Mitchell elected Selwyn mayor as townships vote
Voters sided with federal political experience in what may have been the most hotly-contested election race in Peterborough County on Monday.
Former Liberal cabinet minister Andy Mitchell is the new mayor of Selwyn Township after edging former Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield Township councillor and longtime resident Ron Black 3,122 to 2,801.
Mitchell was first elected in the 1993 federal election before serving as a minister in the Jean Chretien government and a cabinet minister in the Paul Martin government. He is also a former deputy reeve in Selwyn and member of county council.
BodyTalk practitioner Linda Marlene Eales placed third with 338 votes. Incumbent Donna Ballantyne defeated Real estate agent and volunteer firefighter Brad Sinclair, 1,357 to 663, to become Ennismore Ward councillor.
Incumbent candidates, including Deputy Mayor Sherry Senis, Lakefield Ward Coun. Anita Locke and Smith Ward Coun. Gerry Herron, were acclaimed.
Former Selwyn Township Mayor Mary Smith, who announced her retirement, was one of five township mayors in Peterborough County combining for more than 140 years of experience in municipal politics not seeking re-election.
Terry Low (20), Ron Gerow (33), Reeve Dave Nelson (43), Smith (20) and Bev Matthews (24) did not run in Asphodel-Norwood, Havelock-Belmont-Methuen, Otonabee-South Monaghan and Selwyn townships and the Municipality of Trent Lakes, respectively.
That created races for those positions and in some cases, others vacated by candidates.
In Cavan Monaghan, Scott McFadden won his re-election bid over former long-serving councillor Jim Chaplin, 2,109 to 1,243
Former advertising salesman
Matthew Graham won the deputy mayor seat there, 2,198 to 1,071 over former township reeve and Peterborough County Warden Neal Cathcart.
Longtime township resident and businesswoman Cathy Moore defeated former deputy mayor John Fallis for councillor of Cavan Ward, 1,283 to 1,011.
Incumbents Ryan Huntley and Tim Belch were acclaimed in Millbrook and North Monaghan Wards, respectively.
Former Cavan Ward Coun. Jordan Landry did not seek reelection.
In Douro-Dummer, where incumbent J. Murray Jones was acclaimed as mayor, incumbent Karl Moher defeated George Giarratana for the deputy mayor post, 1,830 to 468.
Councillor-at-large incumbent Thomas Watt defeated Marc Trudeau 1,290 to 973, while newcomer Heather Watson more than doubled Ray Johnston for councillor of Ward 1 (Douro), 856 to 409.
Coun. Shelagh Landsmann was acclaimed in Dummer Ward.
Two former deputy mayors were vying for mayor of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen, where Gerow was not seeking re-election after having surgery earlier this year.
Jim Martin, the previous deputy mayor, defeated Andy Sharpe — who served two consecutive terms in that post before losing to Martin in 2014 — 1,662 to 1,248.
David Gerow, the former Township Ward councillor, defeated Jim Collins 1,905 to 823 to become deputy mayor.
Amanda O’Rourke defeated incumbent Hart Webb to become councillor-at-large, 1,426 to 1,313. Larry Ellis defeated Kelly Falls 1,255 to 1,025, to become Township Ward councillor.
Incumbent Barry Pomeroy defeated Kathy Clement 241 to
111 to become Village Ward councillor, while Jonathan Prosser finished third with 100 votes.
Voters sought changed in North Kawartha, where incumbent Mayor Rick Woodcock was ousted by 15-year township council member Carolyn Amyotte 1,650 to 1,382. Incumbent deputy mayor Doug Hutton was also defeated — challenger Jim Whelan won 1,803 to 1,162.
Incumbent Roman Miszuk defeated Tim Powell 1,492 to 1,370 for councillor-at-large.
Colin McLellan defeated Dave Wease 802 to 651 for councillor of Ward 2 (Burleigh Anstruther), while Coun. Jim O’Shea was acclaimed in Ward 1 (Chandos).
In Otonabee — South Monaghan, where former Deputy Reeve Joe Taylor was acclaimed as Reeve, incumbent Deputy Reeve Marion Burton was defeated by former councillor-at-large Bonnie Clark, 1,353 to 1,031.
Mark Allen defeated Steve St. Jean for councillor-at-large, 1,674 to 545 and Nick Powers defeated Greg Beard for councillor of Otonabee Ward, 1,324 to 440.
Ken Howie won a three-way race for councillor of South Monaghan Ward, defeating incumbent Dennis Hannah 251 to 181 while Terry Homes finished third with 139 votes.
In Trent Lakes, Janet Clarkson reclaimed the mayor position she lost to Matthews in 2014, edging Harvey Ward Coun. Peter Raymond 2,109 to 1,812. Incumbent Deputy Mayor Ron Windover defeated challenger Adri Eastman 2,165 to 1,713.
Kim Letto is the new councillor for Harvey Ward, defeating Peter Franzen 1,219 to 744, while Ed Dewhurst finished third with 385 votes. Carol Armstrong is the new councillor for Galway-Cavendish Ward, defeating Don Lacombe 966 to 378.
Former Galway-Cavendish Coun. Terry Lambshead defeated Greg Jackson for councillor-atlarge, 2,224 to 1,185.
Former councillor-at-large Dick Persson did not seek reelection.
In Asphodel-Norwood, former Deputy Mayor Rodger Bonneau defeated former councillor Debbie Lynch to become mayor, but the number of votes were not available.
Former councillor Bernadette Vanderhorst defeated Don Birmingham to become deputy mayor, while Lori Burtt, Paula Warr and Wilburn Archer were voted in as councillors-at-large, defeating Kim Lutes and Belinda Scollick.
Former councillor-at-large Roy Millett did not seek re-election.
Technical issues prompted both Peterborough and the City of Kawartha Lakes to extend the voting period — the former by an hour, the latter by 24 hours. Voters in the amalgamated municipality now have until 8 p.m. Tuesday to cast their ballot.
The election is the first in which the City of Kawartha
Lakes will elect a mayor and eight councillors, after council voted to reduce the number from 16 and change ward boundaries in November 2017.
Incumbent Mayor Andy Letham, who seeks a second term, is being challenged by Ward 12 Coun. Gord James, Ward 7 Coun. Brian Junkin and Peter Weygang.
Elections for school board trustees saw incumbent Rose Kitney and Steve Russell elected for Peterborough’s two positions, over incumbent Wayne Bonner and Dennis Hildebrand. But there was little to decide outside the city.
In the public board, Angela Lloyd was elected in Cavan Monaghan, Douro-Dummer and Otonabee-South Monaghan, although Julie Chatten received hundreds of votes despite withdrawing her name from contention.
Incumbent Diane Lloyd was acclaimed for Trent Lakes, North Kawartha and Selwyn while Shirley Patterson was acclaimed for Asphodel-Norwood, Havelock-Belmont-Methuen and Trent Hills.
In the Catholic board, Emmanuel Pinto was acclaimed for the Peterborough County seat, while Braden Leal was acclaimed for the city seat.