title: Ronna-Rae Leonard
text: # Ronna-Rae Leonard
  
  Ronna-Rae Leonard is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2017 provincial election. She represents the electoral district of Courtenay-Comox as a member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party caucus.
  
  Initially declared elected by a margin of just nine votes over British Columbia Liberal Party candidate Jim Benninger on election day, her victory was confirmed on May 24, 2017 after the count of absentee ballots widened her lead to 189 votes.
  
  Prior to her election to the legislature, Leonard was a municipal councillor in Courtenay. She was the federal New Democratic Party's candidate in Vancouver Island North for the 2011 federal election, losing narrowly to John Duncan.
  
  ## Electoral record
  
  ### Provincial elections
  
  vte2020 British Columbia general election: Courtenay-Comox :
  
  | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | New Democratic | Ronna-Rae Leonard | 14,663 | 50.56 | +13.20 | $50,103.50 |
  | | Liberal | Brennan Day | 8,655 | 29.85 | −6.87 | $34,579.94 |
  | | Green | Gillian Anderson | 5,681 | 19.59 | +1.22 | $10,595.98 |
  | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 28,999 | 100.00 | – |
  | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | | | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
  | Registered voters | Registered voters | Registered voters | |
  | Source: Elections BC |||||||
  
  vte2017 British Columbia general election: Courtenay-Comox :
  
  | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | Expenditures |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | New Democratic | Ronna-Rae Leonard | 10,886 | 37.36 | $55,597 |
  | | Liberal | Jim Benninger | 10,697 | 36.72 | $43,935 |
  | | Green | Ernie Sellentin | 5,351 | 18.37 | $8,612 |
  | | Conservative | Leah Catherine McCulloch | 2,201 | 7.55 | $14,981 |
  | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 29,135 | 100.00 |
  | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 77 | 0.26 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 29,212 | 66.89 |
  | Registered voters | Registered voters | Registered voters | 43,671 |
  | Source: Elections BC |||||||
  
  ### Federal elections
  
  2011 Canadian federal election :
  
  | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | John Duncan | 27,206 | 46.11 | +0.33 |
  | | New Democratic | Ronna-Rae Leonard | 25,379 | 43.01 | +1.58 |
  | | Liberal | Mike Holland | 3,018 | 5.11 | +0.93 |
  | | Green | Sue Moen | 2,995 | 5.08 | -2.90 |
  | | Independent | Jason Draper | 304 | 0.52 | -0.11 |
  | | Marxist–Leninist | Frank Martin | 57 | 0.10 | – |
  | Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | Total valid votes/Expense limit | 59,003 | 100.0 |
  | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 187 | 0.32 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 59,190 | 66.39 |
  | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 89,150 |
  | | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | -0.62 |
  