The unofficial results of the Nov. 19 municipal elections for the Lower Similkameen and Area “D” regions are as follows:
In Keremeos, Manfred Bauer is the new mayor for the village, collecting 399 votes to Glenn Goguen’s 125.
Keremeos council will consist of Gary Thielmann (351), Arlene Arlow (337), Charlene Cowling (317), and Jeremy Evans (403). Candidates Dave Stein (222), and Frank Kennedy (81) were unsuccessful in their bid for election.
George Bush is the new director for Cawston, with 220 votes to Lee McFadyen’s 149 count and Colleen Christensen’s 63 votes.
In Area “G,”incumbent Elef Christensen fell to first time candidate Angelique Wood, with an unofficial vote count of 289 votes to Wood, and 209 to Christensen. Third candidate Flo Winfrey won 53 votes in Area “G.”
In Area “D,” Tom Siddon, with 526 votes, is the new Area”D” director. Alan Whitman and Janice Johnson finished with 277 and 238 votes respectively.
Both incumbent school trustees for the Lower Similkameen - Debbie Marten (962) and Myrna Coates (931) -were returned for another term. Challenger Gary Johnson finished with 516 votes, while Sam Hancheroff returned to the school board for Okanagan Falls in school district 53.
Voter turnout was 50.42 per cent for the Village of Keremeos, compared to the provincial average of 29.51 per cent. This year’s election saw strong turnouts at each all candidates forum, but that did not seem to translate into higher than average turnouts to the polls.
Unofficial results for the regional district rural areas are as follows:
Electoral Area “A” (Osoyoos Rural)
Electoral Area Director
Pendergraft 221 Elected
Simoes 169
Electoral Area “B” (Cawston)
Electoral Area Director
Bush 220 Elected
Christensen 63
McFadyen 149
Electoral Area “C” (Oliver Rural)
Electoral Area Director
Malcolm 202
Patton 285 Elected
Electoral Area “D” (Kaleden/OK Falls)
Electoral Area Director
Johnson 238
Siddon 526 Elected
Whitman 277
Electoral Area “E” (Naramata)
Electoral Area Director
Kozakevich 327 Elected
Stewart 164
Electoral Area “G”
(Keremeos Rural/Hedley)
Electoral Area Director
Christensen 209
Winfrey 53
Wood 289 Elected
Electoral Area “H” (Princeton Rural)
Electoral Area Director
Hope 315 Elected
Weber 245