Facts must prevail over lies.
Among some on the right, there is a growing belief that the B.C. election has somehow been ‘rigged.’
Some are making this accusation directly, others are being more subtle by ‘just asking questions’ about the vote count process.
This is an effort to try and undermine confidence in the final results, results that are likely to show a very narrow NDP victory in the seat count, and a possible NDP majority as the final count puts them over in a key riding where the Conservatives had been leading.
It also a clear importation of the same fact-free lies spread by Donald Trump and his supporters following his defeat in the 2020 election. Sadly, some in this country seem to want to copy the same kind of conspiratorial divisiveness and magical thinking that has done significant damage south of the border.
With this in mind, it is essential to make clear that the B.C. election is not being rigged. And here’s why:
First, the vote-counting process is proceeding as Elections B.C. said it would.
The final count process includes quality assurance checks on the initial count to ensure accuracy, alongside the inclusion of absentee and mail-in-ballots. Recounts also take place as part of the final count.
People can agree or disagree on how long the process is taking, but none of this is a surprise. This isn’t some ‘last minute change.’ Nothing that has happened goes against what Elections B.C. said would happen.
Second, concerns have been raised about election workers ‘taking ballots home.’
Here are the facts on that:
“A UBC professor is quashing online chatter about the idea of ballot-tampering in the B.C. election.
This comes after claims an Elections BC official took home unmarked ballots for secure storage during advanced voting — a practice that is permitted under specific circumstances, according to the elections authority.
The organization says unused ballots and ballot boxes are typically returned to a district office for secure storage, but may be stored at an official’s home in areas where the distance is too great for supervisors to return at night during the voting process.
Political science lecturer Stewart Prest says unmarked ballots being stored at an official’s home is part of voting in small rural communities.
“The chain of custody that Elections BC puts in place in those situations runs through individual officials who are deemed to be trustworthy of that responsibility,” Prest said.
“In the end, our entire electoral process ultimately rests on our ability and our willingness to trust that those put in positions to oversee elections are carrying out their duties effectively.”
Prest says there are ways the process could be centralized that would decrease the burden on officials, but it would come at the cost of becoming less accessible to those living in remote areas.”
Additionally, ballots being ‘taken home’ has occurred mostly in rural areas where election workers are more likely to be right-leaning individuals, and where the margin of victory for the leading candidate is generally quite wide. There is also zero evidence that any tampering has taken place.
Third – and most importantly – the B.C. Conservative Party (who would obviously have an interest in challenging results if there were evidence of wrongdoing), is defending the process.
Aisha Estey – a lawyer and the President of the B.C. Conservative Party – has defended the legitimacy of the count:
“I spent the last two days in a warehouse watching the transcription and counting of mail in ballots. Elections BC staff have been working tirelessly and doing their best within the confines of the legislation that governs their work. Would we have liked mail-ins to be counted closer to E-Day? Sure. But I saw nothing that caused me concern. #bcpoli”
A similar defence of the electoral process is also being given by B.C. Conservative Party Leader John Rustad:
If the B.C. Conservatives had evidence that they were going to lose ridings due to fraud, they would of course be presenting it. They are not, and they are speaking out to defend the legitimacy of the elections, even as they appear to be on the path to a very narrow loss.
That really says it all.
What’s really going on here is that most elections simply aren’t this close.
Vote counting often continues many days after most results are known, but it usually doesn’t matter since the result isn’t in doubt.
In this case, it does matter because final vote counts always bring small changes, and small changes could change the winner in B.C.
But just because an election is close, and just because you may not end up getting the result you want, doesn’t mean the process is rigged.
Democracy is a very precious thing. Learning how to transfer power without bloodshed is an immense human achievement, something that we must hold on to and defend if we are to continue advancing as a species and as a civilization. Accepting a loss and regrouping to try and win the next time is the only way that the system can remain in place, and we must not allow the legitimacy of our democratic institutions to be undermined by lies and misinformation.
The truth of the matter is clear: The B.C. election is not being rigged.
Spencer Fernando
Photo – YouTube
