Toronto mayor cruises to win; tech issues widespread
Toronto Mayor John Tory easily won re-election on Monday after a spirited campaign marked by unprecedented interference from the provincial government, while dozens of Ontario communities were forced to extend voting due to widespread technical difficulties.
Tory took 63 per cent of the vote while his main rival, former chief city planner Jennifer Keesmaat, took 24 per cent — giving the incumbent mayor a far more significant victory than when he was first elected four years ago.
“That’s quite an evening isn’t it,” Tory, 64, joked in his victory speech, calling his mandate historic.
“I want to acknowledge Jennifer Keesmaat, who brought ideas forward which I’m sure we’ll discuss in the coming days.”
In all, voters in more than 400 communities across Ontario cast ballots for their next municipal government after campaigns that saw everything from legal battles to electoral reform. Residents in 51 municipalities experienced voting delays, according to the company providing online vote tabulation services.
For some residents, voting was to continue Tuesday after online systems suffered technical problems. Communities in Grey and Bruce counties, the Muskoka region, Bradford West Gwillimbury, the City of Waterloo, and Greater Sudbury all offered a second day of voting, along with five municipalities in eastern Ontario.
The province’s most highprofile race, however, proceeded smoothly, with few surprises.
Keesmaat, who had criticized Tory as weak and unwilling to stand up for Toronto after Premier Doug Ford slashed the size of the city’s council mid-race, was gracious in defeat.