The Delta North electoral riding has stayed relatively stable in the last 10 years – in its population and demographics, if not in its political leanings.
Delta North covers the north-eastern part of Delta, falling in between Highway 91 and Scott Road. It’s southernmost point is at Highway 99, and includes Annacis Island to the north.
The average household income in Delta North was $81,821 a year, according to the 2006 census. This is higher than the B.C. average of $67,675.
Most people live in family homes, almost 40 per cent of households have four or more people in them. The next highest is two-person homes, with 27 per cent of households. Only 14 per cent of households in Delta North are single person households.
English is the most commonly spoken language in Delta North homes; however, nearly 14 per cent of Delta North residents speak Punjabi at home, and two per cent speak Mandarin.
In the past, Delta North has oscillated between being a Liberal and an NDP stronghold, and has a strong history of re-election for its incumbent candidates.
NDP candidate Guy Gentner won the 2005 election with 47.46 per cent of the popular vote, and was re-elected in 2009 with 50.48 per cent of the vote. Liberal candidate Reni Masi won the two elections before that, with 45.5 per cent of the vote in 1996 and 60.54 per cent of the popular vote in 2001. Before Masi, the NDP’s Norm Lortie held Delta North from 1991 to 1996.
In the last provincial election, Liberal candidate Scott Hamilton won the popular vote over NDP candidate Sylvia Bishop by barely one percentage point — the closest margin in the last five elections. Hamilton won with 44.93 per cent of the vote, defeating runner-up Bishop by 302 votes.
This year, Delta North has three candidates: returning Liberal candidate Scott Hamilton, former Olympian and NDP candidate Ravi Kahlon and environmental advisor and Green candidate Jacquie Miller.