B.C. ELECTION 2017: Greens come up short in bid to run candidates in all 87 B.C. ridings

VANCOUVER – Time's up for candidates to register for the B.C. election, and the Green party has missed its mark of running a candidate in all 87 provincial ridings.

Party spokesman Stefan Jonsson says the Greens had 80 candidates officially approved by Elections BC ahead of the Tuesday afternoon registration deadline and were waiting to hear back on the eligibility of up to three more.

Green Leader Andrew Weaver — the first member of his party to win a seat in the provincial legislature — previously said the party planned to run in each of the province's ridings in the May 9 election.

Despite missing the target, Jonsson said the party is proud of the candidates who have put their names forward, and excited that most ridings across the province will include a Green candidate.

When the legislature was dissolved earlier this month, the Liberals held 47 seats, the NDP had 35 and there were three independents, including Weaver.

There are also two new ridings to be contested in the election, bringing the total to 87 seats.