Lorne Doerkson Projected to Become B.C.'s 38th Premier as Conservatives Win Majority
Lorne Doerkson is projected to become the 38th premier of British Columbia after leading the Conservative Party to a majority government in the 2026 provincial election, following NDP Premier David Eby's controversial snap election call.
Lorne Doerkson is set to become the 38th premier of British Columbia after the B.C. Conservative Party was projected to form a majority government in the 2026 provincial election, according to CBC News. The victory follows a controversial snap election called by NDP Premier David Eby on Sept. 22, 2026, despite his party holding a majority in the legislature.
On election night, the B.C. Conservative Party received close to 50 per cent of the vote, forming the second-largest caucus the province has ever seen. In contrast, the New Democrats are projected to receive fewer than 700,000 votes, representing a drop of more than 25 per cent compared to their 2024 result of just under 950,000 votes. Voter turnout dropped significantly for the NDP, leaving the party with its worst election night in 25 years.
Doerkson assumed the interim leadership of the Conservatives on Sept. 20, 2026, after returning from a trip to Africa. He was credited with projecting normalcy and uniting the party caucus. Following Eby's election call, almost all MLAs who had departed the Conservative caucus in the preceding two years rejoined the ranks. Additionally, former B.C. Liberal organizers took command of Conservative party operations and excised Kerry-Lynne Findlay and her husband Brent Chapman.
Eby's snap election gamble backfired, angering voters and creating a new warning story regarding such calls. The Green Party also saw an increase of 20,000 or so more votes during the election.