Columbia was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It made its first appearance on the hustings in the election of 1903. It lasted until the 1928 election, when it was merged into Columbia-Revelstoke for the 1933 election. Following the election the new Pattullo government moved to reestablish Columbia as a separate riding, and former MLA Thomas King was elected by acclamation in a 1934 by election. In 1966 the riding was renamed Columbia River. This riding was later merged with the Revelstoke riding to become Columbia River-Revelstoke, the current riding for the western part of the area. The eastern part of the riding is now part of East Kootenay. For other current and historical electoral districts in the Kootenay region, please see Kootenay (electoral districts).

Demographics

Political geography

Notable elections

Notable MLAs

Electoral history

Note: Winners of each election are in bold. !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|n/a !align="right"|-.-% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|449 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|507 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|545 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right" colspan=7|1 When he failed to obtain the official nomination, Forster ran as an Independent Conservative but in full support of the McBride government. !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|812 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|964 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|1,133 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|1,312 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|23 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| After the 1928 election, there was a redistribution. The Columbia riding was merged with the Revelstoke riding into Columbia-Revelstoke, which first appeared only in the 1933 general election. For the 1937 election, the riding name "Columbia" was re-established. !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|1,614 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|39 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|1,519 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|9 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|1,259 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|24 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|1,869 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|24 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|2,215 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"|2,034 !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|101 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=7|2 Preferential ballot. First and final counts of three only shown. !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|2,161 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"|1,825 !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|105 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=7|3 Preferential ballot. First and final counts of three only shown. !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|1,974 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|20 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|2,633 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|88 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|3,256 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|41 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| The riding was redistributed after the 1963 election. In 1966, it was succeeded by the Columbia River riding.

Sources

Elections BC Historical Returns