Early results in Delta have Liberal candidate Carla Qualtrough pulling ahead of Conservative cabinet minister Kerry-Lynne Findlay.
With 25 of 214 polls reporting, Qualtrough leads Findlay by more than 1,500 votes. The Liberal candidate has 6,431 votes for 46.2 per cent of the popular vote, while Findlay has 4,886 votes for 35.1 per cent of the vote.
Jeremy Leveque of the NDP is far back in third with 2,196 votes and 15.8 per cent of the vote, while Anthony Devellano of the Greens trails with 417 votes for three per cent of the vote.
The mood is understandably upbeat at Qualtrough’s Scott Road campaign office where supporters have gathered to watch the results. More continue to arrive as they sense victory.
Findlay’s team is at the East Delta Hall on Highway 10 where things are far less jubilant.
The minister of national revenue in Stephen Harper’s Conservative government, Findlay handily won the old riding of Delta-Richmond East in 2011 with more than 54 per cent of the vote.
The electoral map has been reconfigured since the last election, which has seen South Delta join North Delta in a riding simply called Delta.
