Almost three-quarters of Chatham-Kent’s eligible voters chose not to cast a ballot for today’s municipal election.
A total of 24,546 votes were cast during advance voting periods and on Election Day, which is only 30.56 per cent of Chatham-Kent’s 80,332 eligible voters.
Voter turnout in 2018 was 45.44 per cent, and 42.11 per cent in 2014. A total of 39.93 per cent of CK voters cast their ballots in 2010.
Mayor Darrin Canniff was reelected as mayor, along with 12 incumbent councillors who will regain their seats at the Civic Centre. Five other new faces will also fill out council chambers at the beginning of the next term.
For the two seats in Ward 1 West Kent, incumbent Councillor Mellisa Harrigan was reelected, along with political newcomer Lauren Anderson.
In Ward 2 South Kent, Anthony Ceccacci and Trevor Thompson were both reelected. Ryan Doyle was also elected to one of the ward’s three seats, beating out incumbent Councillor Mary Clare Latimer by a single vote.
John Wright and Steve Pinsonneault were both reelected to the two seats in Ward 3 East Kent.
Ward 4 North Kent saw Jamie McGrail reelected to one of the two seats, with the other going to another new face on council, Rhonda Jubenville.
Running unopposed, councillors Aaron Hall and Carmen McGregor were both acclaimed in Ward 5 Wallaceburg.
And in Ward 6 Chatham, four incumbent councillors were reelected — Brock McGregor, Michael Bondy, Marjorie Crew, and Amy Finn. Conor Allin and Alysson Storey were elected to fill the other two seats in Ward 6.
A total of 40 candidates ran to fill the 17 seats on municipal council.
D. Randy Campbell and Angela Richards will sit on the Lambton Kent District School Board of Trustees, representing Wards 1, 2, and 3. Janet Barnes will serve as trustee for Wards 4, 5, and South Lambton. Ward 6 trustees are Ruth Ann Dodman and Kelley Robertson.
At the St Clair Catholic District School Board, Brenda Rumble will represent Ward 1, and 2. Jann Tooshkenig was acclaimed as a trustee for Ward 3, St Clair Township, and Dawn Euphemia. John Van Heck was acclaimed in Ward 4 and 5, and David Argenti ran uncontested as a trustee in Ward 6.
Representing the French public school board, Conseil Scolaire Viamonde, David Paradis was acclaimed as a trustee.
For the French separate board, Conseil Scolaire Catholique Providence, Doris Sauve was acclaimed in Ward 1, Pelee, Leamington, and Lakeshore. Bob Demers was acclaimed in Wards 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.
