Early election results in British Columbia show the Conservatives and NDP are almost neck-and-neck

The results of British Columbia's provincial election come after an intense campaign that drew a record number of primary voters who had to choose between the dominant incumbent and a challenger who was completely unexpected until a few months ago.

According to early results and with more than a million votes counted, the BC NDP and the BC Conservatives are effectively in a dead heat. The NDP led in 47 ballots as of 8:50 p.m. PT, while the Conservatives led in 44 ballots.

Both party leaders held onto their positions: British Columbia Conservative leader John Rustad was re-elected in Nechako Lakes, where he has held the post since 2005, and NDP leader David Eby won a fourth term in Vancouver-Point Gray.

The Greens led in two races. In a major blow to the party, leader Sonia Furstenau lost her seat after leaving her Cowichan Valley seat to run for the first time in Victoria–Beacon Hill.

To win a majority government in B.C., a party must take at least 47 of the 93 seats in Parliament.

The election was largely about whether the British Columbia Conservatives could complete their stunning political rise to topple Eby's BC NDP or whether the incumbent party could retain its leadership power in the legislature.

Elections BC expected the results would come quickly, as the office is using a new electronic voting system instead of paper ballots for the first time.

If voters choose Rustad's party, the province will have its first conservative government in nearly a century. If voters stick with the status quo and support Eby's party, the province will have its fourth consecutive NDP government.

Regardless of the outcome, Rustad's unlikely rise was a remarkable story in British Columbia politics.

Rustad, 61, became party leader after being kicked out of the official opposition, then known as the BC Liberals, over his views on climate change. In just two years he led the young Conservatives to a level of prominence that bankrupted his old party, which had disastrously renamed itself BC United.

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The Conservatives and NDP fielded candidates in each of the province's 93 constituencies, while Fürstenau's Green Party fielded 69 candidates.

A record 40 independents also ran, including six high-profile sitting MLAs.

This fall's election campaign reflected a shift in politics that extends far beyond the province and was marked by damaging rhetoric and personal attacks against candidates on both sides.

More than a million people voted before Election Day, marking a record number for early voting in the province.

More will follow.