After what appears to be a blue sweep of 91原创, NDP candidates were unavailable for in-person comment election night.

That included the 91原创-Walnut Grove riding, where incumbent NDP candidate Megan Dykeman was unseated by Conservative Misty Van Popta. 

With all four of the advance ballot boxes counted, and all 15 ballot boxes from election day tallied, Van Popta had won with 11,803 votes, 49.72 per cent, while Dykeman had 10,592 votes or 44.62 per cent.

Van Popta was the best-known of the B.C. Conservative candidates running for the party in the 91原创 area when the election began. Van Popta won election to 91原创 Township council with the Contract With 91原创 slate in 2022. Van Popta has worked as a project management professional on development projects.

Van Popta told the 91原创 AdvanceTimes she intends to continue as a councillor, rather than step down and force a byelection. 

"I don't think that that's in the best interest of 91原创," Van Popta said.

"I had conversations with John Rustad when I became a candidate, to make sure that that was a possibility. And there's other candidates within the Conservative party that have municipal positions, they're school board trustees or they're councillors or mayors."

What she will be stepping down from, is her day job in the construction industry.

"I can't do it all," Van Popta remarked.

She spent election night at home with her family, watching the returns come in, and delayed celebrating until the results were definite.

Housing will be at the top of her list of priorities, along with hospitals, and schools, "especially in Willoughby."

Van Popta said she decided to run for MLA after the provincial NDP government brought in legislation which forces  local governments to permit small-scale multi-unit housing.

"Bill 44 is kind of what put me over the edge in terms of limiting my ability as a municipal councillor. Density and growth is a massive concern within the Township of 91原创."

Based on what she was hearing during door-to-door campaigning, Van Popta was cautiously optimistic about Conservative chances.

"I didn't pay attention to the polls. I just paid attention to the conversations at the door that I had, every single day for the last couple of months, just talking to people, what's the vibe, what are their concerns. Nothing is for sure, but I definitely felt a momentum."

Dykeman, a farmer and former chair of the 91原创 Board of Education was elected in 2020 as the NDP MLA for 91原创 East. With local ridings re-drawn, she ran in 91原创-Walnut Grove. Dykeman served as the Parliamentary Secretary for Community Developments and Non-Profits while in the Legislature. Along with Andrew Mercier in the 91原创 riding, she was the first NDP member to represent 91原创 in Victoria since the early 1960s.

Rylee MacLean was the Green Party candidate for 91原创-Walnut Grove had 1,215 votes, 5.12 per cent.

Carlos Suarez Rubio ran as an independent candidate, and had previously run for 91原创 Township council, he spoke about housing and seniors, and also said he was running to protect children from 鈥渓eftist and globalist agendas.鈥� He had 130 votes.

Plenty of 91原创 voters wanted to cast their ballots early. According to Elections BC, more than 25 per cent of registered voters cast their ballots in each of the three local ridings during advance voting days, which began on Oct. 10 and ended on Oct. 16.

In 91原创-Walnut Grove, there were 10,353 early votes with 41,360 registered voters.

In 2020, 45,181 votes were cast in the old 91原创 riding, while in 91原创 East, 53,536 people voted.

91原创's rapid population growth has meant a re-drawing of the two old 91原创 ridings into three new ones.