In a nail-biter of a race, Kevin Davis was narrowly re-elected to a second term as mayor of Brantford.
The unofficial count showed just a 208-vote difference between Davis and his closest challenger, Dave Wrobel, in a municipal election with a dismally low vote turnout.
Wrobel said on Monday night he plans to ask the city’s clerk’s department whether a hand count of the votes can be conducted.
“I don’t know what the rules are regarding a hand count but with it being that close, especially with that level of voter turnout,” said Wrobel.
Davis said he anticipated a tight mayoral race but not quite as close as what unfolded.
“It was a very exciting evening,” he said.
When the first three of 29 “tabulators” reported, Davis had 49 per cent of the votes compared to Wrobel’s 43 per cent. By the time half the tabulators were in, Davis’s lead was down to 47 per cent, with Wrobel remaining at 43 per cent.
The final unofficial count gave Davis 9,220 votes (45.95 per cent) and Wrobel, 9,012 (44.91 per cent). Challengers Ryan Smith, a first-time candidate, received 1,491 votes (7.4 per cent), and perennial candidate John Turmel finished with 343 votes (1.7 per cent).
Voter turnout was just 27 per cent of Brantford’s 75,305 eligible voters, well below the 35 per cent turnout in the 2018 municipal election.
Davis said the tight race proves that “every vote matters” as do “hard fought campaigns.”
He said this campaign felt different than the 2018 race when his aim was to introduce himself to the community. A lawyer for more than 35 years, Davis left the Brantford firm of Waterous Holden Amey Hitchon where he had been a partner after being elected mayor.
“For me, at the door this time, it was more issues-based,” said Davis, adding that council, which has four new members, will need to come together and move forward on some of the city’s most important issues, including transportation , homelessness and substance abuse problems that are impacting residents.
“I’m one vote out of 11,” said Davis. “Council will have to determine what our priorities are. For me, the work starts tomorrow.”
City council will have four new faces – Michael Sullivan in Ward 1, Gino Caputo in Ward 2, Linda Hunt in Ward 4, and Mandy Samwell in Ward 5.
Re-elected to their council seats are John Sless in Ward 2, Greg Martin and Dan McCreary in Ward 3, Richard Carpenter in Ward 4, and Brian VanTilborg in Ward 5. Rose Sicoli, who was appointed to fill a Ward 1 vacancy on city council last December, retains her seat after a win on Monday night.
Wrobel, who has served three terms as councilor for the city’s Ward 4 and run three times for mayor, said the close mayoral race proves that “openness, transparency and accountability are tremendously important to this community.”
Wrobel’s campaign focused heavily on city council’s handling of the sale of the former Arrowdale municipal golf course. Critics say the sale was done too quickly without sufficient public consultation. The sale resulted in several short challenges. An attempt to overturn council’s decision by way of a judicial review was unsuccessful.
Davis said the low voter turnout was a disappointment. He plans to ask for changes to the way the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation provides municipalities with a list of electors based on home ownership, which can exclude renters.
“There is a huge need for improvement,” said Davis, adding that he visited some apartment buildings where only 10 per cent of tenants had received voter cards. “It was shocking to me.”