premier John Horgan called an election in late September, hoping to cement a majority government for the NDP. 

In the South Okanagan, that meant two-term Liberal MLA Dan Ashton in the Penticton riding had to face off against NDP challenger Toni Boot, mayor of Summerland, as well as Libertarian Keith MacIntyre and Green Ted Shumaker. 

And in Boundary-Similkameen, which includes Oliver and Osoyoos, longtime Liberal MLA Linda Larson retired, leaving the spot open. 

Liberal candidate Petra Veintimilla, an Oliver town councillor, and NDP candidate Roly Russell, a Regional District of Kootenay Boundary board member, squared up, also facing Conservative candidate Darryl Seres and Wexit candidate Arlyn Greig. 

All of the candidates faced the unique challenge of campaigning before the Oct. 24 election during a pandemic. Typical campaign activities like in-person rallies and debates, or even shaking hands with potential constituents, were off the table. 

A few online forums were held via Zoom and other platforms, but for the most part it was a different year for candidates hoping to make a mark on voters. 

In the end, Penticton's Dan Ashton held on to his role with 48.19 per cent of the vote, defeating Boot as the runner up with 37.71 per cent of the vote. 

Boundary-Similkameen turned orange, with NDP Russell claiming the spot with 49.85 per cent of the vote, ahead of runner up Veintimilla who took 36.72 per cent of votes. 

Russell's victory was part of an "orange wave" that secured an NDP majority in the provincial government.