For those wondering how the CBC could have made the colossal election-night error of declaring John Reynolds had lost, the poll-by-poll results from Elections Canada provide fascinating insights.
The regional voting patterns show just how diverse this riding is. Who would have guessed that the strongest Green support is not in Roberts Creek, but in Whistler? Who would have predicted an NDP sweep in Powell River?
The Liberals' Blair Wilson won Whistler handily, with 45 per cent of the vote. Wilson also took Squamish, just barely, with 31 per cent.
In West Vancouver, by far the most populous part of the riding, the vote was almost evenly divided between Conservatives and Liberals. Wilson just edged Reynolds in his traditional West Van stronghold with 9,944 votes (42 per cent), while Reynolds took 9,512 West Van votes.
The only region of this riding which Reynolds actually won was the Sunshine Coast - and even here, it was a squeaker as he took just under 34 per cent of the vote. Reynolds' biggest rival on the Coast was not Liberal, but NDP. Simons placed first in Roberts Creek and was a strong second in the rest of the Coast.
Reynolds also got a strong vote in the advance polls, winning 3,300 votes, well ahead of Wilson's 2,270. Those advance polls, which are a credit to Reynolds' campaign machine, made a major contribution to his ultimate win.
What do the numbers mean? Did Reynolds lose the election in West Van to Wilson, the popular local hero, then pull off a win thanks to strong advance polls and the Sunshine Coast seniors' vote? Or did Wilson let this election slip between his fingers by failing to impress Sunshine Coast and Powell River voters?
The strong NDP vote - 37 per cent in the Sunshine Coast and Powell River - was an eye-opener. If that NDP support carries over to a provincial election, it could be enough to win this riding in a three-way race.
But mostly, the results illustrate that this riding is just too big and too diverse to be represented by a single MP. Powell River is a very different place from West Van, and Whistler is another world. B.C. is long overdue for major changes to electoral boundaries - and a few more MPs.
