Political newcomer Hugh MacKinnon outduelled two veterans by a wide margin in a byelection Saturday to become the newest Town of Comox councillor.
In preliminary results, the longtime School District 71 educator and administrator finished with 660 votes. That was well ahead of runner-up Barbara Price’s 564 and the 521 garnered by Dennis Strand, like Price a former Comox councillor.
Price was attempting to return to politics after losing her seat as the Comox Valley Regional District Area B director in 2008. It was Strand’s first political appearance since running unsuccessfully for mayor of Comox in 2008.
Home Depot manager Pat McKenna collected 366 votes for fourth place in his first run at political office.
Former Comox councillors Don Davis (178) and Amie Anderson (81) were next, followed by first-time political candidates Nico teWinkel (40) and Derek Bouchard (16).
There were 2,426 ballots, as 23.7 per cent of 10,230 registered voters participated.
Subject to the official count being released by chief electoral officer Richard Kanigan no later than Jan. 19 at 4 p.m., MacKinnon replaces the late Ray Crossley for the final third of Crossley's three-year term. All six councillor seats and the mayor's chair will be up for grabs in provincial municipal elections in November.
For more, see Wednesday’s Comox Valley Record.