Preliminary numbers are pointing to a winner in the 2015 municipal byelection. The unofficial final results say Colleen Tatum captured Ward 1 with 1,020 votes out of the 3,196 ballots cast.
“My focus this time is livable, strong and ours. So let’s keep that focus for everything that we do. Creating a community that has access to retail and services that we need, creating a community that reflects us,” said Tatum.
She received 31.96 per cent of the vote, beating runner up Verna Murphy who got 627 votes. Murphy sent her congratulations and said she’s not quite done with politics.
“I don’t know we’ll see how I feel tomorrow I guess, but don’t count me out on the next one,” said Murphy.
Tatum is a local business owner and mother who first earned a seat at council during the 2012 byelection, but was voted out during the general election the following year.
“On behalf of Council, I’d like to congratulate Ms. Tatum, our next Ward 1 Councillor, on her win tonight. I know we all look forward to working together and making decisions for our region over the next two and a half years,” stated Mayor Melissa Blake. “I also want to thank all the candidates who put their names forward, as well as the voters who came out to the polls.”
Election results are unofficial until 12 p.m. on April 7. About 5.6 per cent of eligible voters cast their ballot.
(With files from Bradley Karp and John Knox).
