Premier Gordon Campbell wins re-election with a much-reduced majority.

After four years of one-party rule, British Columbia has returned to two-party government. Premier Gordon Campbell and his Liberal Party held onto power in the election of May 17, but it was a revitalized New Democratic Party, under its new leader Carole James, that created the real news by capturing 30 seats more than the three seats it held going into the election campaign.

Party standings following the election are:

Liberal Party	46 Seats
New Democratic Party	33 Seats

Despite high expectations, the Green Party, led by Adriane Carr, failed to win a seat in the new legislature. It was the first election contested on a fixed date according to the system introduced by the Liberals following the last vote.

Despite losing the huge majority he has held since the last provincial vote in 2001, Premier Campbell managed to accomplish what only four other premiers in BC history have done: win re-election as premier. It has been over twenty years since the last premier to do so, Bill Bennett, won re-election in 1983. Since that time, scandal, retirement and the voters have ended the careers of successive premiers.

A total of 2.8 million people were eligible to vote in the election. The final popular vote tally, compared to 2001, was:

	2005		2001
Liberals	46%		57.5%
New Democrats	41%		21.6%
Green	9%		12.4%
Other	4%		8.5%

Eight cabinet ministers from the last Campbell government went down to defeat in the election. Other high profile candidates met with mixed success. Gold-medal wrestler Daniel Igali, running for the Liberals in a Surrey riding, was defeated, while Carole Taylor and Judge Wally Oppal, two other Liberal "star" candidates, both won seats and were expected to be named to the new Campbell cabinet. For the New Democrats, leader Carole James won a seat in Victoria, while entrepreneur Gregor Robertson, a political newcomer, was successful in a Vancouver riding. The premier himself won easily in his West Point Grey riding.

In a separate referendum asking whether British Columbians were in favour of changing the provincial electoral system, voters showed a preference for the proposed Single-Transferable Vote system. Counting of the results was slow, but it appeared that 57% of voters favoured STV. However, in order to pass, the new system required a 60% favourable vote throughout the province along with majority support in 48 of the 79 electoral ridings. The new government will be under pressure from STV supporters to interpret the close result as a victory and to introduce the new voting system.