The Liberals have taken the South Surrey-White Rock riding away from the Conservatives.
Conservative incumbent Kerry-Lynne Findlay has gone down to defeat at the hands of Liberal challenger Ernie Klassen, a White Rock city councillor.
With 219 of 221 polls reporting, Klassen had 31,106 votes to Findlay's 28,602. NDP challenger Jereun Park was in a distant third with 1,571 votes, and Green Party candidate Christine Kinnie with 840.
Klassen's party is continuing the celebration, chanting "Ernie, Ernie" as the soon-to-be MP for South Surrey-White Rock took to the mic to thank the crowd of supporters.
"South Surrey-White Rock was known as an ultra-Conservative riding. Well, tonight we elected its first openly gay MP," Klassen said.
"I'm proud and humbled to be selected as Member of Parliament. ... I promise to you that I will listen to everyone and will serve this riding as an advocate in Ottawa."
Findlay showed up to her campaign office party at about 11 p.m., while husband Surrey South MLA Brent Chapman declined to give a comment.
"It's not my night," he said, adding that Findlay is "digesting" the news.
White Rock city councillor Christopher Trevelyan arrived to the Conservative party right before Findlay came out.
Finally addressing the crowd, Findlay thanked the remaining crowd, after many had already gone home.
"We’ve been watching as the results come in. We had some discrepancies in the data, so we thought we were up and then we were down. It’s been pretty close back and forth all night, I don’t know where it’s going to end up, but right now it doesn’t look that good," she said, addressing the claim her campaign manager had made earlier in the night, announcing her win.
"My heart is absolutely here with South Surrey-White Rock. I’m so honoured to have represented this riding for the last six years."
She went on to thank her volunteers and said there was nothing else any of them could have done to change the result.
"There has been a collapse, as you know, in the NDP support, and the NDP candidate here was only named in the last day and she had no literature, she had no signs, she had no campaign, so no doubt that a lot of those votes went over to the Liberal side."
Update 10:39 p.m.
The Conservatives have seemingly accepted their defeat in South Surrey-White Rock, with Liberal candidate Ernie Klassen projected to win the riding and unseat incumbent Kerry-Lynne Findlay.
Update 10:26 p.m.
Findlay continues to trail behind with 19,994 and Klassen still in the lead with 21,616 with 199 of 221 polls counted. Findlay's watch party is seeing more and more supporters heading home as the vote looks to go in the Liberal's favour for now. The ones left now are visibly stressed with anger, sadness and frustration heard and felt from the remaining crowd.
Update 10:03 p.m.
Kerry-Lynne Findlay's campaign manager shares that a mistake has been made and he retracts his previous statement about Findlay winning the riding. Conservative supporters are beginning to leave the celebration as Findlay is yet to show up. Spirits continue to be high at Ernie Klassen's party, however, where upwards of 65 people are still present awaiting the final count.
Update 10 p.m.
Liberals and Conservatives continue to keep high hopes as results pour in. Liberals are continuing to lead, with 180 of 221 polls counted, Klassen leads at 17,147 with Findlay at 15,732.
Update 9:48 p.m.
Klassen remains in the lead with 49.7 per cent of the vote at 14,297 votes and Findlay close behind with 45.9 per cent at 13,199 votes. Spirits continue to be high at both candidates' parties while Klassen greets supporters and Findlay is yet to show.
Update 9:31 p.m.
The split continues to be close with 145 of 221 polls counted. Klassen is still in the lead with 11,181 votes and Findlay close behind at 10,832.
Update 9:12 p.m.
Kerry-Lynne Findlay's supporters are celebrating at her campaign office as they have projected her win, while Elections Canada's results are still updating.
According to FIndlay's campaign manager Miguel Martinez's numbers, Findlay has taken the lead with 3,800 votes with Ernie Klassen sitting at 2,380. This story will be updated with Elections Canada's final numbers.
Update 9:01 p.m.
Klassen and Findlay are in a tight race with the Liberal candidate still in a slight lead with 6,383 votes and Findlay with 6,301 with 90 polls counted.
Update 8:41 p.m.
With 19 of 221 polls counted, Klassen is still leading with 51.5 per cent of the vote with 1,053 and Findlay at 44.3 per cent with 914 ballots.
Update 8:22 p.m.
With six of 221 polls counted, Klassen remains in the lead with 52.1 per cent of the vote with 366 votes and Findlay close behind with 44.2 per cent and 311 votes.
Update 7:48 p.m.
Now with 140 votes counted, Klassen (Liberal) has gained 60.7 per cent of the vote with 85 with incumbent Findlay (Conservative) trailing with 47 at 33.6 per cent of the vote. Kinnie (Green) and Park (NDP) each have four votes.
Update 7:35 p.m.
With just 20 votes counted, Klassen takes a marginal lead with 10, with Findlay close behind with eight and two for NDP's Park.
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The polls have closed, with candidates and voters in Surrey's seven ridings are now awaiting results.
In South Surrey-White Rock, residents have their choice between four candidates: Conservative incumbent Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Liberal Ernie Klassen, Green Party Christine Kinnie and New Democrat Jureun Park.
Surrey residents have voted in seven ridings: Surrey Centre, Surrey Newton, Fleetwood-Port Kells, Cloverdale-Langley City, Langley Township-Fraser Heights, South Surrey-White Rock and Delta.
Chants of 'Ernie, Ernie' can be heard in the Tap & Barrel restaurant where the Liberal candidate is awaiting election results with his supporters.
Meanwhile, dozens of volunteers for Findlay crowd her campaign office in White Rock, cheering and boo-ing at the TV when news comes down.
At least one individual at Findlay's event voiced support for U.S. President Donald Trump by shouting "Yeah! 51st state!" and denied Canada and the U.S. are in a trade war.
Neither Klassen nor Findlay are present at their respective parties.
In the South Surrey-White Rock riding, there are 91,351 registered voters.
Watch this space for live results as they come in.
Other Surrey ridings to watch
The Cloverdale Reporter, Langley Advance Times, Surrey Now-Leader and North Delta Reporter teams are also on the road tonight bringing coverage from ridings that also include Surrey neighbourhoods.
For Surrey Newton, see here.
For Cloverdale-Langley City, see here.
For Delta, see here.
- with files from Alex Browne
