Low turnout in Kamloops for mayoral election

KAMLOOPS This city has a new mayor-elect.

Former Kamloops councillor Ken Christian walked away with the win in a byelection Saturday in which only 21 per cent of registered voters marked a ballot.

Christian, who was required to take a three-month hiatus from council to run for the mayorship, said the time away gave him a different look at the goings-on at city hall.

“When you’re in the council horseshoe, you’re confined by the rigidity of meetings and all that,” he said at his victory party Saturday night. “This has given me a fresh perspective on the city and the role of governance in this city. People are unhappy and they’ve expressed that to me — and I think there are some changes we can make.”

Christian said he wants to see councillors assigned to liaise with the city’s various neighbourhood associations on a rotating basis, so areas have a point of contact they feel they can go to with issues.

“So at least someone on council’s been out there, seen what the problem is at the dog park, is at the roundabout, and is there at the council table with a lot of firsthand knowledge,” he said.

As far as first priorities are concerned, Christian rattled off a list: finalizing KAMPLAN, due to come to council for debate this fall, a final decision on the proposed Ajax mine, lobbying for the expansion of Royal Inland Hospital and starting work on the 2018 budget.

A plan for the ex-Kamloops Daily News property — demolition of the building began during the campaign and became a flashpoint for voters — won’t come this year, however. Christian said he wants the city to fully consider its options, which could include a differently configured arts centre, housing and retail development or a consolidated city hall.

“To jump to anything for an election would be a big mistake,” he said.

When all ballots were counted, the turnout was 21 per cent, well below the 33 per cent turnout in the 2014 general civic election.

There were 14,731 ballots cast in the byelection and 69,578 eligible voters. The byelection included 12 polling stations on voting day, mail-in ballots and three days of advance voting.

Six candidates ran for mayor. Christian got 63.91 per cent of the votes with 9,274 votes. Bill McQuarrie ran second with 2,661 votes.

Twenty-one candidates ran for two councillor seats that were won by Kathy Sinclair, with 12.2 per cent of the vote, and Ray Dhaliwal, with 11.83 per cent of the vote.

The byelection was called after former mayor Peter Milobar resigned and was elected an MLA, Coun. Marg Spina resigned due to health issues and Christian resigned his seat to run for mayor.