Jeewen Gill is Windsor's new Ward 7 councillor

Jeewen Gill is Windsor'snew city councillor in Ward 7. He won the byelection held Monday with 1,015votes, and 19.7 per cent of the vote.

The 53 year-old realtor credits the hard work and door knocking he did during the campaign for the win.

"People appreciate that one," said Gill, in a phone interview from his home in Forest Glade Monday night. "I went to them to listen to their concerns."

In a written statement Monday, Mayor Drew DilkenscongratulatedGill.

"I'd like to warmly congratulate Jeewen Gill on his byelection victory this evening," wrote the mayor. "I'm looking forward to working with Jeewen on the important and vital issues that face our community: from local pandemic response, to preparing the 2021 municipal budget to delivering on the need for a new, modern hospital."

Gill agrees the mega-hospital is one of the top priorities for the city as well as improving road safety.

"There's a lot of development and a fastly growing community," said Gill, who is the first member of the South Asian community to serve on council adding more diversity to a predominantly white male council.

"Somewhere we have to break the ice so that..[the South Asian community]can feel they are part of the decision-making process," said Gill.

According to the manager of records and elections for the city, Terri Knight-Lepain,5,159 people turned out to vote a turn out of 27.75 per cent.

"We're getting positivefeedback from voters, candidates and their scrutineers...," said Knight-Lepain during voting. "Staff are busy but that's how they like it. The day is flying by."

Voter Stefan Neskovicsaid it was "interesting and unfamiliar at the same" voting with the pandemic protocols put in place."The protocols were effective and efficient."

Voters had to wear masks, sanitize their hands, and answer a series of questions before they could go in. Once there the pencils used to mark ballots were only used for one person, the privacy sleeve the ballots go into were recycled after being only one time, and tables were sterilized after every voter.

Voters also had the option of staying in their cars for curbside voting. The cars formed a long lineup to the voting tent for several hours.

Here are the unofficial results:

Jeewen Gill - 1,015

Angelo Marignani - 879

Greg Lemay - 781

Barbara Holland - 426

Michael Malott - 404

Igor Dzaic - 396

Michelle Gajewski - 378

Therese Papineau - 311

Farah El-Hajj - 266

Albert Saba - 189

Howard Weeks - 78

Ernie Lamont - 33

The results will be made official later this week and Gill will be sworn in this week as well. Hewill join city council at its Oct.19 meeting.

Gill ran unsuccessfully for the Greater Essex County District School Board in 2006 and ran for the Liberal nominationin the last federal election and for the Liberals in a pastprovincial election. He remains the president of the Windsor-Tecumseh Liberal Provincial Riding Association but said he will probably step down to concentrate on his council duties.

Gill is married with two daughters.

Note: The above results were made official on Oct. 8, 2020