Vicki Huntington says two things are critical to be elected as an independent member of the legislature in British Columbia 鈥� trusted name recognition and an angry constituency.

She would know.

In 2009, Huntington became the first independent MLA elected to the B.C. legislature in 60 years and went on to become the first ever woman re-elected as an independent, representing Delta until 2017.

Seven years later, she thinks the political landscape is primed to again to elect an independent in the Oct. 19 election following the decision by B.C. United Opposition Leader Kevin Falcon shut down the party鈥檚 campaign.

Forty independent candidates will be on the ballot, attempting to follow the path that Huntington blazed, including five former B.C. United incumbents: Mike Bernier, Dan Davies, Tom Shypitka, Coralee Oakes and Karin Kirkpatrick, who were left on their own after the collapse of the party.

Former NDP MLA Adam Walker, who was kicked out of caucus last year over a human resources complaint, is also seeking re-election as an independent.

Huntington said in an interview that B.C. United 鈥減ulled the rug out鈥� from under its candidates in August when Falcon suspended the campaign and threw his support behind B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad.

She said there may be enough voters who don鈥檛 feel at home with either the NDP or the Conservatives, and who are angry enough with Falcon that they鈥檒l vote for an incumbent name they recognize.

鈥淚 think if they鈥檙e well known, if they did a good job at being in MLA, if people are as upset with Falcon鈥檚 activities as he deserves, then I think they will have a good chance of winning,鈥� she said.

鈥淚n the case of the Conservatives, there鈥檚 a lot of nervousness in the province, both federally and provincially, I鈥檇 say. So, if an incumbent can understand whether the riding is nervous or whether they really are conservative, they should be able to 鈥� set up some sort of campaign that tells people what the difference is and how they can be represented.鈥�

Huntington came to power in Delta after years as a popular local councillor and following fights with the provincial government over the community hospital and highway construction.

She beat Liberal heavyweight and former judge Wally Oppal by 32 votes.

Huntington said there is a misconception that independents don鈥檛 have power in the legislature.

She said her budget was enough to hire two research assistants dedicated to the concerns of her riding, rather than having to share with many party members.

After negotiations with then-opposition house leader Mike Farnworth, Huntington was also allowed to ask two questions a week during question period in the legislature.

She said in established political parties it would be 鈥渦nheard of鈥� for a single MLA to get that many questions to ask specifically about their ridings.

鈥淚 had, on three or four occasions, members of the opposition and even a member of the government party come to me and say, 鈥榁icki, I have a critical issue in my riding. I鈥檓 not going to be able to get up and ask a question 鈥� government can鈥檛 ask questions 鈥� Would you ask a question for me?鈥欌�� she said.

鈥淎nd in two cases, I did.鈥�

But holding the mantle alone is not without its challenges, particularly when running an election campaign.

She said larger donors didn鈥檛 want to publicly put their name behind an independent candidate.

鈥淥bviously people were voting for me, but they didn鈥檛 necessarily send me money because, of course, it鈥檚 all public,鈥� she said.

She said some of the former B.C. United MLAs may not have the same problem because of their established connections.

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 get the big pockets giving you the money when you鈥檙e an Independent. Whereas this time, I鈥檒l bet the big pockets are still helping,鈥� she said.

Davies, who is running in the Peace River North Riding he represented as a B.C. United MLA since 2017, said his campaign was 鈥渇ully funded鈥� before Falcon鈥檚 decision, but as an Independent he has no access to the money which he says 鈥渨as stolen.鈥�

鈥淚 had already purchased my signs out of that fundraised money through the B.C. United, and they were right in my campaign office. So, I already had those signs,鈥� he said.

鈥淣ot only did I have to go buy new signs, but some of my bigger signs, I had to repurchase with my own money, my newly fundraised money. I had to buy them back again from the B.C. United.鈥�

Davies said his campaign also lost critical data that was held by B.C. United, including volunteer lists.

He said Falcon鈥檚 move left his campaign working 鈥減retty much from ground zero again, or probably even a couple feet under,鈥� but he has since rebounded under the independent banner.

Davies said changes in election law since Huntington ran mean that large corporate donations are not available, but his constituents have been more than willing to open their chequebooks.

University of the Fraser Valley political scientist Hamish Telford said having six incumbent MLAs running as independents 鈥渋s unprecedented鈥� in a B.C. election.

He said in ridings where the governing NDP is not a factor 鈥� such as parts of the north 鈥� and the fight is between a Conservative and a former B.C. United incumbent, the independents could have a 鈥済round advantage.鈥�

鈥淭hey are known in the communities, they鈥檝e campaigned before, they know how to do it. They know where their supporters are. But they鈥檙e facing a big Conservative wave,鈥� he said.

鈥淚n other places, it鈥檚 going to be a three-way race. There will be strong NDP candidates, and with three-way races, it鈥檚 very hard to predict outcomes.鈥�

Huntington said if two Independents win it would be enough to qualify them as a party in the legislature 鈥� something that could change the dynamic, especially if the election is close.

鈥淪o, you might see a new party come out of this, and you might see a concerted effort at a coalition within the legislature itself,鈥� she said.

鈥淎nd that changes the dynamic, because depending on how close the election actually is, the Independents, if they鈥檙e a coalition, could hold a balance of power in this legislature, and that would be very interesting.鈥�

Davies said any talk of forming a party is a hard thing to consider before election day.

鈥淔irst of all, what does the legislature look like after Oct. 19? How close it is, who鈥檚 sitting there as independent candidates or Green Party candidates?鈥� he said.

鈥淵ou know the other thing, and this is the big one, I will only do what is right for Peace River North, and if that decision to form a coalition is what鈥檚 best for Peace River North, then so be it. If it鈥檚 joining the B.C. Conservatives, you know, obviously, after a conversation with (leader) John (Rustad), then that鈥檚 the decision that will be made.鈥�