Just hours after being declared the winner Tuesday in Delta South, independent MLA Vicki Huntington said her recount victory shows that politicians have to act for their constituents and not their parties.

"We're off on an adventure of a new form of representation in the province," Huntington said defeating B.C. Liberal attorney-general Wally Oppal by 32 votes.

"I personally hope that it spreads because I think what's happened here is that our elected representatives...are representing parties not the people."

Huntington, a long-time Delta councillor, received 9,977 votes to Oppal's 9,945.

Elections B.C. official Kenn Faris said the vote will automatically go to a judical recount because it is under a 50-vote margin.

"So it's in the hands of the B.C. Supreme Court now or will be after the application is made."

Huntington said Delta South voters had been "very courageous" choosing an independent candidate over a representative of the two main parties.

She had been a longtime critic of former Delta South Liberal MLA Val Roddick for not standing up to Victoria over various government projects that sparked anger in the riding.

"And this perhaps is the first time people here stepped forward and said we want you to be accountable and we want you to represent us."

Meanwhile, B.C. Liberal Donna Barnett defeated New Democrat Charlie Wyse in the riding of Cariboo-Chilcotin by 88 votes following a recount and the counting of absentee ballots.

Wyse had emerged on top on election night with a 23-vote lead over Barnett, a former 100 Mile House mayor.

But that result was overturned Monday following a recount that put Barnett 59 votes ahead of the NDP incumbent MLA.

Her lead grew today as election officials pored over 977 absentee ballots.

Wyse endured a recount in 2005 but that count went his favour with his election night one-vote lead, growing to 114 votes.