Ward Stamer secures spot as MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson

(UPDATE: Oct.19 @ 8:53 pm) – Former Barrier mayor Ward Stamer has secured a spot as the MLA for the newly drawn Kamloops-North Thompson.

As of 8:50 pm, he secured 59.72% of the vote for the riding with 14,107 votes cast in his favour.

This is his first run in provincial politics.

Stamer served as the Chairman Barriere Improvement District and was first elected to Barriere’s first council after incorporation and was elected as mayor in 2018 and 2022.

His campaign promises centered on healthcare access, affordable housing, economic stability and new initiatives.

After BC United dropped out of the race in late August, former BC United MLA Todd Stone announced he would not be seeking re-election and put his support behind Stamer in late August.

Other Kamloops-North Thompson candidates’ results are shown below:

• Maddi Genn, BC NDP – 7,729 votes

• Tristan Cavers, BC Greens – 1,787 votes

(UPDATE: Oct. 19 @ 8:38 pm ) – Twenty-two of the 40 ballot boxes for Kamloops-North Thompson have been counted with a total of 18,722 votes cast so far.

As of 8:38 pm, BC Conservative candidate Stamer is leading with 59.04% of the vote with 11,054 votes.

BC NDP candidate Genn is holding 33.10% of the vote with 6,197 votes cast.

BC Greens candidate Cavers is holding 7.86% of the vote with 1,471 cast.

Stay tuned for further updates as more polls are counted.

(UPDATE: Oct. 19 @ 8:25 pm ) – Fifteen of the 32 final voting day ballots have been counted while one of the eight advanced day polls has been counted for Kamloops-North Thompson.

A total of 14,205 votes have been counted as of 8:25 pm.

Stamer is leading with 58.50% of the vote with 8,310 votes.

Genn is at 33.73% with 4,792 votes.

Cavers at 7.76%% of the vote for Kamloops Centre with 1,103 votes.

Stay tuned for further updates as more polls are counted.

(Original story: Oct.19 @ 8:14 pm) – The BC Conservatives’ candidate in Kamloops-North Thompson is leading in the preliminary election results Saturday night.

There are eight advance voting ballot boxes and 32 final voting day ballot boxes to be counted.

Elections BC is reporting six of ballots have been counted so far.

Ward Stamer, former Barriere mayor, has 59.01% of the vote so far.

Trailing him is NDP candidate Maddi Genn with 31.90% of the vote for the riding so far.

In third is BC Greens candidate Tristan Cavers , which polls are showing holds 9.09% of the vote.

This story will be updated as more votes come in this evening.

It will also be updated with final election results so, be sure to tune in for more.