# Peace River South

Peace River South is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada. It was created under the name South Peace River by the Constitution Amendment Act, 1955, which split the old riding of Peace River into northern and southern portions for the 1956 BC election. Its current name has been in use since 1991.

## Geography

As of the 2020 provincial election, Peace River South comprises the southern portion of the Peace River Regional District, located in eastern British Columbia. The electoral district is bordered by Alberta in the east. Communities in the electoral district consist of Dawson Creek, Chetwynd, Tumbler Ridge and Pouce Coupe.

## History
### Member of the Legislative Assembly

This riding has elected the following members of the Legislative Assembly:
| Assembly | Years | Member | Party |
| South Peace River Riding created from Peace River |||||
| 25th | 1956–1960 | Stanley Carnell | Social Credit |
| 26th | 1960–1963 | Stanley Carnell | Social Credit |
| 27th | 1963–1966 | Stanley Carnell | Social Credit |
| 28th | 1966–1969 | Donald M. Phillips | Social Credit |
| 29th | 1969–1972 | Donald Albert Marshall | Social Credit |
| 29th | 1972–1972 | Donald Albert Marshall | Progressive Conservative |
| 30th | 1972–1975 | Donald M. Phillips | Social Credit |
| 31st | 1975–1979 | Donald M. Phillips | Social Credit |
| 32nd | 1979–1983 | Donald M. Phillips | Social Credit |
| 33rd | 1983–1986 | Donald M. Phillips | Social Credit |
| 34th | 1986–1991 | Jack Weisgerber | Social Credit |
| Peace River South |||||
| 35th | 1991–1995 | Jack Weisgerber | Social Credit |
| 35th | 1995–1996 | Jack Weisgerber | Reform |
| 36th | 1996–1997 | Jack Weisgerber | Reform |
| 36th | 1997–2001 | Jack Weisgerber | Independent |
| 37th | 2001–2005 | Blair Lekstrom | Liberal |
| 38th | 2005–2009 | Blair Lekstrom | Liberal |
| 39th | 2009–2010 | Blair Lekstrom | Liberal |
| 39th | 2010–2011 | Blair Lekstrom | Independent |
| 39th | 2011–2013 | Blair Lekstrom | Liberal |
| 40th | 2013–2017 | Mike Bernier | Liberal |
| 41st | 2017–2020 | Mike Bernier | Liberal |
| 42nd | 2020–2023 | Mike Bernier | Liberal |
| 42nd | 2023–2024 | Mike Bernier | United |
| 43rd | 2024–present | Larry Neufeld | Conservative |
Its current member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) is Larry Neufeld. He was first elected in 2024 and represents the BC Conservatives.

## Election results

vte2024 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Larry Neufeld | 7,181 | 69.8% |
| | Unaffiliated | Mike Bernier | 2,525 | 24.6% |
| | New Democratic | Marshall Bigsby | 576 | 5.6% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 10,282 | – |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | Registered voters | |
| Source: Elections BC |||||||
vte2020 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Mike Bernier | 3,862 | 51.19 | −24.78 | $11,466.78 |
| | Conservative | Kathleen Connolly | 2,303 | 30.53 | – | $0.00 |
| | New Democratic | Corey Grizz Longley | 1,180 | 15.64 | −8.39 | $1,321.80 |
| | Wexit | Dorothy Sharon Smith | 199 | 2.84 | – | $538.35 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 7,544 | 100.00 | – |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 42 | 0.56 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,586 | 41.66 | | |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | Registered voters | 18,211 |
| Source: Elections BC |||||||
vte2017 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Mike Bernier | 6,637 | 75.97 | +29.24 | $26,175 |
| | New Democratic | Stephanie Goudie | 2,099 | 24.03 | +2.79 | $8,179 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 8,736 | 100.00 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 131 | 1.48 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,867 | 49.97 |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | Registered voters | 17,746 |
| Source: Elections BC |||||||
vte2013 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Mike Bernier | 4,373 | 46.73 | -16.35 | $107,254 |
| | Conservative | Kurt Zane Peats | 2,546 | 27.21 | - | $26,829 |
| | New Democratic | Darwin Wren | 1,988 | 21.24 | -5.79 | $36,616 |
| | Independent | Tyrel Andrew Pohl | 451 | 4.82 | - | $2,668 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 9,358 | 100.00 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 37 | 0.39 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,395 | 49.89 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | –21.78 |
| Source: Elections BC |||||||
2011 British Columbia sales tax referendum :
| Side | Side | Votes | % |
| | Yes | 4,073 | 58.82 |
| | No | 2,852 | 41.18 |
2009 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Blair Lekstrom | 4,801 | 63.08 | +5.34 | $83,241 |
| | New Democratic | Pat Shaw | 2,057 | 27.03 | –5.73 | $13,686 |
| | Green | Grant Fraser | 553 | 7.00 | –2.50 | $350 |
| | Independent | Donna Young | 220 | 2.89 | – | $1,976 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 7,611 | 100.0 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 44 | 0.57 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,655 | 44.0 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | +5.54 |
2009 British Columbia electoral reform referendum :
| Side | Side | Votes | % |
| | FPTP | 4,884 | 66.31 |
| | BC-STV | 2,481 | 33.69 |
2005 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Blair Lekstrom | 5,810 | 57.74 | –6.46 | $67,507 |
| | New Democratic | Pat Shaw | 3,296 | 32.76 | +25.07 | $19,318 |
| | Green | Ariel Lade | 956 | 9.50 | +5.42 | $200 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 10,062 | 100.0 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 71 | 0.71 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,133 | 56.3 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | –15.76 |
2005 British Columbia electoral reform referendum :
| Side | Side | Votes | % |
| | Yes | 5,279 | 54.24 |
| | No | 4,453 | 45.76 |
2001 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Blair Lekstrom | 6,393 | 64.20 | +33.35 | $58,198 |
| | Social Credit | Grant Mitton | 1,726 | 17.33 | +13.64 | $12,655 |
| | New Democratic | Elmer Kabush | 767 | 7.69 | –23.19 | $865 |
| | Marijuana | Michelle Rainey-Fenkarek | 444 | 4.45 | – | $3,288 |
| | Green | Stacey Dean Lajeunesse | 407 | 4.08 | +2.89 | $100 |
| | Unity | Garret Golhof | 225 | 2.25 | – | $1,540 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 9,962 | 100.0 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 34 | 0.34 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,996 | 62.37 |
| | Liberal gain from Reform | Liberal gain from Reform | Swing | Swing | +9.86 |
1996 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Reform | Jack Weisgerber | 3,901 | 31.89 | –5.32 | $15,351 |
| | New Democratic | Patrick Michiel | 3,778 | 30.88 | –0.10 | $19,349 |
| | Liberal | Brian Haddow | 3,774 | 30.85 | +2.55 | $22,822 |
| | Social Credit | Aime Girard | 452 | 3.69 | –33.52 | $7,548 |
| | Progressive Democrat | Wade Alexander Allan | 183 | 1.50 | – | $100 |
| | Green | Shane Hartnell | 145 | 1.19 | –2.32 | $100 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 12,233 | 100.0 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 49 | 0.40 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,282 | 62.60 |
| | Reform gain from Social Credit | Reform gain from Social Credit | Swing | Swing | +16.00 |
1991 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Expenditures |
| | Social Credit | Jack Weisgerber | 4,617 | 37.21 | $24,824 |
| | New Democratic | Anne Matheson | 3,844 | 30.98 | $16,578 |
| | Liberal | Marcheta D. N. Leoppky | 3,512 | 28.30 | $3,345 |
| | Green | Hermann E. Bruns | 435 | 3.51 | $1,394 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 12,408 | 100.0 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 308 | 2.42 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,716 | 69.72 |
Question A: Recall :
| Side | Side | Votes | % |
| | Yes | 9,706 | 86.15 |
| | No | 1,561 | 13.85 |
Question B: Ballot Initiatives :
| Side | Side | Votes | % |
| | Yes | 9,759 | 88.86 |
| | No | 1,223 | 11.14 |