Ponoka & District Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year 2008 Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013
Vol. 65, No. 43
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Mayoral race goes to recount By Ponoka News staff Monday’s elections in the town and county of Ponoka produced unexpectedly interesting results with mayoralty hanging in the balance, pending a recount and both town and county councils welcoming an overwhelming majority of fresh faces, with only one incumbent retaining their seats in each of the governing bodies. Councillor Rick Bonnett won the race for the position of mayor with a majority of only one vote, 960 against Doug Gill’s 959. Gill has applied in writing for an official recount of the votes as foreseen by the law. The result of the recount will not be known before noon on Wednesday, Oct. 23. In the race for the town councillor seats, the results were declared as follows: Carla Prediger: 1282 Sandra Lyon: 1268 Loanna Gulka: 1207 Mark Yaworski: 1164 Teri Underhill: 1142 Tim Falkiner: 932 Craig Saunders: 799 Lonnie Behm: 684 Dave McPherson: 231 According to these results, Prediger, Lyon, Gulka, Yaworski, Underhill and Falkiner are the new councillors of the Town of Ponoka, for the first time making women members a majority in the composition of that body. Returning officer Brad Watson read the results not more than 20 minutes after the polls closed and congratulated the winners. The numbers were read off the electronic voting machine. The voter turnout remained low, with about only 36 per cent of eligible voters casting their ballots in the Town of Ponoka elections. 1,849 voters went
to the polls on Monday; this compares to three years ago when the number of total votes were only 1,581. Councillor Rick Bonnett’s cellphone was ringing non-stop after the unofficial election results for the Town of Ponoka were announced. Bonnett said he thought the slight increase in voter turnout was the result of younger residents casting their votes. “Obviously the fact there was a mayoral race drew a lot of people.” Bonnett was unsure whether to celebrate or wait to hear what Gill would do in this case. “Can you get any closer than that, ” he asked. “It’s too close to really say yet, because we could be looking at a recount,” Gill commented. “Mr. Gill ran a superb campaign. Every door that I went to he had either been there or had left some information,” explained Bonnett. continued on page 2
Coun. Rick Bonnett waits for the result of the recount to claim the mayoral seat by a single vote. More election details on pages 2, 3, 13 and 14. File photo
Up in the air: Brandon Sieppert was enjoying one of the last warmer evenings of the fall at the Skating Park on 50 Street last Thursday, Oct 17. Photo by Mustafa Eric
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