# Skeena (provincial electoral district)

Skeena is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada. It first appeared in the provincial election of 1924. It should not be confused with the former federal electoral district of Skeena, which encompassed a larger area.

## Demographics

| Population | 32,021 |
| Population change, 1996–2001 | −6.4% |
| Area (km$^2$) | 23,569 |
| Population density (people per km$^2$) | 1.4 |

## Geography

As of the 2020 provincial election, Skeena comprises the southern portion of the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine, with the exception of the southern tip of the region which is part of the North Coast electoral district. It is located in western British Columbia, with the northwest bordering Alaska, United States. Communities in the electoral district consist of Terrace and Kitimat.

## History

This electoral district has elected the following members of the Legislative Assembly:
Skeena :
| Assembly | Years | Member | Party |
| 16th | 1924–1928 | Horace Cooper Wrinch | Liberal |
| 17th | 1928–1933 | Horace Cooper Wrinch | Liberal |
| 18th | 1933–1937 | Edward Tourtellotte Kenney | Liberal |
| 19th | 1937–1941 | Edward Tourtellotte Kenney | Liberal |
| 20th | 1941–1945 | Edward Tourtellotte Kenney | Liberal |
| 21st | 1945–1949 | Edward Tourtellotte Kenney | Coalition |
| 22nd | 1949–1952 | Edward Tourtellotte Kenney | Coalition |
| 23rd | 1952–1953 | Edward Tourtellotte Kenney | Liberal |
| 24th | 1953–1956 | Frank Howard | Co-operative Commonwealth |
| 25th | 1956–1960 | Hugh Addison Shirreff | Social Credit |
| 26th | 1960–1963 | Dudley George Little | Social Credit |
| 27th | 1963–1966 | Dudley George Little | Social Credit |
| 28th | 1966–1969 | Dudley George Little | Social Credit |
| 29th | 1969–1972 | Dudley George Little | Social Credit |
| 30th | 1972–1975 | Hartley Douglas Dent | New Democratic |
| 31st | 1975–1979 | Cyril Morley Shelford | Social Credit |
| 32nd | 1979–1983 | Frank Howard | New Democratic |
| 33rd | 1983–1986 | Frank Howard | New Democratic |
| 34th | 1986–1991 | David Parker | Social Credit |
| 35th | 1991–1996 | Helmut Giesbrecht | New Democratic |
| 36th | 1996–2001 | Helmut Giesbrecht | New Democratic |
| 37th | 2001–2005 | Roger Harris | Liberal |
| 38th | 2005–2009 | Robin Austin | New Democratic |
| 39th | 2009–2013 | Robin Austin | New Democratic |
| 40th | 2013–2017 | Robin Austin | New Democratic |
| 41st | 2017–2020 | Ellis Ross | Liberal |
| 42nd | 2020–2023 | Ellis Ross | Liberal |
| 42nd | 2023–2024 | Ellis Ross | BC United |
| 43rd | 2024–present | Claire Rattée | Conservative |

## Member of the Legislative Assembly

Its MLA is Claire Rattée, a former Kitimat city counsellor. She was first elected in 2024. She represents the Conservative Party of British Columbia.

## Election results

2024 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Claire Rattée | 6,243 | 51.20% | +51.20% |
| | New Democratic | Sarah Zimmerman | 5,419 | 44.44% | -0.01% |
| | Green | Teri Young | 406 | 3.33% | +3.33% |
| | Christian Heritage | Irwin Jeffrey | 125 | 1.03% | +1.03% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 12,194 | – |
| 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 | Ellis Ross | 5,810 | 52.06 | −0.17 | $47,839.99 |
| | New Democratic | Nicole Halbauer | 4,961 | 44.45 | +1.16 | $42,856.47 |
| | Independent | Martin Holzbauer | 389 | 3.49 | – | $0.00 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 11,160 | 99.47 | – |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 59 | 0.53 | −0.05 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,219 | 51.89 | −10.87 |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | Registered voters | 21,621 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | –0.67 |
| Source: Elections BC |||||||
2018 British Columbia electoral reform referendum :
| Side | Side | Votes | % |
| | First Past the Post | 4,863 | 66.83 |
| | Proportional representation | 2,414 | 33.17 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 7,277 | 100.00 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 57 | 0.78 |
| Source: Elections BC ||||
vte2017 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Ellis Ross | 6,772 | 52.23 | +9.02 | $60,169 |
| | New Democratic | Bruce Alan Bidgood | 5,613 | 43.29 | −4.42 | $53,814 |
| | Land Air Water | Merv Ritchie | 580 | 4.48 | – | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 12,965 | 100.00 | – |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 75 | 0.58 | +0.03 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,040 | 62.76 | +6.91 |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | Registered voters | 20,779 |
| Source: Elections BC |||||||
vte2013 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | New Democratic | Robin Austin | 5,609 | 47.71 | -3.06 | $41,610 |
| | Liberal | Carol Joan Leclerc | 5,087 | 43.27 | +5.81 | $82,805 |
| | Conservative | Mike Brousseau | 797 | 6.78 | -0.95 | $24,924 |
| | British Columbia Party | Trevor Hendry | 263 | 2.24 | | $250 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 11,756 | 100.00 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 65 | 0.55 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,821 | 55.85 |
| Source: Elections BC |||||||
B.C. General Election 2009 Skeena :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | NDP | Robin Austin | 5,865 | 50.77 | +2.47 | $68,501 |
| | Liberal | Donny Van Dyk | 4,328 | 37.46 | -7.76 | $84,795 |
| | Conservative | Michael Brousseau | 893 | 7.73 | | $6,594 |
| | Green | Anita Norman | 467 | 4.04 | -0.74 | $1,346 |
| Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | 11,553 | 100% |
| Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | 64 | 0.7% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,617 | 55% |
B.C. General Election 2005 Skeena :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | NDP | Robin Austin | 6,166 | 48.12% | | $56,311 |
| | Liberal | Roger Harris | 5,807 | 45.32% | | $122,214 |
| | Green | Patrick Hayes | 616 | 4.81% | – | $900 |
| | Unity | Daniel Stelmacker | 224 | 1.75% | | $1,312 |
| Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | 12,813 | 100% |
| Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | 89 | 0.7% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,902 | 63% |
B.C. General Election 2001: Skeena :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Roger Harris | 8,653 | 65.15% | | $34,842 |
| | NDP | Helmut Giesbrecht | 2,644 | 19.91% | | $16,230 |
| | Green | Roger Colin Benham | 695 | 5.23% | – | $1,893 |
| | Marijuana | Bob Erb | 810 | 6.10% | | $4,908 |
| | All Nations | Gerald Victor Amos | 479 | 3.61% | – | $3,918 |
| Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | 13,281 | 100.00% | |
| Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | 68 | 0.51% | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,349 | 72.13% | |
B.C. General Election 1996: Skeena :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | NDP | Helmut Giesbrecht | 5,353 | 40.34% | | $29,298 |
| | Liberal | Rick Wozney | 4,718 | 35.56% | | $53,331 |
| | Reform | Andy Burton | 2,744 | 20.68% | | $21,615 |
| | Social Credit | Dave Serry | 249 | 1.88% | – | $3,731 |
| | Green | Doug Bodnar | 205 | 1.54% | – | $100 |
| Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | 13,269 | 100.00% | |
| Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | 93 | 0.70% | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,362 | 70.72% | |
B.C. General Election 1991: Skeena :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | NDP | Helmut Giesbrecht | 5,597 | 46.67% | | $31,137 |
| | Social Credit | Dave Parker | 4,766 | 39.74% | – | $65,535 |
| | Liberal | Juanita Hatton | 1,629 | 13.59% | | $983 |
| Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | 11,992 | 100.00% | | |
| Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | 201 | 1.65% | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,193 | 72.46% | | |
B.C. General Election 1986: Skeena :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | Expenditures |
| | Social Credit | David Fletcher Hewlett Parker | 8,259 | 48.61% | – | |
| | NDP | Frank Howard | 7,101 | 41.79% | | |
| | Liberal | William Hayes | 839 | 4.94% | | |
| | Independent | Sebastian Gordon | 793 | 4.66% | | $983 |
| Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | 16,992 | 100.00% | | |
| Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | 225 | 1.65% | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | % | | |
B.C. General Election 1983: Skeena :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± |
| | NDP | Frank Howard | 9,682 | 51.12% | |
| | Social Credit | Joanne B. Monaghan | 8,962 | 47.31% | – |
| | Independent | Lionel Wayne Sears | 297 | 1.57% | |
| Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | 18,941 | 100.00% | |
| Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | 242 | 1.65% | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | % | |
B.C. General Election 1979: Skeena :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± |
| | NDP | Frank Howard | 7,561 | 50.29% | |
| | Social Credit | Cyril Morley Shelford | 7,193 | 47.85% | – |
| | Independent | David L. McCreery | 197 | 1.31% | |
| | Independent | Arthur David Serry | 83 | 0.55% | |
| Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | 15,034 | 100.00% | |
| Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | 233 | 1.65% | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | % | |
B.C. General Election 1975: Skeena :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± |
| | Social Credit | Cyril Morley Shelford | 6,863 | 50.00% | – |
| | NDP | Hartley Douglas Dent | 6,145 | 44.77% | |
| | Liberal | Ronald N. Gowe | 484 | 3.52% | |
| | Progressive Conservative | Victor Charles George Jolliffe | 235 | 1.71% | |
| Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | 13,727 | 100.00% | |
| Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | 141 | % | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | % | |
B.C. General Election 1972: Skeena :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± |
| | NDP | Hartley Douglas Dent | 5,442 | 46.90% | |
| | Social Credit | Cyril Morley Shelford | 3,605 | 31.07% | – |
| | Liberal | Ian Charles MacDonald | 1,441 | 12.42% | |
| | Progressive Conservative | Richard William Sargent | 1,040 | 8.96% | |
| | Independent | Lionel Wayne Sears | 76 | 0.65% | |
| Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | 11,604 | 100.00% | |
| Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | 206 | % | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | % | |
B.C. General Election 1969: Skeena :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± |
| | Social Credit | Dudley George Little | 5,044 | 51.20% | – |
| | NDP | James Harold Robertson | 4,059 | 41.20% | |
| | Liberal | Kurt Theodor Kolterhoff | 748 | 7.59% | |
| Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | 9,851 | 100.00% | |
| Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | 180 | % | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | % | |
B.C. General Election 1966: Skeena :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± |
| | Social Credit | Dudley George Little | 3,046 | 55.39% | – |
| | NDP | Ronald Douglas | 1,742 | 31.68% | |
| | Liberal | William Ivor Donald | 711 | 12.93% | |
| Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | 5,499 | 100.00% | |
| Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | 56 | % | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | % | |
B.C. General Election 1963: Skeena :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± |
| | Social Credit | Dudley George Little | 2,963 | 50.23% | – |
| | NDP | Richard Mouat Toynbee | 1,975 | 33.48% | |
| | Liberal | William Ivor Donald | 961 | 16.29% | |
| Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | 5,899 | 100.00% | |
| Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | 65 | % | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | % | |
B.C. General Election 1960: Skeena :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± |
| | Social Credit | Dudley George Little | 2,379 | 41.19% | – |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. | Monty Alton | 2,137 | 37.00% | |
| | Liberal | William Donald Stickney | 848 | 14.68% | |
| | Conservative | Guy Ronald Williams | 411 | 7.12% | |
| Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | 5,775 | 100.00% | |
| Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | 109 | % | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | % | |
B.C. General Election 1956: Skeena :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± |
| | Social Credit | Hugh Addison Shirreff | 1,886 | 37.01% | – |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. | Frank Howard | 1,823 | 35.77% | |
| | Liberal | Paul Wilbur Hallman | 1,387 | 27.22% | |
| Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | 5,096 | 100.00% | |
| Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | 132 | % | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | % | |
Total
24th British Columbia election, 1953 $^2$ :
| Party | Candidate | Votes 1st count | % | Votes final count | % | ±% |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. | Frank Howard | 1,768 | 37.04% | 2,110 | 50.15% |
| | Liberal | Lionel Charles Houle | 1,413 | 29.60% | 2,097 | 49.85% |
| | Social Credit | Richard Stanley Lawrence | 1,372 | 28.75% | - | - % |
| | Progressive Conservative | William John O'Neill | 220 | 4.61% | - | -% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 4,773 | 100.00% | 4,207 | % | |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 279 | | |
| Total Registered Voters | Total Registered Voters | Total Registered Voters | 5,933 (1952 list) | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 70.15% | | |
| Preferential ballot; final count is between top two candidates from first count; intermediary counts (of 3) not shown |||||||
vte1952 British Columbia general election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes 1st count | % | Votes final count | % |
| | Liberal | Edward Tourtellotte Kenney | 1,500 | 41.27 | 1,865 | 58.59 |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth | Frank Howard | 1,048 | 28.83 | 1,318 | 41.41 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Herbert Wallace Leach | 586 | 16.12 | – | – |
| | Social Credit | Kenneth Oroville McAmmond | 501 | 13.78 | – | – |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 3,635 | % | 3,183 | 100.00 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 147 |
| Note: Preferential ballot; final count is between top two candidates from first count; intermediary counts (of 3) not shown |||||||
B.C. General Election 1949: Skeena :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± |
| | Coalition | Edward Tourtellotte Kenney | 2,048 | 73.20% | – |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. | Joseph Daney Denicola | 750 | 26.80% | |
| Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | 2,798 | 100.00% | |
| Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | 91 | % | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | % | |
B.C. General Election 1945: Skeena :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± |
| | Coalition | Edward Tourtellotte Kenney | 901 | 58.70% | – |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. | Floyd Forester Frank | 634 | 41.30% | |
| Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | 1,535 | 100.00% | |
| Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | 47 | % | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | % | |
B.C. General Election 1941: Skeena :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Edward Tourtellotte Kenney | 877 | 61.89% |
| | Progressive Conservative | William John O'Neill | 540 | 38.11% |
| Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | 1,417 | 100.00% |
| Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | 61 | % |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | % |
B.C. General Election 1937: Skeena :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Edward Tourtellotte Kenney | 1,006 | 59.74% |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. | John Doney | 678 | 40.26% |
| Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | 1,684 | 100.00% |
| Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | 68 | % |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | % |
B.C. General Election 1933: Skeena :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Edward Tourtellotte Kenney | 902 | 56.34% |
| | Co-operative Commonwealth Fed. | Joseph Edgar Panter | 451 | 28.17% |
| | Independent | Ralph Carmichael Bamford | 248 | 15.49% |
| Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | 1,601 | 100.00% |
| Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | 49 | % |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | % |
B.C. General Election 1928: Skeena :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Horace Cooper Wrinch | 910 | 54.33% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Frank Maurice Dockrill | 765 | 45.67% |
| Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | 1,675 | 100.00% |
| Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | 36 | % |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | % |
B.C. General Election 1924: Skeena :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± |
| | Liberal | Horace Cooper Wrinch | 794 | 50.41% | |
| | Provincial | Frank Maurice Dockrill | 535 | 33.97% | – |
| | Conservative | Richard Strong Sargent | 246 | 15.62% | |
| Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | Total Valid Votes | 1,575 | 100.00% | |
| Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | Total Rejected Ballots | | % | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | % | |