Abbotsford's proposal for a new water system has been defeated by voters, while most incumbent mayors have held on to their seats across B.C.
Abbotsford Mayor George Peary has been upset, however, losing out to challenger Bruce Banman by a narrow margin of just 1,200 votes in preliminary results.
About three-quarters of people who cast their vote in the Fraser Valley city turned down a $300-million proposal to build a new water system that would be financed as part of a public-private partnership.
Officials have warned that without the new infrastructure, the city will outgrow its supply by 2016. But some voters told polling companies they were concerned about the cost, as well as the prospect of private ownership of water resources.
Incumbent mayors win the day in the Lower Mainland
Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts cruised to an easy victory, winning 81 per cent of the vote. Her Surrey First slate has also swept the city council.
Watts had to stand in line before filling out her ballot in Cloverdale Saturday, marking a stark contrast to 2008, when only 24 per cent of eligible voters headed to the polls. Some voting stations were so busy that extra staff and computers had to be brought in.
Advance voting in the city surpassed any in history, with nearly 6,500 people casting early ballots.
CTV News is also declaring re-election for New Westminster Mayor Wayne Wright, Delta Mayor Lois Jackson, Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart, Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie, City of Langley Mayor Peter Fassbender, Maple Ridge Mayor Ernie Daykin, District of North Vancouver Mayor Richard Walton and City of North Vancouver Mayor Darrell Mussatto.
In Burnaby, Mayor Derek Corrigan and his party the Burnaby Citizens Association swept the vote for council and school board.
The upstart Burnaby Parents' Voice party failed to win a single school trustee seat. The party was formed by parents upset about the school board's new policy against homophobia and bullying -- they complained that it was a result of "left-wing social engineering led by gay activists."
Candidate Charter Lau was also under fire for his membership in a Christian organization that posted anti-Muslim sentiments on its website, as well as a supposedly anti-child-pornography video containing lurid images of semi-clad children.
In one of the few upsets so far in the Lower Mainland, Mission Mayor James Atebe has been ousted as voters chose to support businessman Ted Adlem.
White Rock's new mayor will be former city manager Wayne Baldwin, who replaces the retiring Catherine Ferguson. Port Moody also has a new mayor; councillor Mike Clay will replace departing Mayor Joe Trasolini. In West Vancouver, councillor Michael Smith was elected by acclaim to take over the mayoral seat vacated by Pam Goldsmith-Jones.
In the resort town of Whistler, Mayor Ken Melamed suffered a crushing defeat, losing out to councillor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden. Squamish will have a new mayor in Rob Kirkham, who replaces the departing Greg Gardner.
Vancouver Island results
Over on Vancouver Island, Nanaimo Mayor John Ruttan has been re-elected, beating challenger Roger McKinnon.
Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin has also retained his seat. In the suburb on Saanich, long-time Mayor Frank Leonard has also been re-elected. The BC Liberal had a real fight on his hands against former NDP MLA David Cubberley, with polls showing the two in a neck-and-neck battle before election day.
In Parksville, disgraced former MLA Paul Reitsma was easily defeated in his bid to return to politics, losing the mayor's seat to incumbent Chris Burger.
Preliminary results show Reitsma with just 749 votes to Burger's 2355.
Reitsma resigned from the legislature in 1998 after he was caught writing flattering letters about himself to a local newspaper under false names.
Results from the Interior
Kamloops Mayor Peter Milobar is headed for re-election after a tight race, beating out challenger Dieter Dudy by just 235 votes in preliminary results. West Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater has also retained his seat.
But Kelowna and Vernon have both seen upsets. Kelowna's Sharon Shepard lost out to former Walter Gray, who said he was pushed to return to politics after the failure of proposed plans that would have drastically altered the city's downtown area. In Vernon, Mayor Wayne Lippert lost out to family doctor Robert Sawatzky.
Upset in the North
Prince George city councillor Shari Green has toppled Mayor Dan Rogers, taking over the top seat with 6,969 votes to the incumbent's 5,332.
Mayors and councillors were elected by acclamation in Belcarra, Canal Flats, Elkford, Fraser Lake, Hazelton, Highlands, Lake Cowichan, Lytton, Mackenzie, Port Edward, Salmo and Warfield.
Check back with ctvbc.ca as polling results roll in.
