Voters in Surrey have elected Doug McCallum to be the next mayor of British Columbia's second-largest city.
The 73-year-old Safe Surrey Coalition candidate won by more than 12,000 votes over top contender Tom Gill after campaigning on a promise to replace the RCMP detachment with a designated local police force and push for a SkyTrain line instead of the Surrey LRT in a city where violent crime and transportation are top issues.
"I've never had so much passion and energy to help the citizens get a better Surrey and that's why I decided to run," the mayor-elect told CTV News. "I think this election was all about changes in the city. We listened to the community and the community asked us to get involved, get the city turned around, headed in the right direction and that's what we got elected on."
McCallum will take the reins from outgoing mayor Linda Hepner, who announced back in April she would not seek re-election in order to dedicate more time to family and friends.
McCallum served as mayor of Surrey between 1996 and 2005. He ran against Hepner in 2014, but lost by more than 20,000 votes.
The results of Saturday's election also marks a seismic shift in party politics for Surrey.
Eight Safe Surrey Coalition members were elected to council, giving the party a majority and the mayor's chair—a far cry from 2014, when a then-united Surrey First party managed to win every council seat.
"My dear friends, it's been a real privilege to serve you as city councillor for the last 13 years, and while I won't be at city hall this time around, I will definitely be on the sidelines cheering on this incredible city as it builds the future for Surrey families," Gill, who ran as Surrey First's mayoral candidate, told supporters.
Linda Annis is the only Surrey First candidate to be elected to council.
Over in Burnaby, retired firefighter Mike Hurley has been elected the city's new mayor, in an upset victory over five-term incumbent Derek Corrigan.
Hurley ran on a promise turn Metrotown into the city's "downtown," pledging a moratorium on new developments in the area.
"It feels overwhelming. I really feel humbled by the citizens of Burnaby who have elected me tonight," the mayor-elect told CTV News. "In great numbers they have come out to vote and put their confidence in me. I really thank the residents of Burnaby for their trust in me tonight."
Over in Coquitlam, Richard Stewart has been re-elected as the mayor.
Stewart, who will serve a fourth term as the city's mayor, won by more than 2,000 votes over his rivals, Adel Gamar and Mark Mahovlich.
Nail-biters on the North Shore
In West Vancouver, independent Mary-Ann Booth was elected mayor by one of the narrowest margins of any race in the province. She defeated fellow independent Mark Sager by just 21 votes or 0.18 per cent.
The mayoralty race in the City of North Vancouver was also a close one, with Linda Buchanan winning by 401 votes over Guy Heywood.
And on Bowen Island, just two votes separated Melanie Mason and mayor-elect Gary Ander.
'Corrupt memory stick' forces recount in Richmond
The City of Richmond issued a statement saying votes cast during advanced polling at city hall on Oct. 6 have to be recounted because of a corrupt memory stick.
"This is expected to take some time," the release read. "Shortly after, all of the other advance voting results will be posted."
Incumbent Malcolm Brodie was declared the winner of the city's mayoral race Saturday. Brodie won 65.6 per cent of the vote and had an 8,325-vote lead over independent Roy Sakata, making it unlikely for the recount to change who will end up in the mayor's chair.
Other notable races
Independent Brad West has been elected as the mayor of Port Coquitlam, winning nearly 88 per cent of the vote.
Mike Little was elected mayor of the District of North Vancouver with nearly 60 per cent of the vote.
Rob Vagramov was elected the new mayor of Port Moody with a 4.4 per cent lead, despite a controversial video that emerged of the candidate last month that showed him offering lunch to a homeless man on the condition that he shotgun a beer.
Over in New Westminster, incumbent Jonathan Cote was re-elected mayor with a 1,330-vote lead over Nikki Binns.
In Pitt Meadows, Bill Dingwall defeated incumbent John Becker with more than 75 per cent of the vote to become the city's new mayor.
George Harvie will be the next mayor of Delta. Incumbent John McEwen was re-elected in the Village of Anmore.
Voters in White Rock chose Darryl Walker as their new mayor. There was no incumbent in the race.
In the Fraser Valley, Ken Popove was elected mayor of Chilliwack, defeating incumbent Sharon Gaetz by more than 1,000 votes. Henry Braun topped Eric Nyvall by a whopping 12,573 votes to remain the mayor of Abbotsford. Voters in Mission chose independent Pam Alexis for the city's top job.
