Why don't we know B.C.'s election outcome yet?

The winner of the 2024 provincial election in British Columbia won't be known for at least three more days, with two riding recounts and the tallying of mail-in ballots set to happen this weekend.

Initial counts for the Oct. 19 provincial election show the B.C. NDP are leading or elected in 46 seats, the B.C. Conservatives in 45 seats and the B.C. Greens have been elected in two seats. In the B.C. Legislature, 47 seats are required to form a majority government.

However, those seat counts won't be finalized until the final tally occurs between Oct. 26 and 28. As of Wednesday afternoon, CBC News has not projected the winners for 11 ridings, with the NDP leading in six of those seats and the Conservatives in five.

Here's what you need to know about B.C.'s election results delay.

Under B.C.'s Election Act, the final count of all ballots must take place on a date specified by the province's chief electoral officer, which must be at least four days after final voting day.

In the case of the 2024 election, the final count is scheduled to start on Oct. 26 and go until Oct. 28.

The final count will include mail-in ballots and out-of-district votes that were sent to Elections B.C. after the close of advance voting. It will also include manual recounts for two ridings, where the margin of victory is considered too tight. 

Elections B.C. says its operations team will provide more details on the recounts later this week. CBC News will project a winner once results are finalized this weekend.

The provincial elections authority has received around 49,000 mail-in and absentee ballots to be counted this weekend.

The two ridings where recounts will occur are Juan de Fuca-Malahat, which the NDP is leading by 20 votes, and Surrey City Centre, which the NDP is leading by 95 votes.

Any district where the margin of victory is 100 votes or less is subject to an automatic recount. Parties can also request a recount in close ridings.

Elections B.C. says recounts have to be conducted by hand, and not by tabulators, as per law.

Elections B.C. says the timing of the final count is determined by the Election Act, and a number of factors go into why it might take a while for a riding's results to be known.

B.C. has a "vote anywhere" model, in which voters registered in one riding can cast their ballot at a polling station in a different riding. Elections B.C. says counting "extensive" amounts of those votes took more time on election night.