Image: Laurie Throness /

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Chilliwack by-election

UPDATE: Former MLA Laurie Throness thanks voters, fellow candidates in post-election victory statement

Mar 1, 2025 | 8:31 PM

UPDATE: Laurie Throness issued the following statement on Facebook after winning Saturday’s by-election for the Chilliwack Board of Education:

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CHILLIWACK — Former Chilliwack MLA Laurie Throness has soundly defeated Katie Bartel in the SD33 by-election.

According to results released at 8:30 p.m., and with 9 out of 10 polls reporting, Throness received 3,977 votes to Bartel’s 3,163 votes, an 814-vote margin. In doing so, Throness won 54.9 per cent of the vote compared to Bartel’s 43.6 per cent.

Shane Kooyman, an 18-year-old student who attends Unity Christian in Chilliwack, received 94 votes.

There were 7,238 votes cast in the by-election.

A Throness campaign official told Fraser Valley Today at 8:35 p.m. Saturday night that the City of Chilliwack election webpage shows 9 out of 10 polls reporting, but one of those polling stations was for mail-in ballots if they needed it. As it were, a second mail-in ballot box was not needed, and the results appear to be final as of 8:27 p.m. Saturday night.

On social media, Chilliwack MLA Heather Maahs extended congratulations to Throness on his win.

During the by-election campaign, Throness repeatedly said he wanted academic achievement emphasized and prioritized more than what it is now in SD33. Throness wrote in a news release to Fraser Valley Today that his priorities were centered around academic achievement, fiscal responsibility, enhanced classroom attendance and discipline, and enhancing relationships between parents and the system.

Bartel stressed the need for diversity, equity and inclusion in her campaign, among other prominent messages to voters.

“Let’s build a stronger, brighter Chilliwack school system where students thrive, teachers are empowered, and parents feel confident in their children’s education and well-being,” Bartel wrote on Facebook. “As a School Trustee, one of my main goals will be to improve communication and unity among Trustees and board staff to ensure we are effectively working together for the benefit of our students.”