Some Northern Manitoba communities elected new mayors in the Oct. 22 municipal election while others saw incumbents returned to office either by receiving the most votes or by way of acclamation.
Leaf Rapids Mayor Geraldine Cockerill finished second to Leslie Baker in the race to be the next mayor of the northern town, which featured five candidates vying for the position. Baker got 83 votes and Cockerill 74, with Chuck Stensgard finishing third with 67 ballots cast in his favour. Former Leaf Rapids mayor Ed Charrier was fourth with 36 votes and Gary Trewin collected 12 votes.
Leaf Rapids council has four new members after John Roach Sr., the only incumbent seeking re-election, was defeated. Dorothy Fitzner collected the most votes, with 161, followed by David Lepage (142), Justin Moose (139) and Cecil Sanderson (129).
Lynn Lake Mayor James Lindsay was re-elected in a two-candidate race, collecting 116 votes to 79 for challenger C.M. (Botch) Dale. No election was required for council as there were only four candidates. Paul Grimmer and Trevor Kruzer join incumbents David Campbell and Jim Shortt on that body.
Churchill Mayor Michael Spence was re-elected by acclamation, but there were a wealth of candidates seeking spots on the four-person council, with 11 people running in all. Heather Botelho as the only incumbent re-elected in Churchill. She is joined by Shane Hutchins and Bill Dingwall, who received 247 and 246 votes respectively, as well as Joanne Stover.
Robert Buck was elected mayor of Grand Rapids over Tim Arthurson, with Raymnond V. Cook, Dennis Fourre, Muriel Halaisky and Ian Munro elected as councillors, with incumbent Annie Ballantyne defeated. All elected councillors except Fourre were incumbents. Vote totals in the Grand Rapids election were not available from the Manitoba Votes website.
Gillam Mayor Tom Zelenesky and four councillors – incumbents Sheri Herrera, John McDonald and Dan Van Alsytne as well as newcomer Matthew Bannerman – were elected by acclamation.
