Many municipal leaders defeated in Saturday's election

A number of incumbents wentdown to defeat in Saturday's municipal elections in Nova Scotia, including some high-profile mayorsand a 30-year veteran of municipal politics.

In Wolfville, mayor Wendy Donovan lost to two-term councillor Jodi MacKay. In Amherst, two-term mayor David Kogon wasdefeated by Rob Small, who was the town's mayor from 2008 to 2015, when he decided not to reoffer.

Carolyn Bolivar-Getson, the president of the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities, was unseated as mayor of the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg.Bolivar-Getson,aformer provincial cabinet minister, was beaten byElspeth McLean-Wile.

• Andy Fillmore elected Halifax's next mayor

• Cecil Clarke makes comeback to mayor's office in CBRM

McLean-Wile told CBC News that early into her campaigning she heard people say they were ready for change.

"I just felt that during all of the summer months and it just kept building as the fall [arrived] and we approached election day."

She said her first job would be working with returning and new councillors to tackle challenges in the community.

Former Liberal MP Andy Fillmore will be the next mayor of Halifax,fending off challenges from his nearest rivals ina crowded field of candidates.

WATCH |Incumbents re-elected in Colchester and West Hants, fresh faces will lead councils in Stewiacke and Truro

Familiar and fresh faces win mayoral races in some rural N.S. municipalities

16 hours ago

Duration 2:12

Incumbents were re-elected in Colchester and West Hants, while fresh faces will lead council proceedings in Stewiacke and Truro. The CBCs Luke Ettinger explains.

Longtime political veteran Cecil Clarke staged a comeback on Saturday, retakingthe mayor's office in Cape Breton Regional Municipality. He previously served as mayor from 2012 to 2020.

Nine candidates were hoping to be the next mayor of the CBRM, withhousing and high property taxescommon issues they said were priorities. Current mayorAmanda McDougalldid not runagain.

Elections were held in nearly 50 towns and municipalities in Nova Scotia.Mayors wereacclaimed in a number, including Bridgewater, Truro and Digby, but there weremayoral races in towns such asKentville, Antigonish and Port Hawkesbury.

Sean Cameron, one of two candidates for mayor in Antigonish,said his viewson amalgamation helped him win.Even though the province decided against an amalgamation between the Town of Antigonish and the county in April, he said the topic was on the minds of voters.

"I don't feel I or a lot of people had enough information to make a reasonable decision," he said."There's no financial examination of pros and cons, so I think that resonated with a lot of the voters. They wanted to know more, and some of them even challenged you at the door to see what side of the fence you were on."

In Kentville, Andrew Zebianwaselected mayor, defeating two other candidates. The current mayor, Sandra Snow, did not reoffer.

Scott Christian is the new mayor for the Region of Queens Municipality.

In the Town of Shelburne, Stanley (Tanny)Jacklin was elected mayor and becomes the town's first Black mayor.

"I'm overwhelmed with what's happened this evening," Jacklin told CBC News.

Jacklin said he thinks voterswere drawn to his integrity and ability to listen to and bring people together. He said affordable housing was the most common issue people raised with him, followed by safety and the need for more business in the community.

"A lot of the younger people are living with their parents because of the fact of the matter that affordable housing is not attainable at this time."

In the Town of Yarmouth, Pam Mood was re-elected as mayor, and in the Town of Lunenburg, incumbent Jamie Myra also won. Former CAO and incumbent mayor Amery Boyer wasre-elected in Annapolis Royal. She is joined by anall-female group of first-time councillors.

In the Municipality of the District of Guysborough, the longtime warden, Vernon Pitts, washandily defeated in District 6 by Susan Cashin. Pitts was first elected to council in 1994.

Some municipalities shared their results on their websites, while others relied on social media. Here are links to the election pages of towns and municipalities in the province:

Regional municipalities

Cape Bretonin-person.
Halifax in-person.
Queenstelephone/online/in-person.
West Hantstelephone/online/in-person.

County municipalities

Annapolistelephone/online (electronic only).
Antigonishin-person.
Colchestertelephone/online/in-person.
Cumberlandtelephone/online/in-person.
Inverness telephone/online (electronic only).
Kings telephone/online (electronic only).
Pictou telephone/online (electronic only).
Richmond in-person.
Victoriatelephone/online (electronic only).

District municipalities

Argylein-person.
Barrington in-person.
Chester telephone/online (electronic only).
Clare in-person.
Digby telephone/online (electronic only).
East Hants telephone/online (electronic only).
Guysborough telephone/online (electronic only).
Lunenburgtelephone/online (electronic only).
Shelburne telephone/online (electronic only).
St. Mary's telephone/online (electronic only).
Yarmouth in-person.

Towns

Amherst telephone/online (electronic only).
Annapolis Royal telephone/online (electronic only).
Antigonish telephone/online/in-person.
Berwicktelephone/online/in-person.
Bridgewater telephone/online (electronic only).
Clark's Harbour in-person.
Digby telephone/online (electronic only).
Kentville in-person.
Lockeport in-person.
Lunenburg telephone/online (electronic only).
Mahone Bay telephone/online (electronic only).
Middleton telephone/online (electronic only).
Mulgrave No voting in Mulgrave this year. Mayor and four councillors acclaimed.
New Glasgow telephone/online (electronic only).
Oxford telephone/online/in-person.
Pictou telephone/online (electronic only).
Port Hawkesbury telephone/online (electronic only).
Shelburne telephone/online (electronic only).
Stellarton telephone/online (electronic only).
Stewiacke telephone/online/in-person.
Trenton telephone/online (electronic only).
Truro telephone/online (electronic only).
Westville telephone/online (electronic only).
Wolfville telephone/online (electronic only).
Yarmouth telephone/online/in-person.