Why do all the Communists live in Vernon?

[Glacier]

Between Penticton, Kelowna, and Vernon there are 5 ridings. In 4 of them the Liberal spanked the NDP by taking north of 50% of the vote in the three Kelowna ridings and just under 50% in the Penticton riding. Vernon by contrast is the province's closest race with Eric Foster of the Liberals taking just 35% of the vote, and experts are predicting the NDP will pull ahead when the absentee ballots counted.

Give the stereotypes of big cities being more left-wing, you would expect Kelowna to be the place were the NDP does best, but nope, all three Kelowna ridings were worse for the NDP than the Penticton and especially the Vernon riding.

P.S. the title is hyperbole, so don't get offended or distracted. Yes, I know the NDP is not Communist, so to reiterate my point here, why is Vernon to the left of Kelowna given the population size?

[kgcayenne]

I know a few people who have grown tired of the K-town thing and moved away, some to Vernon, lower mainland, others to Vancouver Island, Toronto, PEI, Nova Scotia. Maybe it's more than just the handful of people with whom I am acquainted. It has been often said on these very forums: "don't let the door hit you on the way out". I suppose people heed that chant of the entrenched and leave.

[Ka-El]

Give the stereotypes of big cities being more left-wing, you would expect Kelowna to be the place were the NDP does best, …

I don't think anyone would make the mistaken assumption Kelowna is a left-wing haven. Kelowna is unique

[Urban Cowboy]

I know a few people who have grown tired of the K-town thing and moved away, some to Vernon, lower mainland, others to Vancouver Island, Toronto, PEI, Nova Scotia. Maybe it's more than just the handful of people with whom I am acquainted. It has been often said on these very forums: "don't let the door hit you on the way out". I suppose people heed that chant of the entrenched and leave.

As they should if they are so darn miserable here.

The only risk they take is finding out other places aren't perfect either.

[Mrmarvingardens]

Communists in Vernon?
Simple answer Liberals whom are really Conservatives/Socreds in disguise are usually older>(note the number of retirees in Kelowna for example).
Many are Conservatives from Alberta that believe the rest of the country is picking on them, and carry thheir political beliefs with them.
Why NDP in Vernon? Younger population, who generally vote NDP.Additional notes: according to statistics, NDP voters are generally higher educated.
The Conservative belt runs from Kamloops, down the valley skipping Vernon on and throughout, to the Fraser valley, Abbotsford, Langley, which is largely a big Conservative bible belt.
With this election some changes were evident with the Liberal/Conservatives taking a drubbing in Abbotsford/Langley.
Kelowna which relected a federal Conservative last election, defeated probably the best rep the Okanagan ever had but a Liberal, Stephen Fuhr who brought endless benefits to the Kelowna during his time.
We now have 3 same old same old Liberals provincially.Politics being what it is will be constantly wondering why the NDP government is not listening.I hope not.

[casey60]

Most people in Canada have no idea what true socialism and/or communism is. With the exception of those who did lived under a system like that and are happy to live here in Canada with its freedom. If you have never lived in a country like Russia before glasnost, or the DDR, you better educate yourself before calling someone or a system in a democratic country communism or socialism.

[Ka-El]

removed

[gordon_as]

I've lived in Vernon pretty much all my life and never met a communist yet. Weird. Maybe what you are really asking is why Vernon is so far ahead of other Okanagan ridings in being able to recognize corrupt government.

[CanuckFan]

Well, it maybe is that they want a change from Eric Foster. He's been around forever, but when you're not in govt., you don't seem to get much for your riding. Maybe Vernon wanted a chance at some perks from the governing party.

[bob vernon]

The most powerful card in the deck when it comes to elections is THE VICTIM CARD. Harwinder Sandhu didn't have to play the card. Some guy with a chain saw did it when he cut down all those signs during the campaign. Plus a lot of people just got tired of Eric Foster. He's served 3 terms already and this would be number four. It was time for him to go into retirement. He still might be the winner, but the sentiment is there.

Also.... notice that Delfing, the Conservative, siphoned off more than 2000 votes. Likely mostly from Foster.

[Glacier]

Also.... notice that Delfing, the Conservative, siphoned off more than 2000 votes. Likely mostly from Foster.

And Keli Westgate of the Greens siphoned off even more votes from the NDP, getting over 3000 votes, proving once again that Vernon is one of the greenest ridings in the interior.

[Hurtlander]

Also.... notice that Delfing, the Conservative, siphoned off more than 2000 votes. Likely mostly from Foster.

And Keli Westgate of the Greens siphoned off even more votes from the NDP, getting over 3000 votes, proving once again that Vernon is one of the greenest ridings in the interior.

As mentioned on election night, the Conservative vote was responsible for the NDP winning in six ridings. That’s why I said in another thread that the Conservative’s that campaign under the Liberal flag in BC need to switch over to the Conservative party. I’m pretty certain if that were to happen, the Conservatives would win all the ridings north of Hope, and the BC Liberals would take back a good number of seats in the left leaning lower mainland, and the Island. Too many in the vote rich lower mainland no longer vote BC Liberal because of the large numbers of Conservatives in the party, so they voted NDP instead. Whereas the rest of the Province would vote Conservative like they do Federally.
ETA: And of course some people this election voted Conservative because of the Liberals within the Liberal Party, which gave the NDP six extra seats.

[Glacier]

Interesting fact: Back in 1949 (the last time a party won over 50% of the vote) the Liberals and Conservatives formed a coalition to make sure the rising CCF got their *bleep* handed to them at the polls. They still maintained their own distinct parties (the Premier was the Liberal leader for example), but they ran Conservatives in half the ridings and Liberals in the other. They absolutely pounded the NDP ... ooops, CCF... this way, winning more than 61% of the vote.

The Liberal leader was particularly worried about losing votes to the CCF, so the two main parties got sneaky and changed to voting rules to preferential balloting so that for the 1952 election the Liberal and Conservative voters would vote for each other on their second choice. Voters taught them a lesson with a big middle finger. Social Credit came out of nowhere to win even though the party didn't even have a leader since they didn't expect to win more than a couple of seats. Their de facto leader lived in Alberta, so they had to choose a new leader to be Premier from within the elected MLAs -- W.A.C. Bennett.