Everett Baker won Grand Forks’ council byelection, Chief Election Officer Patti Ferguson announced Saturday, Dec. 5.

Ferguson put the final results on a white board at the Gospel Chapel at around 8:40 p.m., showing Councillor-elect Baker with 433 votes to candidate Ian Mitchell’s 228.

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Baker and daughter Christine-Anne Fisher were in the chapel’s gymnasium when the results were announced.

“I feel grateful,” he told The Gazette. “This is not my first run and I’m very thankful. I thank the voters and I send my thoughts to Ian: I’ve been in his shoes.”

Baker then thanked his family, adding that he was “looking forward … to being at the council table and being a voice for those that elected me.”

Speaking from his home, candidate Mitchell told The Gazette he’d phoned to congratulate his opponent.

“I told him earlier in the campaign that, either way, I think Grand Forks has won,” Mitchell said.

“The biggest thing for me is that I hope we can work in this community to move away from some of the nastiness and vitriol; to see each other all as citizens of a pretty amazing city,” he continued.

Councillor-elect Baker will take his seat at council after a swearing-in ceremony at chambers Monday, Dec. 14, according to city hall.

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Grand Forks Gazette