Municipal elections
They only come once every four years but in the Brome County News catchment area there were 20 municipalities that saw shifts in their councils on November 5.
Voter turnout ranged from a low 41.8 per cent in Cowansville to an impressive 75.9 per cent of the population in Abercorn. The region welcomed nine newly elected mayors while eight mayors were acclaimed and three returned with outstanding support from over 71 per cent of their respective citizens. Notably citizens of Sutton spoke loudly with a full sweep of the council with new mayor and all new councillors. And West Bolton bid farewell to veteran municipal politician Don Badger, who served the community for 24 years as mayor.
Newly elected mayors are Abercorn’s Guy Gravel, who won by a mere 1.64 per cent of the votes against outgoing Mayor Jean-charles Bisonnette and Steven Neil of Brigham beat outgoing Mayor Danielle Cardin Pollender with 57.81 per cent. Mayor Sylvie Beauregard, who was outgoing from another position on council in Cowansville, beat out three other candidates gaining the confidence of 65.37 per cent of the votes. Daniel Tetreault won a strong 72.87 per cent of the 239 votes in Notredame de Stanbridge. With 65.37 per cent of the votes, Potton’s Jacques Marcoux beat outgoing Mayor Louis Veillon by just 5.05 per cent. In Sutton, Michel Lafrance ousted outgoing mayor Louis Dandenault with 56.81 per cent, Brent Chamberlin of Saint Armand beat René Daraiche by 7.86 per cent of the votes, and Albert Santerre won in Saintignace-de-stanbridge over Roger Noiseux by 6.4 per cent
Jacques Drolet, an outgoing councillor of West Bolton, was acclaimed as mayor prior to the elections
Former West Bolton councillor Jacques Drolet, left, assumed and was acclaimed as mayor of West Bolton when the mayor for 24 years, Don Badger, right, announced his retirement. after the resignation of veteran Mayor Donald Badger. Other mayors that were acclaimed were TBL’S Richard Burcombe, Tom Selby of Brome Village, Yves Lévesque at the town of Bedford, Gilles St-jean at the township of Bedford, Stanbridge East’s Gregory Vaughn, and Michèle Turcotte of St. Étienne-de-bolton.
Returning for a third term was Mayor Lisette Maillé of Austin, where 71.37 per cent of the voters showed their confidence in her leadership. Similarly, East Bolton’s Joan Eby gleaned 70.22 per cent of the votes and Pierre Janecek returned for another term with 72.35 per cent voter approval.