The 2010 municipal election results are in, and voters in the Crowsnest Pass chose to make nearly a clean sweep of council. The new council, which is scheduled to be sworn in at an organizational meeting on October 26, features only one member from the previous council -- Larry Mitchell -- even though six members ran.
As expected, voter turnout for this election was up from 2007. A total of 59.1 percent of eligible voters (based on Stats Canada 2006 population figures) turned out to vote, an 11 percent increase over the last election. In total, 2730 Crowsnest Pass citizens cast a ballot.
Bruce Decoux was elected as mayor in a landslide result, receiving 1982 votes. John Prince received 387 votes, and John Salus received 343 votes.
"It's a humbling experience," says Decoux. "An honour. I'm grateful to be able to give something back to a community that's been so good to our family over the years."
Decoux says that when people demonstrate their faith in you with such an overwhelming number of votes, it is up to you to show that you are worth it.
"I'm looking forward to it," he says. "I think this election has given us a fresh start and a clean slate to work with. I see nothing but good things happening in the future. I'm very pleased with the slate of councillors that have been elected. I hope that we can get to work very quickly."
The six councillors for the new term, in order of vote numbers, are:
Jerry Lonsbury - 1782
Andrew Saje - 1550
Brian Gallant - 1410
Larry Mitchell - 1028
Emile Saindon - 1006
Siegbert Gail - 926
The remaining votes for the rest of the candidates fell out as follows:
Doreen Glavin - 882
John Irwin - 687
George Hoff - 629
Gail Sygutek - 619
Sasha JaegerBaird - 581
Dean Ward - 554
David Cole - 467
Douglas Raines - 452
Ian MacLeod - 412
Merle Sandau - 369
Jamie Thomson - 335
Steve Bottrell - 172
Donald Vaters - 139