Five new faces on St. Catharines council
All incumbents seeking re-election returned, except one
Karrie Porter started knocking on every door in St. Patrick’s ward twice since Aug. 1 and it paid off Monday big time.
“I worked really hard. I really wanted this,” said Porter, a program administrator at Start Me Up Niagara who spent Monday night with supporters and family at Fiddler’s Pour House on St. Paul Street.
“I feel like we haven’t had a councillor like me in a while.
I’m a mother, I have two kids, I care about affordability for people in St. Catharines. I see people being left behind and I think there’s a lot we’re going to need to do to be able to look after everybody in St. Catharines.”
Porter is one of five new faces on St. Catharines city council after four councillors didn’t seek re-election and one incumbent lost his seat.
In Merritton Ward 1, newcomer Greg Miller came out on top with just mofre than 25 per cent of the vote and is joined by Lori Littleton who garnered almost 21 per cent.
David Haywood was third with almost 19 per cent and the only incumbent on council who ran and will not return.
Others in the race were Lesley Seaborne, Kim Clifford, Diane Foster, Marta Liddiard and Hayden Lawrence.
In Andrew’s Ward 2, Coun. Joe Kushner won his 15th election, coming out on top in the ward with over 39 per cent of the vote and incumbent Matt Harris gained almost 38 per cent. Newcomer Emilio Raimondo received just more than 23 per cent.
City council was guaranteed at least four new faces. St. Patrick’s Coun. Mark Elliott, St. George’s Coun. Mike Britton and Grantham Coun. Sandie Bellows opted to run for regional council, leaving three seats open on city council. Former Merritton councillor Jennie Stevens was elected to Queen’s Park in June and her spot on council was not replaced.
Porter came out on top in Elliott’s Ward 4 with a strong 41 per cent and will join incumbent Mat Siscoe at city hall. Siscoe, who serves as chair of the standing budget committee, won about 30 per cent of the vote and Robin McPherson was a close third with almost 29 per cent.
In St. George’s, incumbent Sal Sorrento gained the most votes with over 30 per cent. Newcomer Kevin Townsend takes over Britton’s seat and won just more than 24 per cent. Others in the race were Brody Longmuir, Vicki-Lynn Smith and Thomas Grundy.
Incumbent Bill Phillips won his seat in Grantham Ward 5 and will be joined again by Dawn Dodge, who was defeated in the 2014 election. Phillips won with more than 26 per cent of the vote and Dodge with more than 20 per cent. Jeff Brooks, Mark Stevens, Dennis Van Meer, Alan C. Ziemianin, Rob Gill and Matthew Bastead were the other candidates.
Like St. Andrew’s ward, Port Dalhousie didn’t make any changes. Incumbents Carlos Garcia and Bruce Williamson won their seats with just more than 30 per cent and 28 per cent of the votes. Jeff Mackie and Wolfgang Guembel earned just more than 22 and 19 per cent.