Former Liberal MP Andy Fillmore wins Halifax mayor's seat; voter turnout declined

Andy Fillmore elected as Halifax's new mayor Halifax has elected a new mayor for the first time in more than a decade, as former Liberal MP, Andy Fillmore wins.

Halifax has elected its first new mayor in over a decade, while voter turnout declined compared to the previous municipal election.

Former MP Andy Fillmore won the mayor’s race in a landslide, beating his closest competitor by 21,000 votes. Fillmore says he’s ready to hit the ground running, with housing and affordability being a top priority.

After Saturday’s victory, the reality is sinking in for the mayor-elect.

“Right up until eight o'clock Saturday night I wasn't sure how this ball was going to bounce,” said Fillmore, who received 52,413 votes.

A veteran of three federal elections, Fillmore had served as Halifax’s MP since 2015. Before politics, he spent eight years as the Halifax Regional Municipality's (HRM) manager of urban design.

The 58-year-old said he’s always been focused on improving and building up Halifax.

“I can't imagine a better way of doing that more directly than being the mayor of this amazing place,” Fillmore said.

As far as who called him first as mayor-elect, that was Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, with the aim to get that relationship on solid ground and work together to accelerate housing development.

“Together those two levels of government, the municipal and provincial (governments), create the infrastructure and the bullwork of support necessary to get people through this housing crisis,” Fillmore added.

Saturday’s election results:

The results remain unofficial until certified, but HRM confirmed the voter turnout was lower than the previous election.

HRM clerk and returning officer Iain MacLean said municipal election turnouts across the country on average fall between the 30 to 40 per cent voter turnout range.

“Elections are very complicated,” said MacLean. “Basically, we are opening almost 120 unique front counter opportunities across HRM.”

More than 1,200 election workers were involved in the process, along with an election team that has been working behind the scenes for months to pull it all off.

MacLean said 25.2 per cent of voters cast their ballots online and early alternative voting polls, while nearly 11 per cent voted in person on election day.

The new council will feature a mix of familiar and fresh faces, with nine councillors being re-elected and seven newcomers taking their seats at the council table.

Notable upsets include Billy Gillis defeating incumbent Paul Russell in District 15 and Janet Steele ousting Ioanna Stoddard in District 12.

Women now hold the majority on council, 9 to 7 over their male counterparts -- that’s the most women ever elected to HRM council.

The new Halifax Regional Council will be sworn in on Nov. 5.

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