South Okanagan was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia beginning with the election of 1916. Following the 1975 election boundary revisions accompanied the riding's renaming to Okanagan South. The riding was originally part of the Yale riding until 1890, and when first that riding was broken up the Okanagan was in Yale-East (1894–1900), and then in Okanagan (1903–1912). Both South Okanagan and North Okanagan were created in advance of the 1916 election.

Notable MLAs

The most famous MLA from this riding was indubitably W.A.C. Bennett, who won the seat originally as a Conservative in 1941, sat with the Coalition in '45 and '49, then joined the Social Credit League of British Columbia in the preferential-ballot melee of '52 and '53 which led to his securing majority rule for his long tenure as Premier from 1953 to 1972. The second-most famous MLA from this riding was his son, William Richards Bennett, Premier from 1975 election to 1986 election.

Political geography

Election results

!align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|1,550 !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"|3,315 !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=7|1 Endorsed by FLP but ran on SPC platform. !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|3,792 !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"|3,825 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|21 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|4,463 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|0 !align="right" colspan=7|1 Endorsed by the Independent CCF. !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|5,304 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|57 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|5,330 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|53 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=7|2 Electoral debut. Later 25th Premier of British Columbia, 1952–1972, and father of 27th Premier, William Richards Bennett (both Social Credit. !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|5,768 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|140 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|11,224 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|171 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|11,870 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"|11,870 !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|543 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=9|3 Preferential ballot; final count is between top two candidates from first count; one count only needed in this riding. !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|11,547 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"|11,547 !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|477 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total Registered Voters !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=9|4 Preferential ballot; final count is between top two candidates from first count; one count only needed in this riding. !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|11,038 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|186 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|13,454 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|301 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|13,322 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|115 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|11,957 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|135 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|18,109 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|205 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|24,287 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|304 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| } !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|26,642 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|113 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total valid votes !align="right"|32,553 !align="right"|100.00% !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Total rejected ballots !align="right"|209 !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=3|Turnout !align="right"|% !align="right"| !align="right"| !align="right" colspan=7|5 27th Premier of British Columbia. Redistribution of the riding following the 1975 election saw adjustments of its boundaries and a new name, Okanagan South, for the 1979 election.

Sources

Elections BC website - historical election data