Election 2014: Alice Finall returns as North Saanich’s mayor

Finall re-elected Saturday night; one Team North Saanich candidate survives; amalgamation question passes.

Alice Finall.

Alice Finall.

Incumbent Mayor Alice Finall has survived election night in North Saanich.

Finall defeated challenger Dorothy Hartshorne with 2,416 votes to 2,258.

Finall will also oversee a changing of the guard in North Saanich as four of the five Team North Saanich slate candidates were not elected. Making up the new council will be Geoff Orr, Heather Gartshore, Jack Thornburgh, Celia Stock, Murray Weisenberger and Jack McClintock

McClintock was the lone Team North Saanich member to get in, tied with Weisenberger at 1,904 votes in the preliminary results out of the District Saturday night.

Finall told the News Review Saturday night that she felt the result was a vindication of her position on council these last three years — one of supporting the official community plan and trying to maintain civility at the council table.

“I’m extremely pleased,” she said, adding voters didn’t like the behaviour of the previous council.

“This vote is almost identical to the votes I received in 2008,” she said.

Finall was returned as mayor of North Saanich in 2011 after being unchallenged.

The behaviour of council was a hot issue this election and Finall said she has no immediate plans to address the matter, noting that those people elected Saturday night “have shown they can conduct themselves in a civil manner.”

Preliminary Results (www.civicinfo.bc.ca)

Mayor

Alice Finall – 2,416

Dorothy Hartshorne – 2,258

Peter Miller – 62 (Miller withdrew from the race after the printing of the ballots)

David Shebib – 23

 

Councillor

Geoff Orr – 3,367

Heather Gartshore – 3,248

Jack Thornburgh – 3,000

Celia Stock – 2,938

Murray Weisenberger – 1,904

Jack McClintock – 1,904

Steve Pearce – 1,899

Craig Mearns – 1,673

Conny McBride – 1,601

Dunstan Browne – 1,528

 

Referendum question on amalgamation

Yes – 2,881

No – 1,727

 

School trustee

Marty Robb – 978

Elsie McMurphy – 2,320

Barb Menzies – 2,723

 

Voter turnout: 54%

Peninsula News Review