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The Political RecordFederal electoral districtsNo. 59012British Columbia

Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke

Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke is a federal riding in British Columbia. Stephanie McLean (Liberal) has represented Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke since the 2025 election. Stephanie McLean (Liberal) took Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke from the New Democrats in the 2025 election by 15,099 votes (20.6 points), with 49.3% of the vote. Grant Cool (Conservative) was second with 28.7%, on a turnout of 74.2% of 99,386 electors. Member as of .

Cowichan—Malahat—Langford · ConservativeSaanich—Gulf Islands · GreenVictoria · LiberalEsquimalt—Saanich—Sooke
Fig. 1 — Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke on the board, 2023 boundaries; the ridings next door as the House holds them on . Open it on the board →

Who represents Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke

LStephanie McLean
Stephanie McLean's piece from the board. Illustration after the official portrait © House of Commons.

Stephanie McLean

Member of Parliament for Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke

Liberal

MP since · first term

  • Secretary of State (Seniors)

90 speeches in the 45th Parliament, most often on The Economy.

Contact and office · House of Commons →

The 2025 result: Liberal gain from the New Democrats

Share of the valid votes by candidate, Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, April 28, 2025

Share of the valid votes by candidate, Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, April 28, 2025Of the 73,335 valid votes, Stephanie McLean (Liberal) took 49.3%, Grant Cool (Conservative) 28.7%, Maja Tait (New Democratic) 18.6% and Ben Homer-Dixon (Green) 2.7%; the 3 other candidates took 0.6% together.2025Turnout 74.2% of 99,386 electorsStephanie McLeanLiberal49.3% · 36,18115,099 votes ahead · 20.6 ptsGrant CoolConservative28.7% · 21,082Maja TaitNew Democratic18.6% · 13,666Ben Homer-DixonGreen2.7% · 1,959Others (3)0.6% · 447050%100%
Share of the valid votes by candidate, Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, April 28, 2025Of the 73,335 valid votes, Stephanie McLean (Liberal) took 49.3%, Grant Cool (Conservative) 28.7%, Maja Tait (New Democratic) 18.6% and Ben Homer-Dixon (Green) 2.7%; the 3 other candidates took 0.6% together.2025Turnout 74.2% of 99,386 electorsStephanie McLeanLiberal49.3% · 36,18115,099 votes ahead · 20.6 ptsGrant CoolConservative28.7% · 21,082Maja TaitNew Democratic18.6% · 13,666Ben Homer-DixonGreen2.7% · 1,959Others (3)0.6% · 447050%100%
Shares of the 73,335 valid votes; a candidate under 1% is counted with the others. Source: Elections Canada, official voting results, the 2025 general election.
The figures
CandidatePartyVotesShare
Stephanie McLeanLiberal36,18149.3%
Grant CoolConservative21,08228.7%
Maja TaitNew Democratic13,66618.6%
Ben Homer-DixonGreen1,9592.7%
Others (3)4470.6%

Stephanie McLean (Liberal) won Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke on with 36,181 votes, 49.3% of the 73,335 valid votes. Grant Cool (Conservative) was second with 21,082 (28.7%), 15,099 votes and 20.6 points behind.

Of the 73,335 valid votes, Stephanie McLean (Liberal) took 49.3%, Grant Cool (Conservative) 28.7%, Maja Tait (New Democratic) 18.6% and Ben Homer-Dixon (Green) 2.7%; the 3 other candidates took 0.6% together. Turnout was 74.2% of 99,386 electors: 73,726 ballots cast, 73,335 of them valid, for 7 candidates.

Since 2021

Against the 2021 result on these boundaries, the Liberals are up 27.6 (21.7% to 49.3%), the Conservatives up 7.9 (20.8% to 28.7%), the New Democrats down 24.3 (42.9% to 18.6%) and the Greens down 6.1 (8.8% to 2.7%), in points of the valid votes.

2021 is Elections Canada's transposition of that election onto the 2023 boundaries, not an election held on these lines.

Since 2004: no party has held it

The party first in Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke at each general election, 2004 to 2025, on today's boundaries

  1. 2004Liberal34.6%by 4.7 points over the New Democrats
  2. 2006Liberal34.2%by 3.3 points over the New Democrats
  3. 2008†changed handsConservative34.8%by 0.2 points over the Liberals
  4. 2011†Conservative39.9%by 1.3 points over the New Democrats
  5. 2015changed handsNew Democratic35.0%by 7.6 points over the Liberals
  6. 2019New Democratic34.1%by 7.7 points over the Greens
  7. 2021New Democratic42.9%by 21.2 points over the Liberals
  8. 2025changed handsLiberal49.3%by 20.6 points over the Conservatives
Each election carried onto today's boundaries by where the riding's 2025 electors lived: our estimate to 2019, Elections Canada's transposition for 2021, the official result for 2025. Parties are counted as they ran. † The first two are within two points, so which party was first is less certain.
The figures
YearFirstShareSecondMargin (pts)Basis
2004Liberal34.6%New Democratic4.7carried, our estimate
2006Liberal34.2%New Democratic3.3carried, our estimate
2008†Conservative34.8%Liberal0.2carried, our estimate
2011†Conservative39.9%New Democratic1.3carried, our estimate
2015New Democratic35.0%Liberal7.6carried, our estimate
2019New Democratic34.1%Green7.7carried, our estimate
2021New Democratic42.9%Liberal21.2transposed by Elections Canada
2025Liberal49.3%Conservative20.6official result

The Liberals were first at three of the eight general elections from 2004 to 2025, the NDP at three and the Conservatives at two; it changed hands three times. In 2025 the Liberals took 49.3% of the vote here, 23.6 points above their average of 25.7% at the seven general elections from 2004 to 2021.

On today's boundaries the Liberals were first here in 2004 (34.6%), 2006 (34.2%) and 2025 (49.3%), the Conservatives in 2008 (34.8%) and 2011 (39.9%) and the NDP in 2015 (35.0%), 2019 (34.1%) and 2021 (42.9%), each with the share of the valid votes shown.

A stronghold is a party first at every general election since 2004, by an average of 20 points or more over the next party; held, first at every one; usually, first at all but one. By-elections are not counted. By this rule 160 of the 343 ridings have no degree. The results before 2021 are carried onto today's boundaries by where the riding's 2025 electors lived: our estimate, from the older boundaries of Taylor, Lucas, Kirby and Hewitt and the results in Sevi's "Who Runs?". 2021 is Elections Canada's transposition, and 2025 the official result. In 2008 and 2011 the carried top two are within two points, so which party was first is less certain.

Before 2025
  • 2021 New Democratic · Randall Garrison, by 13,590 votes (20.7 pts)
  • 2019 New Democratic · Randall Garrison, by 5,381 votes (7.7 pts)
  • 2015 New Democratic · Randall Garrison, by 5,214 votes (7.6 pts)

In the old Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke on the 2013 boundaries, the riding most of the 2025 electors in today's Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke lived in; Elections Canada's official results.

What kind of place Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke is

Population
120,1752021 census
Area
975km²
Density
123people per km²
Electors
99,386on the 2025 lists
Distinctions · ranked against all 343 ridings
  • 2nd-most candidates on the ballot in British Columbia: 7 candidates stood · 2nd of 43 in British Columbia · 24th of 343 in Canada2nd
    2nd-most candidates on the ballot in British Columbia
    7 candidates stood · 2nd of 43 in British Columbia · 24th of 343 in Canada
  • 3rd-highest turnout in British Columbia: 74.2% of 99,386 electors voted · 3rd of 43 in British Columbia · 45th of 343 in Canada3rd
    3rd-highest turnout in British Columbia
    74.2% of 99,386 electors voted · 3rd of 43 in British Columbia · 45th of 343 in Canada
  • Changed hands in 2025: One of 58 of 343 ridings where the winning party changed from the transposed 2021 result (14 of 43 in British Columbia)58
    Changed hands in 2025
    One of 58 of 343 ridings where the winning party changed from the transposed 2021 result (14 of 43 in British Columbia)
  • Median age is 43.6 — a little higher than the median riding's 41.6.
    highestlowest106th highest of 343
  • Median total household income is $88,000 — a little higher than the median riding's $84,000.
    highestlowest128th highest of 343
  • Share of households that own their home is 67.7% — a little lower than the median riding's 71.4%.
    highestlowest129th lowest of 343
  • Share with French as a mother tongue is 1.8% — a little higher than the median riding's 1.6%.
    highestlowest146th highest of 343
  • Share aged 25-64 with a bachelor's degree or higher is 29.8% — a little higher than the median riding's 28.2%.
    highestlowest159th highest of 343
  • Share who are immigrants is 16.1% — a little lower than the median riding's 17.3%.
    highestlowest167th lowest of 343

2021 Census on the 2023 boundaries; each rule places this riding among all 343. Density is the census population over the riding's area.

IDid this riding change?

Yes. 99.9% of the 2025 electors in today's Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke lived in the old Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke; by area, 4% of the riding came from other ridings.

Share of today's electorsFormer riding
99.9%Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke 95.7% of the area · 98% of it kept
0.1%Cowichan—Malahat—Langford 4.3% of the area · 1% of it kept
How this is measured. Electors: the share of the current riding's 2025 ordinary-list electors who lived in each former riding, each 2025 polling division placed in the 2013 riding a point inside it falls in. Area: the share of the current riding's area that came from each former riding, by intersecting the 2013 and 2023 boundary files, and how much of the former riding that part was. Area is land, not population. Elections Canada counts 48 of 343 ridings as entirely unchanged.

IIThe 2025 result

CandidatePartyVotes%2021±
Stephanie McLeanLiberal36,18149.3%21.7%+27.6
Grant CoolConservative21,08228.7%20.8%+7.9
Maja TaitNew Democratic13,66618.6%42.9%−24.3
Ben Homer-DixonGreen1,9592.7%8.8%−6.1
3 further candidates, each under 1% of the vote
David SchaafsmaOther1590.2%
Param BhattiIndependent1520.2%
Robert CrooksOther1360.2%
The 2021 column is Elections Canada's official transposition of the 2021 result onto these 2023 boundaries. ± is the change in each party's share. It is not "swing": with four or more competitive parties there is no single pair to swing between.

IIIHow close was it, really

Third place vs. the margin
13,666 votes
New Democratic took fewer than the 15,099-vote margin.
Election-day polls won by others
33 of 202
2 polls ended in an exact tie.
Fig. 2 — Each square is one election-day poll: ■ won by the Liberals (167) · ■ won by another party (33) · ▨ tied (2).
Flip the seatHypothetical

It would have taken 7,550 voters switching from Liberal to Conservative — 10.3% of the 73,335 valid votes, 10.3 points — to change the result. No ballot was cast this way; this only moves votes between the top two.

Liberal36,181
Conservative21,082
Still Liberal by 15,099 votes. Actual margin: 15,099.

IVElection day versus advance

Only 47.1% of this riding's votes were cast at election-day polls. The rest were advance or special ballots.

On election day the Liberals took 44.7%, the Conservatives 31.4%, the New Democrats 20.1% and the Greens 3.1%; in advance and special ballots, 53.4%, 26.4%, 17.4% and 2.3%, in that order.

Share of the valid votes by party, election-day polls against advance and special ballots, Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, April 28, 2025

Share of the valid votes by party, election-day polls against advance and special ballots, Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, April 28, 2025On election day the Liberals took 44.7%, the Conservatives 31.4%, the New Democrats 20.1% and the Greens 3.1%; in advance and special ballots, 53.4%, 26.4%, 17.4% and 2.3%, in that order.Election dayAdvance and special± pts, the gapLiberal44.7%53.4%+8.7 ptsConservative31.4%26.4%−5.0 ptsNew Democratic20.1%17.4%−2.7 ptsGreen3.1%2.3%−0.8 pts050%100%
Share of the valid votes by party, election-day polls against advance and special ballots, Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, April 28, 2025On election day the Liberals took 44.7%, the Conservatives 31.4%, the New Democrats 20.1% and the Greens 3.1%; in advance and special ballots, 53.4%, 26.4%, 17.4% and 2.3%, in that order.Election dayAdvance and special± pts, the gapLiberal44.7%53.4%+8.7 ptsConservative31.4%26.4%−5.0 ptsNew Democratic20.1%17.4%−2.7 ptsGreen3.1%2.3%−0.8 pts050%100%
Shares of the valid votes cast at election-day polls, and of those cast at advance polls, at mobile polls and by special ballot; the gap is the second less the first, in points. Source: Elections Canada, poll-by-poll results, the 2025 general election.
The figures
PartyElection dayAdvance and specialGap
Liberal44.7%53.4%+8.7
Conservative31.4%26.4%−5.0
New Democratic20.1%17.4%−2.7
Green3.1%2.3%−0.8
An association, not a cause. Voters who cast ballots before election day differed from those who turned out on the day. It does not say why. There is no poll-level turnout figure on this page: the elector count on a polling division includes people who voted in advance and were counted elsewhere.

VWhere it is

loading basemap…
Fig. 3 — Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke and its 3 neighbouring ridings.

Sources and citation

"Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke — federal riding profile and 2025 results." The Political Record. https://politicalrecord.ca/riding/esquimalt-saanich-sooke/ Accessed 2026-11-10.

Results and transposition: Elections Canada. Boundaries: Elections Canada / Statistics Canada, Open Government Licence – Canada. Census: Statistics Canada 2021 Census. Member: House of Commons.

Figures reconcile to the certified national total of 19,641,663 votes. The member is as the House of Commons listed them on 2026-11-01. Page built 2026-11-10.