And the winner is Kathy Pierre
Kathy Pierre was officially declared the winner of the rural trustee (Area 3) election, Thursday.
According to chief election officer Kevin Lorenz, Pierre won the election with 842 votes, 11 better than incumbent Ginny Manning, who finished with 831 votes.
The 11-vote differential was tighter than what was originally announced on Saturday. Pierre was believed to have won, at that time, by 14 votes.
With the exception of the Peachland mayoral race — presently declared a tie — Pierre’s victory was the closest margin of victory in the valley.
Manning has not requested a judicial recount.
Manning won each of the six polling stations on election day except West Bench, which was decisively won by Pierre. Pierre also won the advance poll held on Oct. 10.
Manning, a 16-year veteran of the Okanagan Skaha School District, had previously won or been acclaimed in five consecutive elections. Pierre, a teacher and school administrator with the Penticton Indian Band, is a PIB member and ran on a campaign of positive change.
Manning, along with Julie Planiden in Summerland, was one of two incumbent trustees who lost on Saturday.
The following is a breakdown of each poll, supplied to the Herald by Lorenz.
Advance poll (RDOS office), Oct. 10: Pierre 107; Manning 55
Advance poll (Okanagan Falls), Oct. 10: Manning 16; Pierre 14 Oct. 20, general voting day: Okanagan Falls Community Centre: Manning 57; Pierre 46
Naramata Elementary School: Manning 274; Pierre 188
West Bench Elementary School: Pierre 255; Manning 120
Giants Head Elementary School, Summerland: Manning 16; Pierre 13
Red Wing clubhouse: Manning 73; Pierre 67
Kaleden Elementary School: Manning 220, Pierre 152