# 2023 Vancouver-Mount Pleasant provincial by-election

A by-election was held in the provincial riding of Vancouver-Mount Pleasant in British Columbia on June 24, 2023, to elect a new member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia following the resignation of NDP MLA Melanie Mark.
The by-election was held on the same day as one in Langford-Juan de Fuca.

## Background
### Constituency

The seat covers an urban area in the city of Vancouver. The riding consists of its namesake neighbourhood Mount Pleasant and the eastern parts of downtown Vancouver including Chinatown and the Downtown Eastside.

### Representation

The seat has been held by the British Columbia New Democratic Party for most of its history. Future member of Parliament Jenny Kwan represented the seat from 1996 to 2015.
On February 22, 2023, Melanie Mark announced her resignation as MLA and cabinet minister. In her resignation speech, Mark criticized how "institutions fundamentally resist change ... particularly colonial institutions and government at large", and said that she would "continue to advocate and fight from outside of this House".

## Candidates

* Kimball Cariou (Communist), leader of the Communist Party; previously the Communist candidate in Vancouver-Hastings during the 2020 provincial election
* Wendy Hayko (Green), emergency management expert; previously the Green candidate in Vancouver-Quilchena during the April 2022 provincial by-election
* Jackie Lee (United), businessman
* Karin Litzcke (Conservative), education advocate; previously the People's Party candidate in Vancouver East during the 2021 Canadian federal election, and the Libertarian candidate in Vancouver-Kingsway during the 2020 provincial election.
* Joan Phillip (New Democratic), Indigenous leader; previously the NDP candidate in Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola during the 2021 Canadian federal election

## Results

vteBritish Columbia provincial by-election, June 24, 2023: Vancouver-Mount Pleasant :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | New Democratic | Joan Phillip | 5,459 | 67.79 | +0.84 | $75,828.03 |
| | United | Jackie Lee | 1,101 | 13.67 | +0.69 | $62,774.86 |
| | Green | Wendy Hayko | 931 | 11.56 | −8.51 | $9,323.27 |
| | Conservative | Karin Litzcke | 395 | 4.91 | | $9,989.00 |
| | Communist | Kimball Cariou | 167 | 2.07 | | $381.50 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 8,053 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 21 | 0.26 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,074 | 17.84 | −30.17 |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | Registered voters | 45,265 |
| | New Democratic hold | New Democratic hold | Swing | Swing | |
| Source: Elections BC |||||||

## 2020 result

vte2020 British Columbia general election: Vancouver-Mount Pleasant :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | New Democratic | Melanie Mark | 14,530 | 66.95 | +1.63 | $22,210.72 |
| | Green | Kelly Tatham | 4,356 | 20.07 | +3.14 | $5,570.94 |
| | Liberal | George Vassilas | 2,816 | 12.98 | −3.06 | $8,413.63 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 21,702 | 99.03 | – |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 212 | 0.97 | −0.07 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,914 | 48.01 | −9.61 |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | Registered voters | 45,644 |
| | New Democratic hold | New Democratic hold | Swing | Swing | −0.76 |
| Source: Elections BC |||||||