Langley East NDP MLA Megan Dykeman plans to run in the new Langley-Walnut Grove provincial electoral district in the next B.C. election.
On Saturday, Dec. 16, Dykeman told the Langley Advance Times she is filing the necessary paperwork and expects to hear back early in the new year.
“It has been an absolute privilege to serve our community as MLA this term,” Dykeman remarked.
“And I hope to have the honor to do so for another four years.”
Langley East will cease to exist in the next election, the result of redistribution by the B.C. Electoral Boundary Commission that created three new ridings in the fast-growing region where there were previously two.
Langley-Walnut Grove includes most of northwest Langley Township north of Willowbrook, including Fort Langley, between the border with Surrey and 240th street.
“Like any other person, I have to go through the nomination [process], so I’m submitting my complete package to the party with the intention to run for a second term in the Walnut Grove riding,” Dykeman said.
Her riding office is in the new Walnut Grove riding, Dykeman noted.
“It was a natural place for me to to run for re-election.”
READ ALSO: Langley school board chair is replacement candidate for NDP
In 2020, Dykeman won Langley East with a margin of close to 3,000 votes, outpointing liberal challenger Margaret Kunst 13,169 to 10,385 in the race to succeed incumbent MLA Rich Coleman.
She is parliamentary secretary for community development and non-profits to the minister of social development and poverty reduction
The long-time school trustee (and chair), small business owner, and local farmer was a last-minute candidate.
Initially, the B.C. NDP had backed then-councillor Eric Woodward to run in the Langley East riding, but a day after announcing, Woodward withdrew, citing what he described as “truly horrible, false personal attacks.”
Woodward went on to win the Langley Township mayor’s chair in 2022, defeating Coleman.
READ ALSO: Karen Long to run in Langley-Abbotsford