The 2005 British Columbia general election was held on May 17, 2005, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) of the Province of British Columbia (BC), Canada. The British Columbia Liberal Party (BC Liberals) formed the government of the province prior to this general election under the leadership of Premier Gordon Campbell. The main opposition was the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP), whose electoral representation was reduced to two MLAs in the previous provincial election in 2001.

The BC Liberals retained power, with a reduced majority of 46 out of 79 seats, down from the record 77 out of 79 in 2001. While the popularity of Campbell's government was affected by various factors such as its resolution of the Fast ferry scandal inherited from the previous NDP government, the sale of BC Rail, and Campbell being convicted for driving under the influence in January 2003, the overwhelming majority they earned at the previous election held up well enough for them to remain comfortably in control of the Legislative Assembly. Voter turnout was 58.2 per cent.

Under amendments to the BC Constitution Act passed in 2001, BC elections are now held on fixed dates: the second Tuesday in May every four years. This was the first provincial election for which elector data in the provincial elector list was synchronised with the National Register of Electors.

Coincidental with the general election, BC voters also voted on whether or not to change the province's electoral system.

Electoral reform referendum

The BC electoral reform referendum was held in conjunction with this election. This referendum asked voters whether or not they support the proposed electoral reforms of the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform, which included switching to a single transferable vote (STV) system. Had it been approved by 60% of voters in 60% of ridings), the new electoral system would have been implemented for the general election in 2009. Although the proposed reform attracted a clear majority (58% of the popular vote in favour, with 77 out of 79 ridings showing majority support), the level of support was just short of that required for mandatory implementation. A new vote on a revamped version of STV was held in conjunction with the 2009 British Columbia general election.

Results +Elections to the 38th Legislative Assembly of British Columbia (2005)PartyLeaderCandidatesVotesSeats # ± % Change (pp) 2001 2005 ±Gordon Campbell79 807,118 109,770 45.80 7731Carole James 79 731,783 388,677 41.52 231Adriane Carr 79 161,849 35,382 9.18 28 17,599 2,284 1.00 Tom Morino 32 14,022 14,022 0.80 Marc Emery 44 11,449 39,757 0.65 Daniel Stelmacker 1 224 51,202 0.01 Barry Chilton 7 9,623 6,243 0.55 0.33 Conrad Schmidt 11 1,641 1,641 0.09 New 6 1,053 1,053 0.06 New Jeff Evans 11 779 779 0.04 New 4 675 675 0.04 New C. Barbara Woolsey 2 502 1,446 0.03 −0.09 James Filippelli 1 442 442 0.03 New Douglas Christie 2 387 387 0.02 New Charles Boylan 5 380 340 0.02 −0.02 2 369 369 0.02 New 2 367 367 0.02 New 1 365 3,074 0.02 −0.20 Grant Mitton 2 362 362 0.02 New John Ince 3 305 305 0.02 New K.M. Keillor 2 282 42 0.02 – Paddy Roberts 3 282 282 0.02 New George Gidora 3 244 137 0.01 −0.01 Tony Luck 1 151 151 0.01 New Andrew Hokhold 2 90 8 0.01 –Total 4121,762,343 100.00% Rejected ballots 11,926 3,467 Turnout1,774,269 174,50462.36% 8.59 Registered voters2,845,284 590,364

Vote and seat summaries

MLAs elected

Synopsis of results + Results by riding – 2005 British Columbia general election Riding Winning party Turnoutincluding spoilt ballots Votesparties receiving more than 1% of the popular vote, or fielding candidates in at least half of the constituencies, are listed separately. Democratic Reform is highlighted, as it received more votes than the Marijuana Party while having fewer candidates. Conservatives are also listed separately, as they achieved significant 3rd and 4th places in several districts.Name 2001Party Votes Share Margin#Margin% Lib NDP Grn Total   Abbotsford-Clayburn Lib Lib 11,047 59.95% 5,492 29.80% 59.50% 11,047 5,555 1,428 – 198 – – 199 18,427 Abbotsford-Mount Lehman Lib Lib 11,325 57.55% 5,193 26.39% 57.97% 11,325 6,132 1,359 472 392 – – – 19,680 Alberni-Qualicum Lib NDP 13,988 52.61% 4,200 15.80% 69.02% 9,788 13,988 1,912 292 401 – 209 – 26,590 Bulkley Valley-Stikine Lib Lib 6,279 48.30% 1,102 8.48% 68.78% 6,279 5,177 769 354 205 – – 216 13,000 Burnaby-Edmonds Lib NDP 10,337 46.71% 738 3.34% 57.70% 9,599 10,337 2,192 – – – – – 22,128 Burnaby North Lib Lib 10,421 45.59% 65 0.28% 59.76% 10,421 10,356 1,763 316 – – – – 22,856 Burnaby-Willingdon Lib Lib 8,754 44.00% 399 2.01% 57.36% 8,754 8,355 1,482 947 214 – 142 – 19,894 Burquitlam Lib Lib 10,054 46.39% 372 1.72% 60.45% 10,054 9,682 1,619 – 191 – 125 – 21,671 Cariboo North Lib NDP 7,353 47.28% 269 1.73% 64.26% 7,084 7,353 835 – 281 – – – 15,553 Cariboo South Lib NDP 7,277 45.99% 114 0.72% 67.43% 7,163 7,277 851 – – – 532 – 15,823 Chilliwack-Kent Lib Lib 11,368 57.14% 4,834 24.30% 58.71% 11,368 6,534 1,651 – – – – 343 19,896 Chilliwack-Sumas Lib Lib 11,995 57.36% 5,518 26.39% 59.98% 11,995 6,477 1,731 315 – – – 393 20,911 Columbia River-Revelstoke Lib NDP 7,460 51.71% 1,710 11.85% 62.47% 5,750 7,460 1,217 – – – – – 14,427 Comox Valley Lib Lib 14,068 45.73% 807 2.62% 68.34% 14,068 13,261 2,833 187 214 – – 201 30,764 Coquitlam-Maillardville Lib NDP 10,532 46.96% 531 2.37% 63.41% 10,001 10,532 1,415 – 236 – – 242 22,426 Cowichan-Ladysmith Lib NDP 14,014 50.02% 2,589 9.24% 71.86% 11,425 14,014 1,950 238 – – 307 83 28,017 Delta North Lib NDP 10,481 47.46% 1,001 4.53% 64.24% 9,480 10,481 1,711 – 224 – – 187 22,083 Delta South Lib Lib 9,112 37.48% 1,069 4.40% 70.81% 9,112 5,828 1,131 – 139 – 8,101Vicki Huntington received 8,043 votes – 24,311 East Kootenay Lib Lib 8,060 48.01% 721 4.29% 60.03% 8,060 7,339 1,389 – – – – – 16,788 Esquimalt-Metchosin Lib NDP 12,545 49.63% 2,895 11.45% 66.89% 9,650 12,545 2,672 409 – – – – 25,276 Fort Langley-Aldergrove Lib Lib 15,454 59.13% 7,857 30.06% 65.06% 15,454 7,597 2,529 – 374 – – 183 26,137 Kamloops Lib Lib 11,261 47.58% 1,375 5.81% 61.81% 11,261 9,886 1,723 – – 797 – – 23,667 Kamloops-North Thompson Lib Lib 11,648 48.36% 2,013 8.36% 67.71% 11,648 9,635 1,689 – 321 795 – – 24,088 Kelowna-Lake Country Lib Lib 12,247 50.37% 4,857 19.98% 54.88% 12,247 7,390 2,541 1,793 341 – – – 24,312 Kelowna-Mission Lib Lib 13,827 53.72% 5,638 21.91% 57.00% 13,827 8,189 3,308 – 320 – – 94 25,738 Langley Lib Lib 12,877 52.18% 4,574 18.53% 61.68% 12,877 8,303 3,042 – 278 – – 180 24,680 Malahat-Juan de Fuca Lib NDP 12,460 46.09% 1,932 7.15% 69.57% 10,528 12,460 2,610 1,256 – – – 180 27,034 Maple Ridge-Mission Lib Lib 12,095 44.30% 199 0.73% 63.31% 12,095 11,896 2,633 – 314 – 312 53 27,303 Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Lib NDP 11,786 46.38% 925 3.64% 64.23% 10,861 11,786 1,869 534 360 – – – 25,410 Nanaimo Lib NDP 13,226 51.90% 4,569 17.93% 62.83% 8,657 13,226 2,933 – 294 – 204 169 25,483 Nanaimo-Parksville Lib Lib 16,542 51.42% 4,110 12.78% 69.56% 16,542 12,432 2,714 – 198 – – 283 32,169 Nelson-Creston Lib NDP 12,896 58.80% 7,034 32.07% 67.88% 5,862 12,896 2,724 – 276 – – 173 21,931 New Westminster Lib NDP 13,226 51.32% 3,581 13.89% 63.91% 9,645 13,226 2,416 152 293 – – 42 25,774 North Coast Lib NDP 5,845 53.77% 1,660 15.27% 60.86% 4,185 5,845 629 – 211 – – – 10,870 North Island Lib NDP 11,464 45.29% 660 2.61% 66.38% 10,804 11,464 1,874 699 – – 471 – 25,312 North Vancouver-Lonsdale Lib Lib 9,375 44.51% 984 4.67% 64.31% 9,375 8,391 2,562 163 209 – – 365 21,065 North Vancouver-Seymour Lib Lib 14,518 56.92% 6,923 27.14% 74.88% 14,518 7,595 3,013 – 212 – – 169 25,507 Oak Bay-Gordon Head Lib Lib 13,443 47.52% 1,427 5.04% 73.63% 13,443 12,016 2,379 278 – – 176 – 28,292 Okanagan-Vernon Lib Lib 11,566 43.20% 2,571 9.60% 61.10% 11,566 8,995 1,867 – 260 3,095 945 48 26,776 Okanagan-Westside Lib Lib 12,148 54.39% 5,275 23.62% 60.85% 12,148 6,873 2,262 1,051 – – – – 22,334 Peace River North Lib Lib 5,498 59.37% 2,987 32.26% 47.36% 5,498 2,511 638 – – – 613 – 9,260 Peace River South Lib Lib 5,810 57.74% 2,514 24.99% 56.30% 5,810 3,296 956 – – – – – 10,062 Penticton-Okanagan Valley Lib Lib 13,650 50.23% 3,453 12.71% 62.61% 13,650 10,197 2,669 – – – 660 – 27,176 Port Coquitlam-Burke Mountain Lib NDP 11,844 48.14% 1,092 4.44% 64.29% 10,752 11,844 1,691 – – – – 318 24,605 Port Moody-Westwood Lib Lib 14,161 53.75% 4,313 16.37% 60.57% 14,161 9,848 1,670 – – – 227 442 26,348 Powell River-Sunshine Coast Lib NDP 11,099 43.45% 3,397 13.30% 72.43% 7,702 11,099 6,585 – – – – 156 25,542 Prince George-Mount Robson Lib Lib 5,885 41.06% 891 6.22% 58.41% 5,885 4,994 1,053 – 241 – 2,158Paul Nettleton was the incumbent Liberal MLA in Prince George-Omineca. – 14,331 Prince George North Lib Lib 7,697 49.93% 2,099 13.62% 61.55% 7,697 5,598 1,201 241 235 – 443 – 15,415 Prince George-Omineca Lib Lib 8,622 51.71% 2,442 14.65% 64.22% 8,622 6,180 1,393 479 – – – – 16,674 Richmond Centre Lib Lib 10,908 58.56% 4,857 26.08% 49.42% 10,908 6,051 1,436 – 231 – – – 18,626 Richmond East Lib Lib 11,652 57.48% 4,960 24.47% 53.01% 11,652 6,692 1,530 – 191 – 207 – 20,272 Richmond-Steveston Lib Lib 13,859 59.20% 6,525 27.87% 59.87% 13,859 7,334 1,934 282 – – – – 23,409 Saanich North and the Islands Lib Lib 13,781 43.66% 1,939 6.14% 73.09% 13,781 11,842 4,846 1,092 – – – – 31,561 Saanich South Lib NDP 12,809 46.08% 429 1.54% 72.03% 12,380 12,809 2,018 223 – – 161 207 27,798 Shuswap Lib Lib 11,024 46.96% 2,743 11.68% 64.34% 11,024 8,281 1,394 – 356 2,330 – 92 23,477 Skeena Lib NDP 6,166 48.12% 359 2.80% 62.52% 5,807 6,166 616 – – – – 224 12,813 Surrey-Cloverdale Lib Lib 16,429 61.64% 8,789 32.97% 65.49% 16,429 7,640 2,280 305 – – – – 26,654 Surrey-Green Timbers Lib NDP 10,836 60.82% 5,217 29.28% 56.69% 5,619 10,836 791 142 225 – – 203 17,816 Surrey-Newton Lib NDP 10,741 57.89% 4,268 23.00% 60.42% 6,473 10,741 876 268 – – – 195 18,553 Surrey-Panorama Ridge Lib NDP 11,553 53.17% 2,980 13.71% 62.00% 8,573 11,553 1,370 – 234 – – – 21,730 Surrey-Tynehead Lib Lib 12,052 51.37% 2,583 11.01% 59.14% 12,052 9,469 1,095 – 243 – 603 – 23,462 Surrey-Whalley Lib NDP 8,903 55.00% 3,954 24.43% 54.95% 4,949 8,903 1,238 607 302 – 139 50 16,188 Surrey-White Rock Lib Lib 16,462 57.86% 8,951 31.46% 67.91% 16,462 7,511 3,051 87 – 1,340 – – 28,451 Vancouver-Burrard Lib Lib 12,009 42.16% 11 0.04% 51.95% 12,009 11,998 3,698 82 – – – 696 28,483 Vancouver-Fairview Lib NDP 13,009 46.59% 895 3.21% 60.64% 12,114 13,009 2,479 – – – 102 216 27,920 Vancouver-Fraserview Lib Lib 9,895 47.80% 1,112 5.37% 57.96% 9,895 8,783 1,374 – 650 – – – 20,702 Vancouver-Hastings NDP NDP 11,726 54.61% 4,816 22.43% 55.43% 6,910 11,726 1,928 – 188 – 130 589 21,471 Vancouver-Kensington Lib NDP 10,573 49.97% 1,624 7.67% 58.46% 8,949 10,573 1,273 – 266 – – 99 21,160 Vancouver-Kingsway Lib NDP 10,038 51.44% 2,144 10.99% 54.19% 7,894 10,038 1,212 – 219 – – 150 19,513 Vancouver-Langara Lib Lib 11,181 56.55% 4,661 23.57% 53.51% 11,181 6,520 1,591 – 144 – – 336 19,772 Vancouver-Mount Pleasant NDP NDP 12,974 64.24% 8,676 42.96% 49.93% 4,298 12,974 2,066 43 308 – 205 302 20,196 Vancouver-Point Grey Lib Lib 12,498 45.98% 2,250 8.28% 60.94% 12,498 10,248 4,111 – 138 – – 188 27,183 Vancouver-Quilchena Lib Lib 16,394 67.16% 11,263 46.14% 61.64% 16,394 5,131 2,538 – 175 – – 174 24,412 Victoria-Beacon Hill Lib NDP 16,081 57.03% 7,460 26.46% 64.12% 8,621 16,081 3,077 169 – – 247 – 28,195 Victoria-Hillside Lib NDP 13,926 57.00% 6,884 28.18% 62.74% 7,042 13,926 2,934 363 – – – 167 24,432 West Kootenay-Boundary Lib NDP 13,318 60.26% 7,138 32.30% 68.63% 6,180 13,318 1,561 – – 802 180 59 22,100 West Vancouver-Capilano Lib Lib 14,665 68.27% 10,765 50.11% 66.14% 14,665 3,900 2,648 – 147 – – 122 21,482 West Vancouver-Garibaldi Lib Lib 11,808 50.35% 5,573 23.76% 61.57% 11,808 4,947 6,235 – – 464 – – 23,454 Yale-Lillooet Lib NDP 8,432 48.90% 1,483 8.60% 66.97% 6,949 8,432 1,566 183 – – – 112 17,242

= Open seat = turnout is above provincial average