Former Name of BC United Being Sought on Upcoming Election Ballot
The BC United Party is seeking to have its former Liberal name included on the ballot for the upcoming provincial election in October.
Originally known as the B.C. Liberals, the party underwent a rebranding in 2023 to become BC United.
A formal application is being prepared for Elections BC to request that a statement indicating the party’s former name as B.C. Liberals be displayed on the ballot in the Oct. 19 election. This decision came after an internal poll revealed that 30 percent of individuals were unaware of the name change, as reported by The Canadian Press.
In November 2022, 80 percent of party members supported the name change among approximately 2,000 suggestions.
Upon announcing the name change, party leader Kevin Falcon stated that the former name had been a subject of ongoing debate.
The new name symbolized a fresh start, according to Falcon.
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However, the BC United Party has lost four candidates to the BC Conservatives in the last three months.
Recent online surveys indicate that the BC United Party, currently the official opposition, is falling behind in the polls with 9 percent support among decided voters, down from 11 percent the previous month.
The governing NDP holds 41 percent support, followed by the BC Conservatives at 38 percent, and the BC Green Party at 10 percent.
BC United Leader Falcon’s popularity ranks lowest among major party leaders, with NDP Leader David Eby at 48 percent approval, BC Conservative Leader John Rustad at 39 percent, and BC Greens Leader Sonia Furstenau at 35 percent, while Falcon stands at 29 percent.
Rumors of a potential merger between the BC Conservative and BC United parties have surfaced, but both party leaders have denied any such plans.
