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NDP asks courts to add 'B.C.' to Conservative Party's ballot name

The B.C. NDP initiated a court action Thursday, challenging the name the B.C. Conservatives are using on the provincial election ballot.

All ballots have been printed and over 13,000 votes have already been made, Elections B.C. says

Abby Luciano · CBC News ·
Headshots of David Eby and John Rustad
Photo illustration featuring B.C. NDP Leader David Eby, left, and B.C. Conservative Party Leader John Rustad. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

The B.C. NDP is petitioning the courts to force the B.C. Conservative Party into changing how its name shows up on election ballots, arguing that the current phrasing could confuse voters. 

NDP Leader David Eby said the name as it stands now — the "Conservative Party" —  is misleading, and comes across as the federal party instead of provincial. 

"Mr. Rustad is working very hard to mislead people about who he is and who he represents," Eby said during a press conference in Kelowna. "He's pretending to be part of the federal Conservative Party. He's not, he's misleading people."  

The B.C. NDP filed its court petition on Thursday, asking for Elections B.C. to change the Conservative's ballot name to "BC Conservative Party." 

Three people standing in a row outside, in front of green grass.
B.C. NDP Leader David Eby says the B.C. Conservative Party's decision to list itself only as the 'Conservative Party' on the election ballot is misleading, and comes across as the federal party instead of provincial. (CBC News)

Elections B.C. said it is opposing the application. 

The "BC Conservative Party" ballot name was used in the 2017 provincial election, but was changed to "Conservative" in the 2020 provincial election. 

Elections B.C. Senior Director of Communications Andrew Watson said in an email that the new name meets the requirements of the Election Act. 

Under the act, Watson said, a party's ballot name must not, in the opinion of the chief electoral officer, be likely to be confused with another provincial political party that is currently registered.

B.C. Conservatives Leader John Rustad said it made sense to have only "Conservative Party" on the ballot because his party's registered name with Elections B.C. is "Conservative Party of British Columbia," and that would be too long. 

"I find it rather amusing that that's what the NDP is spending their time on," he said. 

"It makes sense to be able to have the 'Conservative Party' on the ballot …. It's the right thing to be able to do so there is no confusion on the ballot for people in British Columbia." 

Three people standing in a row behind a podium with a blue sign with white lettering saying "support working families."
B.C. Conservative Party Leader John Rustad says it made sense to have only 'Conservative Party' on the ballot, as adding "British Columbia" would be too long. (CBC News)

Elections B.C. said all ballots have been printed, and over 13,000 votes have been made, either in-person or by mail. 

Voting by mail remains open until Oct. 13, while in-person advance voting will be available from Oct. 10-16, excluding Thanksgiving. Election day is Oct. 19. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Abby Luciano

Associate Producer

Abby Luciano is an associate producer with CBC British Columbia. She previously worked as a reporter and later editor-in-chief of Kwantlen Polytechnic University's student newspaper The Runner.

    With files from Meera Bains

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