Southern Gulf Islands voters chose a few new faces to add to familiar elected officials in Saturday’s local elections.
Longtime Mayne Island trustee Jeanine Dodds received support from 91.9 per cent or 534 of her constituents, while fellow incumbent David Maude earned 65.6 per cent or 381 votes. Challenger Deb Foote received 222 votes.
On Galiano Island, the new trustees are Lisa Gauvreau, 515 votes, and Ben Mabberley, 447 votes. They upset incumbent Jane Wolverton, who got 403 votes. John Ronsley received 253 votes.
North Pender Island saw incumbent Deb Morrison returned with 606 votes, though challenger Aaron Campbell received more votes at 705. Mary Beth Rondeau earned 585 votes.
On South Pender, incumbent Cameron Thorn (102 votes) was not re-elected. That island’s new trustees are Dag Falck (135 votes) and Kristina Peszel (121).
Saturna’s two trustee positions were filled by acclamation with incumbent Lee Middleton and Mairead Boland.
Peter Luckham, current chair of Islands Trust Council, was returned as Thetis Island trustee.
Paul Brent from Saturna is the new CRD director for the Southern Gulf Islands. He received 1,643 votes to North Pender’s Ben McConchie at 1,289. Both were Islands Trust trustees in the last term and Brent also became acting CRD director when Dave Howe resigned from the position earlier this year.
A referendum proposal to establish a CRD transportation service in the Southern Gulf Islands failed by three votes: 1,498 to 1,495.