Court challenge over Surrey-Guildford election dropped after 14 months. Controversy over care home ballots sparks calls for voting reforms.
Court Challenge Ends in Surrey-Guildford After 14 Months
The heated legal battle over the 2024 Surrey-Guildford provincial election has officially ended. Conservative candidate Honveer Singh Randhawa has dropped his court challenge more than a year after narrowly losing to NDP’s Garry Begg.
Begg’s razor-thin 22-vote win in North Surrey marked a pivotal victory for the NDP, but the election quickly became mired in controversy. Randhawa claimed there were possible violations of the Election Act, particularly regarding how mail-in ballots from Argyll Lodge, a local care facility, were handled.
What Triggered the Legal Battle
The legal challenge, filed in B.C. Supreme Court, focused on concerns over whether care facility residents were coerced or improperly assisted in submitting mail-in ballots. A judicial recount in November 2024 confirmed Begg’s win, with 8,947 votes to Randhawa’s 8,925.
Despite the recount, Randhawa pressed on with legal action, reportedly spending over $200,000 pursuing the case. His team sought to uncover and document alleged breaches in the voting process and push Elections BC to recommend reforms to protect vulnerable voters in future elections.
Allegations and Investigations
According to Randhawa’s lawyer, Aanchal Grewal, “Elections BC initially found no violations of the Election Act. But after we presented detailed evidence, they acknowledged that serious violations occurred, especially concerning mail-in ballots from the care facility.”
Grewal described the difficulties faced during the investigation, noting that interviews with residents took nearly a year. Many seniors experienced anxiety or could not recall voting details due to the passage of time, while others were unable to testify for medical reasons or had passed away.
Reactions from Political Leaders
BC NDP Provincial Director Tania Jarzebiak criticized the challenge as “a futile attempt to overturn the election,” arguing that it harmed vulnerable seniors, undermined public confidence, and wasted court resources.
Begg added that Randhawa’s accusations unfairly targeted care home staff and caused unnecessary distress to elderly residents. He urged Randhawa to apologize to those involved.
Elections BC Response
With the petition now dropped, Elections BC stated it would review any next steps regarding Randhawa’s complaint. The agency emphasized its neutral role, clarifying that the court did not make a determination on alleged Election Act violations. Elections BC remains confident that the 2024 election was conducted fairly and securely, including the vote-by-mail process.
Stay updated instantly — follow us on Instagram | Facebook | X
