Amarjeet Sohi elected Edmonton's 36th mayor, 4 incumbent councillors defeated

EDMONTON -

Amarjeet Sohi will be Edmonton's 36th mayor as four incumbent councillors went down to defeat in the city's municipal election Monday night.

The CTV News decision desk projected Sohi to be the winner just after 9 p.m.

Sohi won with 45 per cent of votes and was followed by former councillors Mike Nickel (25 per cent), Kim Krushell (17 per cent) and Michael Oshry (six per cent).

"I know that these last few years have been tough," said Sohi. "I'm honoured with the privilege to lead us towards a new chapter with better days ahead." 

"Let's get to work. Let's build a city that's a place of opportunity for all." 

His platform focussed on addressing homelessness, addictions and mental health as well as dealing with the realities of climate change.

He told CTV News he planned to reach out to other members of city council in the coming days.

"We will get to work right away," he said. "We have very serious challenges."

Sohi is the city's first person of colour to be elected as mayor.

He was elected as councillor in 2007 and re-elected in 2010 and 2013. He left local politics to run as a federal Liberal, winning in 2015 and serving as a federal cabinet minister before being defeated in 2019.

"This city is going to change," Nickel told supporters in conceding defeat. 

"But there will always be a tomorrow and even if I am not there, tomorrow will always be yours." 

MIXED NIGHT FOR INCUMBENTS

Incumbent councillors had a mixed election night with four councillors being returned to office but also an equal number coming up short.

Incumbents Aaron Paquette in Dene, Andrew Knack in Nakota Isga, Tim Cartmell in pihêsiwin and Sarah Hamilton in sipiwiyiniwak were all re-elected Monday night.

But, incumbent Tony Caterina lost his council seat to Anne Stevenson in O-day'min, and finished in fifth place.

Jon Dziadyk was upset by Karen Principe in tastawiyiniwak, who won with 38.9 per cent of the vote. 

In Sspomitapi, Moe Banga finished in third place behind new councillor-elect Jo-Anne Wright.

And, two-term councillor Bev Esslinger lost to Erin Rutherford by 266 votes in Anirniq.

Before Monday night, 62 out of 65 incumbents, or about 95 per cent, had been re-elected as mayor or councillor in Edmonton over the last seven elections going back to 1998.

The closest race of the night was in the open ward of Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi where Jennifer Rice held a 39-vote lead over Rhiannon Hoyle at the end of Monday night. 

Edmonton Elections said Monday that there a number of outstanding special ballots still to be counted. 

Ashley Salvador in Métis, Michael Janz in papastew and Keren Tang in Karhiio round out the newcomers to council.

Women will represent two-thirds of city councillors, the most in Edmonton's history.

Voter turnout was 37.5 per cent with 235,826 ballots cast from 629,066 eligible voters. The 2017 municipal election drew a 31.5 per cent turnout.

Voters also cast ballots on the federal equalization program and daylight savings time as well as for senate nominees.

Final results for those ballots will come on the morning of Oct. 26 though some cities, including Calgary but not Edmonton, released results Monday night.