Whitby has a new mayor but he has a very familiar face – Don Mitchell.
Mitchell won with an impressive 73.20 per cent of the votes, finishing with 16,803 votes. Mitchell has served Whitby as North Ward Councillor for 12 years and on Durham Regional Council since 2006. Mitchell didn’t have to face an incumbent, as long-time mayor Pat Perkins didn’t enter the race in order to pursue the Conservative nomination in the federal by-election in Whitby-Oshawa to fill the seat made vacant by the sudden death of Jim Flaherty.
In an interview at Whitby Town Hall, Mitchell says he has many plans for UOIT and Durham College student life.
“The main thing is working on getting enough buses in service for students,” says Mitchell. “As well as getting Whitby a downtown campus.”
Coming in second was Donna Butler with 2,895 votes, 12.61 per cent of the vote. Ros Whitby was third with 1,268 votes, 5.52 per cent of the vote. Fourth was Bob Hartley with 1,129 votes (4.92 per cent), followed by Lumy Omat 859 votes (4.92 per cent).
Meantime, Whitby voters sent three people to serve on regional council.
Elizabeth Roy was the leading vote-getter with with 14,044 votes, 26.97 per cent of the vote, followed by Lorne Coe with 13,341 votes (25.62 per cent) and Joe Drumm 11,437 (21.96 per cent). John Dolstra finished fourth with 7,895 (15.60 per cent).
The North Ward Councillor race was won by Derrick Gleed with 2,464 votes (54.14 per cent).
The West Ward Councillor is Chris Leahy with 2,043 votes (33.20 per cent).
Centre Ward Councillor goes to Michael Emm with 1,468 votes (31.76 per cent).
East Ward Councillor was won by Steve Yamada with 3,393 votes (46.92 per cent).
The voter turnout was 26.88 per cent, with 23,498 out of 87,406 eligible voters taking part in the election,
