Marie-Terese Little will be Metchosin’s new mayor after narrowly beating out Kyara Kahakauwila.
Metchosinites went to bed Saturday (Oct. 15) unsure as to who would make up their council, with results being reported early Sunday. Little secured the election with 51.7 per cent of the vote (1,015 votes), narrowly beating out Kahakauwila who got 47.5 per cent (933 votes). Both served during the last term as councillors.
Little will be joined on a council by a series of new faces. Steve Gray (1,303 votes), Jay Shukin (1,031 votes) and Shelly Donaldson (1,018 votes) were all voted in as councillors, with incumbent Sharie Epp (1,300 votes) rounding out the group.
Estimated voter turnout was up, sitting at approximately 47.27 per cent with 1,964 ballots cast. Civic Info BC originally reported 3,685 ballots were cast but that number was corrected Monday morning. There are an estimated 4,154 eligible voters in Metchosin.
In 2018, according to Civic Info BC, the estimated voter turnout for the District of Metchosin was 43.6 per cent, which was eight per cent higher than the average B.C. municipal turnout of 35.6 per cent.
Former Mayor John Ranns was re-elected in 2018 by acclamation. He opted not to run again after serving on council since 1987, including eight terms as mayor.
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Editor’s note: This file has been updated from its original version to correct an error originally reported by Civic Info BC. Metchosin’s voter turnout is estimated at 47.27 per cent with Little securing 51.7 per cent of the vote over Kahakauwila at 47.5 per cent. We apologize for the errors and any confusion they may have caused.
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