The people have spoken. Or at least, slightly less than half of them have and less than two in five in Richmond Centre. And therein lies the real tragedy of Tuesday's election results - the apparent lack of caring or understanding of what it has all been about.
About 52 per cent of B.C. residents eligible to vote bothered. Richmond's numbers continue to slip alarmlingly down - the Centre riding is now the wost in the province.
This was despite all Elections BC did to stir up an understanding of the importance of getting involved in the process, and to make it easy for even the laziest or most apathetic voters.
The pundits and political backroom strategists will conspicuously rend their garments and gnash their teeth over the disparity between pollsters' predictions and what actually happened.
And there will be much ado about "voter apathy" or "voter fatigue" or other such euphemisms that sidestep the real responsibility for poor participation: a perceived lack of choices.
We congratulate the winners and thank all candidates who offered their services, often at great personal cost, to their communities and their province. But we are left in awe at the leadership that fell so far short of the mark.
Christy Clark, of all people, should not take Tuesday night's BC Liberal win as an endorsement, but rather she should recognize it as a reprieve. Her attack ads against NDP leader Adrian Dix were clearly effective. Green leader Jane Sterk may have offered idealism, but was unable to convince anyone she has a real, comprehensive vision.
And John Cummins was unable to put a credible right wing alternative on the table.
Many of those who bothered to vote merely voted for the devil they knew.
All of Elections BC's hard work will be for naught, until eligible voters are genuinely inspired by the leadership.
