There were some surprises in Saskatchewan's municipal elections on Wednesday, with a number of incumbent mayors getting the heave-ho from voters.
Among the incumbents tossed out of office was Yorkton's high-profile mayor, Phil DeVos, who was handily defeated by challenger Chris Wyatt, a 37-year-old mailman.
Winners: Atchison, Fiacco
(CBC)
Also going down to defeat was Prince Albert mayor Jim Stiglitz, who was clobbered by former broadcaster Jim Scarrow.
The incumbent mayors of Saskatchewan's two biggest cities cruised to easy victories.
In Regina, Pat Fiacco had a huge early lead against his main challenger, retired union worker Jim Holmes, and maintained it to the end.
Losers: Stiglitz, DeVos
(CBC)
He finished with 84 per cent of the vote, compared to Holmes, who got 14 per cent.
Two other challengers got less than two per cent, combined.
Meanwhile, in Saskatoon, Don Atchison finished with 38,378 votes, almost 25,000 more than his nearest competitor, former councillor Lenore Swystun, who finished with 13,539.
In both cities, incumbents were running in most of the wards. In Regina, only two wards were guaranteed to put a new face on council and one incumbent, Michael Fougere, was acclaimed.
In Saskatoon, two candidates were acclaimed and incumbents were running in the six of the eight remaining wards.
Across the province
People were going to the polls in towns and cities across Saskatchewan on Wednesday. (Although some northern elections have already been held). There were several acclamations for mayor, including in Estevan, Lloydminster and Humboldt.
Many communities had more vigorous campaigns. In Prince Albert, four people were contesting the top political job. In Saskatoon, it was seven.
New mayors were guaranteed in Moose Jaw and Weyburn, two communities where the incumbents decided not to run again. Retired teacher Dale McBain won in Moose Jaw and Debra Button won in Weyburn.
Incumbent mayors were re-elected in North Battleford (Julian Sadlowski) and Swift Current (Sandy Larson), but there were upsets in Melville and Melfort, where challengers Walter Streelasky and Kevin Phillips won.
It was an election campaign full of comeback attempts as well. Former Prince Albert mayor (and former MP) Gordon Kirkby was trying to get his old job back, but came in second behind Scarrow.
Former Saskatoon councillor and Saskatchewan cabinet minister Pat Lorje was taking another run at a council seat. So was former Saskatoon MLA and cabinet minister Bob Pringle. Both won.
Former Saskatoon mayor Jim Maddin was running again, too, but finished in third place.
One of the few plebiscites on the ballots was in Moose Jaw, where voters were being asked to support spending $15 million on a multiplex that would be a new home to the Moose Jaw Warriors.
It passed by a three-to-one margin.
A plebiscite to establish a citywide smoking ban in Lloydminster — extending an existing Saskatchewan ban to the Alberta side of the city — also passed. Again, there were three yes votes for every no vote.
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