Jonathan Cote walked a million steps to unseat incumbent Mayor Wayne Wright.
The labour-endorsed mayoral-elect, who knocked on more than 5,000 doors during his campaign, brought in 7,661 preliminary votes compared to Wright’s 5,149 to lead a sweep by him and fellow union-supported councillors to run city hall for the next four years.
“The man who walked a million steps is the man who is going to walk New Westminster into the future,” New Westminster MLA Judy Darcy said as she introduced Cote to the festive crowd at his campaign headquarters on Columbia Street.
“We ran the hardest working campaign, the strongest campaign, and the results show that," a jovial Cote told the packed house during his victory speech on Saturday night.
Traffic is one of the main issues that Cote, who recently completed a master's degree in urban studies at Simon Fraser University, wants to tackle over the next four years. It was one of the most common concerns that came up when he was out door knocking during his campaign, Cote said.
Voters faced a tough challenge in this election, having to pick between two candidates who traditionally aligned on many issues during their nine years together on city council. Speaking to the issue during his speech, Cote told the crowd of more than 100 supporters about an elderly woman he ran into on Saturday who told him she had voted for Cote and Wright, but was told her ballot would be rejected for picking both candidates. When she found out she could only vote for one, she cried.
“Wayne has done an incredible job,” Cote, 35, said about Wright, 71. “He’s been my mentor.”
Still, Cote, a nine-year council veteran, took on the four-term incumbent mayor, starting his campaign last June long before the mayor announced his run.
“Welcome to the machine,” one of the speakers at the Cote camp said to a laughing crowd before the results came in. It was a tongue-in-cheek nod to the accusation that New Westminster and District Labour Council-endorsed candidates, who swept into office in New Westminster, have the backing of the powerful labour group with the manpower and money to mobilize voters and volunteers.
But Cote’s campaign manager, Chuck Wootten, said the win went “beyond labour.”
“It’s Jonathan as a candidate and the ideas he represents,” Wootten said.
The labour endorsement clearly didn’t hurt the six councillors – all union supported – who won their seat, including incumbents Chuck Puchmayr (6,262), Lorrie Williams (6,087), Jaimie McEvoy (5,835), Bill Harper (5,634), along with newcomers Patrick Johnstone (5,582) and Mary Tentadue (5,517).
“I knew I wasn’t going to lose for lack of effort,” newcomer Johnstone told The Record about his campaign to win a seat.
The longtime city blogger said he plans to continue with his blog, using it as a way to communicate with residents.
McEvoy said when he was pounding the pavement during the campaign, traffic concerns were the number 1 issue he heard about from residents. It’s something he also expects the city will tackle with its long-range transportation plan.
Puchmayr, the councillor who garnered the most votes, said he wants to take a closer look at development in the city.
“I want development to be more transparent and upfront,” he said. “I don’t think development should start in a mayor’s office.”
Harper said he plans to focus on economic development during his next four years in office.
Cote will officially take over the mayor’s chair in December.
