In my 13+ years living in Vernon, I've watched our riding consistently vote Conservative while progressive voters (myself included) split our ballots between multiple parties.

With the stakes higher than ever in 2025, this is our moment to act. With the Liberals gaining momentum nationally under Mark Carney, this riding is more winnable than it’s been in a decade.

Back in 2015, the Liberals had a strong share of the vote, 24%. The problem is that we split the vote between three parties (Liberal, NDP, Green). In 2015, the progressive vote share would have been 53%! Conservative Mel Arnold won the seat with about 46% of the vote.

I still respect what the NDP and Greens stand for. But this year, we need to be strategic.

I'm endorsing Anna Warwick Sears (Liberal)

I believe Anna Warwick Sears (Liberal Party of Canada) is our best chance to flip this riding.

Anna has a PhD in population biology from UC Davis and spent over 18 years with the Okanagan Basin Water Board. I've spoken with several people locally who vouch for her and say she is "strong and incredibly smart."

Ultimately, I'm voting for Mark Carney because I think he's the steady, competent leader Canada needs right now. Mark Carney has proven himself on the global stage—as Governor of the Bank of Canada and Bank of England. In a time of economic instability and trade threats, we need calm, capable leadership—not chaos and division.

As Tom Mulcair (former leader of the NDP) recently said: "This is not the year for vote-splitting."

A note about Scott Anderson (Conservative)

Scott Anderson served two terms on the Vernon City Council before running for mayor in 2022, where he was defeated by Victor Cumming.

A big reason Scott lost was due to his controversial positions on several issues important to many Vernon residents. During his time on city council, Anderson was openly critical of public health measures during the pandemic. He frequently shared divisive content on social media, as well as openly mocked electric vehicles and climate initiatives. He was also vocally supportive of the Freedom Convoy protests (another example here).

These positions put him at odds with many progressive Vernon voters, ultimately contributing to his mayoral defeat.

This year, vote Liberal!

If you're a progressive voter in Vernon, I urge you to unite behind Anna Warwick Sears and help turn this riding red. We can win this—if we work together.