There’s going to be a new leader at the Timmins council table.
Former mining executive George Pirie has been elected as mayor.
The unofficial results have Pirie with 10,323 votes, with incumbent Steve Black getting 5,525.
While the polls were scheduled to close at 8 p.m., due to technical difficulties with the online voting the polls were kept open until 9 p.m.
Pirie celebrated the win at the Porcupine Dante Club, with a room packed full of family, friends and supporters.
After addressing the crowd, he said he’s humbled by the win.
“It’s a tremendous endorsement of what I talked about during the campaign,” Pirie said.
While it’s an honour, he said there’s “a lot of work to do to actually live up to the faith that these people have put in me and I will work hard on the taxpayers’ behalf, on citizens' behalf.”
Shortly after the results started rolling in, and the margin between the two front runners widened, Black called Pirie to concede.
“Obviously he’s an honourable man. Obviously he’s been a dedicated civil servant and so it was a very respectful conversation, I acknowledged the service and obviously honoured his feelings during that conversation. He’s a dedicated man,” said Pirie about the conversation.
Black also posted a message to his supporters on Facebook.
Now that the campaign is over, Pirie said he'll be congratulating and having conversations with the other people elected to sit around the council table.
In the other races for council, the unofficial results are:
Ward 1 - Rock Whissell
Ward 2 – Mickey Auger
Ward 3 – Joe Campbell
Ward 4 – John Curley
Ward 5 – Kristin Murray, Michelle Boileau, Noella Rinaldo, Andrew Marks
In the Ward 5 race, there are only two votes separating Marks, who has 2,637 votes, and newcomer Cory Robin, who has 2,635.
On his campaign page, Robin said he is requesting a recount.
With 16,197 ballots cast, the voter turnout for the election is 54.89 per cent.
