# Boundary-Similkameen

Boundary-Similkameen is a provincial electoral district in British Columbia. It was formed in 2008 out of parts of Penticton-Okanagan Valley, West Kootenay-Boundary and Yale-Lillooet. The riding's name corresponds to that of a former riding in the same area, with similar but not identical boundaries (see History section).

## Geography

The electoral district mainly includes communities along BC-3 (Crowsnest Highway), including Keremeos, Oliver, Osoyoos, Grand Forks and Big White. Its southern boundary is the United States-Canada border. To the east, its boundary follows that of the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen; to the east, the boundary runs along that of the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary Electoral Area C. Its northern boundary largely follows that of the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary and of the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen and the southern limit of the City of Princeton.

## Member of the Legislative Assembly

Due to the realignment of electoral boundaries, most incumbents did not represent the entirety of their listed district during the preceding legislative term. Bill Barisoff, British Columbia Liberal Party was initially elected during the 2005 election and 2001 election to the Penticton-Okanagan Valley riding, where the bulk of the new riding's population resides. Katrine Conroy, NDP. was the MLA for West Kootenay-Boundary, while Harry Lali, NDP, was the MLA for Yale-Lillooet (the areas of those ridings added to Boundary-Similkameen are less-populated and were not main population centres in their ridings).

## History

The original riding of Boundary-Similkameen was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It spanned the Boundary Country, around the towns of Grand Forks and Rock Creek west including Oliver and Osoyoos to the Similkameen Valley towns of Keremeos and Princeton. The riding first appeared in the 1966 election as the result of a merger of the former ridings of Grand Forks-Greenwood (1924–1963) and Similkameen. Until the re-creation of Boundary-Similkameen, the former area was part of West Kootenay-Boundary; areas in the Similkameen had been part of Yale-Lillooet (which has been reconstituted as Fraser-Nicola).
For other historical and current ridings in the region, see Kootenay (electoral districts) and Okanagan (electoral districts).

### Single-member district

Boundary-Similkameen :
| Assembly | Years | Member | Party |
| Riding created from Grand Forks-Greenwood, Similkameen and South Okanagan |||||
| 28th | 1966–1969 | Frank Richter Jr. | Social Credit |
| 29th | 1969–1972 | Frank Richter Jr. | Social Credit |
| 30th | 1972–1975 | Frank Richter Jr. | Social Credit |
| 31st | 1975–1979 | Jim Hewitt | Social Credit |
| 32nd | 1979–1983 | Jim Hewitt | Social Credit |
| 33rd | 1983–1986 | Jim Hewitt | Social Credit |
| Please refer to the table below for representation in the 34th Assembly (1986-1991) |||||
| Riding dissolved into Okanagan-Boundary and Okanagan-Penticton |||||
| Riding re-created from Penticton-Okanagan Valley, West Kootenay-Boundary and Yale-Lillooet |||||
| 39th | 2009–2013 | John Slater | Liberal |
| 40th | 2013–2017 | Linda Larson | Liberal |
| 41st | 2017–2020 | Linda Larson | Liberal |
| 42nd | 2020–2024 | Roly Russell | New Democratic |
| 43rd | 2024–present | Donegal Wilson | Conservative |

### Dual-member district

| Assembly | Years | Member 1 | Member 1 | Party | Member 2 | Member 2 | Party |
| 34th | 1986–1988 | | Jim Hewitt | Social Credit | | Ivan Messmer | Social Credit |
| 34th | 1988–1991 | | Bill Barlee | New Democrat | | Ivan Messmer | Social Credit |

## Electoral history

vte2024 British Columbia general election :
| The 2024 general election will be held on October 19. |||||||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Donegal Wilson | 11,937 | 48.4% | | |
| | New Democratic | Roly Russell | 10,497 | 42.6% | | |
| | Green | Kevin Eastwood | 1,454 | 5.9% | | |
| | Independent | Sean Taylor | 779 | 3.2% | | |
| Total valid votes/expenses limit | Total valid votes/expenses limit | Total valid votes/expenses limit | | | | $71,700.08 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 24,667 | | |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | Registered voters | |
| Source: Elections BC |||||||
vte2020 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | New Democratic | Roly Russell | 10,500 | 49.85 | +17.12 | $22,881.87 |
| | Liberal | Petra Veintimilla | 7,735 | 36.72 | −6.08 | $47,872.88 |
| | Conservative | Darryl Seres | 2,354 | 11.18 | – | $2,932.14 |
| | Wexit | Arlyn Greig | 474 | 2.25 | – | $4.00 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 21,063 | 99.02 | – |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 208 | 0.99 | +0.54 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,271 | 56.84 | –7.96 |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | Registered voters | 37,421 |
| | New Democratic gain from Liberal | New Democratic gain from Liberal | Swing | Swing | +11.60 |
| Source: Elections BC |||||||
vte2017 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Linda Larson | 9,513 | 42.80 | −3.79 | $68,560.09 |
| | New Democratic | Colleen Ross | 7,275 | 32.73 | −6.26 | $60,024.28 |
| | Independent | Peter Entwistle | 3,165 | 14.24 | – | $3,653.00 |
| | Green | Vonnie Lavers | 2,274 | 10.23 | +1.45 | $1,170.00 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 22,227 | 100.00 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 98 | 0.44 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 22,325 | 64.80 |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | Registered voters | 34,450 |
| Source: Elections BC |||||||
vte2013 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Linda Larson | 8,499 | 46.59 | +9.14 | $61,031 |
| | New Democratic | Sam Hancheroff | 7,113 | 38.99 | +6.08 | $70,135 |
| | Green | John Kwasnica | 1,602 | 8.78 | −0.7 | $1,334 |
| | No Affiliation | Mischa Popoff | 655 | 3.59 | – | $3,725 |
| | Independent | Doug Pederson | 375 | 2.06 | – | $0 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 18,244 | 100.00 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 113 | 0.62 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 18,357 | 61.85 |
| Source: Elections BC |||||||
B.C. General Election 2009 Boundary-Similkameen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | John Slater | 6,681 | 37.45% | -8.25 | $99,832 |
| | NDP | Lakhvinder Jhaj | 5,870 | 32.91% | -7.89 | $52,629 |
| | Conservative | Joe Cardoso | 3,596 | 20.16% | | $20,592 |
| | Green | Bob Grieve | 1,691 | 9.48% | -0.02 | $2,025 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 17,838 | 100% |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 122 | 0.68% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 17,960 | 62.31% |
Boundary-Similkameen Byelection, June 8, 1988 resignation of Jim Hewitt :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | New Democratic | Bill Barlee | 15,778 | 52.82% | | unknown |
| | Social Credit | Russ Fox | 10,515 | 35.44% | – | unknown |
| | Liberal | Judi Tyabji | 3,144 | 10.53% | – | unknown |
| | Green | Rus Domer | 361 | 1.21% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 29,868 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 218 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
| $^2$ Seat increased to two members from one. |||||||
The 1988 byelection, which elected NDP member Bill Barlee, was the last appearance of the Boundary-Similkameen riding until its recreation in 2009. For the 1991 election, the area became represented by Okanagan-Boundary.
34th British Columbia election, 1986 $^{2>}$ :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Social Credit | Jim Hewitt | 18,204 | 29.99% | – | unknown |
| | Social Credit | Ivan Messmer | 16,150 | 26.61% | – | unknown |
| | New Democratic | Eldon John Harrop | 11,656 | 19.21% | | unknown |
| | New Democratic | Wesley G. Nickel | 11,427 | 18.83% | | unknown |
| | Liberal | Anna Rita Lusier | 1,729 | 2.85% | – | unknown |
| | Green | John Mercer Hughes | 893 | 1.47% | – | unknown |
| | Green | David G. Cursons | 634 | 1.04% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 60,693 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 758 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
| $^2$ Seat increased to two members from one. |||||||
33rd British Columbia election, 1983 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Social Credit | Jim Hewitt | 18,869 | 54.82% | – | unknown |
| | New Democratic | Yvonne Joan Storey | 14,468 | 42.03% | | unknown |
| | Liberal | Kenneth Leslie Carig Hasanen | 1,086 | 3.15% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 34,423 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 312 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
32nd British Columbia election, 1979 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Social Credit | Jim Hewitt | 13,739 | 47.56% | – | unknown |
| | New Democratic | Bryan Patrick McIver | 11,485 | 39.76% | | unknown |
| | Progressive Conservative | John Edwin Swales | 3,662 | 12.68% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 28,886 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 324 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
31st British Columbia election, 1975 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Social Credit | Jim Hewitt | 10,784 | 48.31% | – | unknown |
| | New Democratic | Yvonne Joan Storey | 9,183 | 41.13% | | unknown |
| | Progressive Conservative | Barry Donald Montgomery | 1,778 | 7.96% | | unknown |
| | Liberal | James Elder | 580 | 2.60% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 22,325 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 161 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
30th British Columbia election, 1972 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Social Credit | Frank Richter, Jr. | 8,092 | 44.11% | – | unknown |
| | New Democratic | Bill Barlee | 6,850 | 37.34% | | unknown |
| | Liberal | Ruth Schiller | 1,855 | 10.11 | – | unknown |
| | Progressive Conservative | Donald James Ewart | 1,550 | 8.45% | | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 18,347 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 122 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
29th British Columbia election, 1969 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Social Credit | Frank Richter, Jr. | 8,944 | 54.29% | – | unknown |
| | New Democratic | Bill Barlee | 4,957 | 30.09% | | unknown |
| | Liberal | Donald Grant MacDonald | 2,575 | 15.63% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 16,476 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 122 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |
28th British Columbia election, 1966 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Social Credit | Frank Richter, Jr. | 6,547 | 55.44% | – | unknown |
| | New Democratic | Lois Haggen | 3,669 | 31.07% | | unknown |
| | Liberal | John Victor Hyde Wilson | 1,594 | 13.50% | – | unknown |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 11,810 | 100.00% | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 87 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | % | | |