Official results of the October 24 Municipal Election were released on Tuesday afternoon by Judy Smith, Chief Returning Officer and Chatham-Kent Director of Municipal Governance/Clerk.
There was no change in the results listed Monday night, Municipal officials say.
There were 24,546 ballots cast (30.56 per cent of eligible voters).
There were 34,722 ballots cast (45.44 per cent of eligible voters) during 2018, 32,783 ballots cast (42.1 per cent of eligible voters) during the 2014 election and 32,398 (39.9 per cent of eligible voters) during 2010.
Final unofficial results were compiled and published online within 60 minutes of polls closing on Monday evening, Municipal officials say.
“I would like to thank the 350 election workers who did their jobs efficiently and who made it possible for us to provide timely and accurate information to the public,” Smith said, in a media release.
Due to some close results in this election, there have been some questions brought to the Municipality about the potential for vote recounts, Municipal officials added.
“The Municipal Elections Act only provides for an automatic recount if there is a tie of two or more candidates,” Municipal officials said in a media release.
“In the 2022 Chatham-Kent Municipal Election there were no tie votes, and as a result there is no automatic recount.”
Additional election results and statistics, such as poll-by-poll, advance and online voting will be posted at www.ckelection.com/results as they are available.
A complete list of voting totals can be seen, here.
Darrin Canniff was re-elected Mayor, cruising to a landslide victory, gathering 17,981 votes or 75.13% of the total vote.
Canniff will begin his second consecutive term as Mayor, when the new Council is sworn-in on November 15, 2022.
“Thank you for your support once again Chatham-Kent, I will continue to strive to do a great job,” Canniff posted on social media.
“You made it clear that we are on the same page as we work together to make Chatham-Kent a great place to live, work and play. I am excited and honoured to have the opportunity to continue to work on your behalf and thankful for your continued support as your mayor.”
Canniff added: “Congratulations to the new Councilors. For those Councilors that will be moving on, thank you for your service.”
In Ward 5 – Wallaceburg, Councillors Carmen McGregor and Aaron Hall were acclaimed.
“Thank you Wallaceburg and all that were willing to work with me on a campaign this year,” McGregor said on social media back in August.
“I feel honoured and at the same time humbled by the support for Aaron Hall and I to lead our community throughout the next municipal term of Council.”
Hall added back in August: “Thank-you for your trust, your confidence and your support. It was an honour to be elected as one of your Municipality of Chatham-Kent Council Ward 5 representatives in 2018 and I’m equally thrilled to be acclaimed for the position for another four-year term. It’s truly an honour to serve and represent all of you, it’s something I take very seriously and take to heart. I’m grateful for the opportunity to carry on with this work.”
Jamie McGrail and Rhonda Jubenville were elected in Ward 4 – North Kent.
McGrail, who was re-elected and will serve her second consecutive term, topped the polls in North Kent gathering 1,506 votes, or 28.02%.
“Thank you for allowing me once again to serve North Kent,” McGrail posted on social media.
“(Welcome), Rhonda Jubenville to municipal politics. Now, let’s get back to work.”
Jubenville captured the second seat in Ward 4, gathering 1,046 votes, or 19.46%.
“I will serve the citizens of Chatham-Kent well,” Jubenville said on social media.
“Thank you Ward 4.”
In Ward 1 – West Kent, incumbent Councillor Melissa Harrigan topped the polls with 1,399 votes. Newcomer Lauren Anderson captured the second seat with 1,331 votes.
In Ward 2 – South Kent, newcomer Ryan Doyle grabbed the third Council seat, narrowly defeating incumbent Councillor Mary Clare Latimer by a single vote. Doyle had 2,083 votes, while Latimer was fourth with 2,082. Incumbents Anthony Ceccacci led the polls in Ward 2 with 3,214 votes, while Trevor Thompson captured the second seat with 2,909 votes.
In Ward 3 – East Kent, incumbents Steve Pinsonneault and John Wright were re-elected. Pinsonneault led the polls with 2,049 votes, while Wright gathered 1,727 votes.
In Ward 6 – Chatham, two newcomers earned spots on Council, with Conor Allin finishing third with 5,095 votes and Alysson Storey, who ran for Mayor in 2018, finishing fifth with 4,776 votes. Four incumbents were re-elected, as Brock McGregor topped the polls with 5,329 votes, Michael Bondy was second with 5,146 votes, Marjorie Crew was fourth with 5,56 votes and Amy Finn was sixth with 3,900 votes. Current Councillor Karen Kirkwood-Whyte did not maintain her seat, finishing in eighth.
