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The NDP had promised the referendum on electoral reform during the 2017 election and Premier John Horgan’s NDP government, along with Green Leader Andrew Weaver, supported proportional representation. Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson argued the referendum was too politically driven by the NDP.

“This referendum was held because we believe that this decision needed to be up to people, not politicians,” Horgan said in a statement. “While many people, myself included, are disappointed in the outcome, we respect people’s decisions.”

Wilkinson said in a statement that voters had sent a “clear” message to the NDP and Greens that they weren’t going to tolerate the parties’ “self-serving” referendum.

“Today we saw the power of democracy as millions of British Columbians sent a clear message to the NDP and Greens that their self-serving referendum was not going to be tolerated,” Wilkinson said.

“This was a flawed process from the beginning as the NDP stacked the deck to satisfy the Green party and remain in power. This has never been about improving our democracy, it was always about power and control.

“However, to all the British Columbians who voted for a change believing that we need to improve our democracy, we can assure them that they have been heard.”

Bill Tieleman, of the No Proportional Representation Society, said he was pleased with the results.

“We said from the beginning of this campaign that proportional representation is complicated and confusing, that it was a big risk for British Columbia to consider, and voters overwhelmingly agreed,” he said. “Not only did they overwhelmingly agree, they did it for the second time in nine years.”