Roly Russell
Roly Russell | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Development of British Columbia | |
| In office November 26, 2020 – September 21, 2024 | |
| Premier | John Horgan David Eby |
| Preceded by | Position created |
| Succeeded by | Steve Morissette |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia for Boundary-Similkameen | |
| In office October 24, 2020 – September 21, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Linda Larson |
| Succeeded by | Donegal Wilson |
| Director of the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary for Electoral Area 'D'/Rural Grand Forks | |
| In office January, 2013 – November, 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Irene Perepolkin |
| Succeeded by | Danna O’Donnell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 9, 1976 |
| Party | New Democratic |
| Occupation | Farmer |
Roly Russell is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2020 British Columbia general election. He represented the electoral district of Boundary-Similkameen as a member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party.
In the 2024 British Columbia general election, he was unseated by Donegal Wilson from the BC Conservative Party.
Early life and career
Russell was born and raised in rural Grand Forks. He obtained a PhD in marine ecology from Oregon State University. Throughout the 2010s, Russell has worked as a farmer and within local politics. He was the chair of his local credit union as well as the president of the Association of Kootenay Local Governments. He founded and works for the independent research organization Sandhill Institute for Complexity and Sustainability.
In 2013, Roly Russell was elected as a director for the rural Grand Forks area in the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary. As chair of the board of directors of the regional district in 2018, he assisted in obtaining federal and provincial help for emergency operations following flooding in Grand Forks.
Provincial political career
In September 2020, Russell was announced as the BC NDP candidate for the riding of Boundary-Similkameen in the 2020 provincial election. He defeated the BC Liberal Party candidate Petra Veintimilla, who's party held the seat. Russell was appointed as the Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Development by John Horgan in November. Due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic Russell was sworn in virtually.
Russell ran for re-election for the 2024 provincial election under the NDP but lost to BC Conservative candidate Donegal Wilson. He is ran and lost re-election in 2026.
Electoral record
| 2026 British Columbia general election: Boundary-Similkameen | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Conservative | Donegal Wilson | 11,465 | 52.38 | +3.99 | ||||
| New Democratic | Roly Russell | 8,870 | 40.52 | -2.04 | ||||
| OneBC | Keith Pomeroy | 1,495 | 6.83 | - | ||||
| Total valid votes | 21,830 | 99.74 | ||||||
| Total rejected ballots | 58 | 0.26 | ||||||
| Turnout | ||||||||
| Registered voters | ||||||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | +3.01 | ||||||
| Source: Elections BC | ||||||||
| 2024 British Columbia general election: Boundary-Similkameen | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Conservative | Donegal Wilson | 11,935 | 48.39 | +37.21 | $33,102.59 | |||
| New Democratic | Roly Russell | 10,497 | 42.56 | −7.29 | $60,076.63 | |||
| Green | Kevin Eastwood | 1,454 | 5.89 | – | $574.99 | |||
| Independent | Sean Taylor | 779 | 3.16 | – | $1,380.30 | |||
| Total valid votes/expense limit | 24,665 | 99.85 | – | $71,700.08 | ||||
| Total rejected ballots | 36 | 0.15 | – | |||||
| Turnout | 24,701 | 62.74 | +5.90 | |||||
| Registered voters | 39,371 | |||||||
| Conservative gain from New Democratic | Swing | +22.25 | ||||||
| Source: Elections BC | ||||||||
| 2020 British Columbia general election: Boundary-Similkameen | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| New Democratic | Roly Russell | 10,500 | 49.85 | +17.12 | $22,881.87 | |||
| Liberal | Petra Veintimilla | 7,735 | 36.72 | −6.08 | $47,872.88 | |||
| Conservative | Darryl Seres | 2,354 | 11.18 | – | $2,932.14 | |||
| Wexit | Arlyn Greig | 474 | 2.25 | – | $4.00 | |||
| Total valid votes | 21,063 | 99.02 | – | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | 208 | 0.99 | +0.54 | |||||
| Turnout | 21,271 | 56.84 | –7.96 | |||||
| Registered voters | 37,421 | |||||||
| New Democratic gain from Liberal | Swing | +11.60 | ||||||
| Source: Elections BC | ||||||||
References
- ↑ Doyle Potenteau, "B.C. election 2020: Roly Russell projected to pick up Boundary-Similkameen". Global News, October 25, 2020.
- ↑ "B.C. Votes 2024: Conservative Donegal Wilson wins Boundary-Similkameen". Nanaimo News Bulletin. 2024-10-20. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
- ↑ "Wilson, Russell campaign for Boundary-Similkameen rematch". The Boundary Sentinel. Retrieved 2026-10-24.
- ↑ reports, Staff (2020-11-27). "NDP's Roly Russell named secretary for rural development". Grand Forks Gazette. Retrieved 2026-10-24.
- 1 2 Lee-Young, Joanne (October 25, 2020). "B.C. election results: Big shift brings fresh faces, including NDP stars". Vancouver Sun.
- ↑ Boyd, Dale (2020-09-24). "BC NDP announce Roly Russell as Boundary-Similkameen candidate". TimesChronicle.ca. Retrieved 2026-10-24.
- ↑ Boyd, Dale (2020-09-24). "BC NDP announce Roly Russell as Boundary-Similkameen candidate". TimesChronicle.ca. Retrieved 2026-10-24.
- ↑ Mahichi, Behdad (May 17, 2018). "'The recovery effort will take years': Southern Interior gets military help amid flooding". Vancouver Sun.
- ↑ Boyd, Dale (2020-09-24). "BC NDP announce Roly Russell as Boundary-Similkameen candidate". TimesChronicle.ca. Retrieved 2026-10-24.
- ↑ Boyd, Dale (2020-11-27). "Roly Russell appointed as Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Development". TimesChronicle.ca. Retrieved 2026-10-24.
- ↑ Boyd, Dale (2020-11-25). "Roly Russell sworn in to Legislature virtually as Boundary-Similkameen MLA". TimesChronicle.ca. Retrieved 2026-10-24.
- 1 2 Sep 24, Chelsea Powrie-; Story: 632342, 2026 / 4:50 pm |. "Former MLA Roly Russell trying again to turn Boundary-Similkameen back orange". www.castanet.net. Retrieved 2026-10-24.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ↑ Oct 24, Chelsea Powrie-; Story: 635586, 2026 / 9:53 pm |. "Boundary-Similkameen sees Conservative candidate win again handily". www.castanet.net. Retrieved 2026-10-30.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ↑ "Statement of Votes – 43rd Provincial General Election – October 19, 2024" (PDF). Elections BC. 17 April 2025. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ↑ "2024 Provincial General Election Financing Reports Available". Elections BC. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ↑ Boegman, Anton (27 July 2021). "42nd General Election Statement of Votes" (PDF). Elections BC. pp. 111–114. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
- ↑ "2020 Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
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