SURREY, British Columbia — Election officials headed to an industrial building in Surrey, British Columbia, to begin a judicial recount in the narrowest riding in British Columbia’s election, starting with 28 ballots cast additional votes that had not been reported a few days after the vote.

The recount will determine whether the NDP’s one-seat majority is maintained, after it won Surrey-Guildford by a 27-vote margin over the BC Conservatives, giving Premier David Eby’s party 47 seats to the Legislative Assembly.

Jill Lawrance, executive director of election operations at Elections BC, told reporters officials will count 19,090 ballots in the judicial recount, which includes more than 1,600 votes cast outside the riding.

She says the recount — which is being done by 10 teams of two counters and two poll workers — is expected to run through Friday and begins by examining the envelopes containing the 28 ballots that Elections BC says were not declared due to a data entry error.

A makeshift courtroom was constructed using wooden desks and gray partitions. Supreme Court Justice Kevin Loo opened the session this morning, before addressing workers and beginning the hand count.

Teams of tellers, lined up at tables along the perimeter of the warehouse, were paired with poll workers from the New Democrats and BC Conservatives and could be seen holding ballots aloft and talking to each other. agree on every vote.

Lawrance said teams “do their best to gauge voter intent.”

“If the poll workers raise an objection, both parties come to the table and if they agree on the vote, the judge has indicated he doesn’t need to see it,” Lawrance explained Thursday.

“But if there is a disagreement about who that vote should count for, that ballot will be presented to the judge, he will review the ballot, hear arguments from both sides and determine who the vote should count for. “

Eby said in a statement Wednesday that the judicial recount would ensure every vote is counted. Following these stories, he said British Columbians want to see “urgent action” on priorities such as affordability and housing, health care and building a strong economy.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published November 7, 2024.

Brieanna Charlebois, The Canadian Press