Vancouver loves Allan Wong.

For the eighth consecutive election starting in 1999, voters have picked the soft-spoken father of four for a spot in the school board.

With his record, Wong is the most resilient politician in the city.

Not only is he the longest consecutive serving elected official in Vancouver.  

In 2011, he was the only survivor when his party at the time, the Coalition of Progressive Electors, got wiped out in the elections for council, school board, and park board.

Wong left COPE in 2013 to join the ruling Vision Vancouver.

On October 20 this year, it was Vision’s turn to be routed at the polls, except for one candidate: Wong.

Like in 2011, Wong is the last standing person left in his party.

There may be a lot of theories to explain why parties lose elections, but for Wong, one thing is true without fail.

“The electors are always correct,” Wong told the Georgia Straight in a phone interview Wednesday (October 24). “How the vote is is how the vote is.”

Still, Wong feels “saddened” about the slaughter of Vision, the party that has governed the city since 2008.

“The conversation is 10 years is a long run for a party…,” Wong said. “And I guess because it’s been on consecutive for many years, when there is a tidal wave for change, it comes a little more drastic I believe. But I think, you know, there was a lot to offer during the campaign.”

Wong also said that Vision has been “unfairly painted” for its role in some of the issues facing the city, particularly unaffordable housing.

According to Wong, housing affordability depends on “many other issues at play that is challenging, out of control particularly provincially and federally”.

Wong said that it’s “much too early” to say what lies ahead for Vision.

Wong noted that his focus has always been on school board over the years. That will continue, and “not the politics of Vision Vancouver at this stage”.

“I’ll be involved, but I won’t be the one initiating anything on that front,” Wong said.