Brittany Merrifield. (Image: submitted)
While Grand Bay-Westfield residents did not have to vote for their next mayor, there was a race for the town’s five council seats ahead of results released Tuesday.
Nine candidates put their names forward for the job, including two incumbent councillors.
Unofficial results showed both incumbents — Beverley Day and John Balemans — were re-elected.
They will be joined by newcomers Erin Toole, Stephanie McIntosh Lawrence, and Jim Balcomb.
It was no contest for the new mayor, Brittany Merrifield, who was acclaimed to the role last month once election candidates finalized.
Grace Losier, who spent nearly three decades in municipal politics, decided not to run again for mayor.
“I’m thrilled to have been given this opportunity to serve my community and I’m looking very much forward to getting to work, especially with a really great council,” says Merrifield.
Merrifield adds as she became increasingly involved in her community, she wanted to “be at the table” to help drive things forward.
“I feel like Grand Bay-Westfield is right on the cusp of exponential opportunity and I was excited to help take it there,” she said.
Merrifield says her priorities over the next four years will focus on economic, housing, and diversity initiatives.
“Quality of life is huge for me,” Merrifield said. “We have a beautiful quality of life in Grand Bay-Westfield and I want to invest in not just maintaining that, but enhancing it as much as possible.”
“I’m excited for the fact that my children are able to see me accomplish something like this I’m very, very proud of that from a family perspective,” said Merrifield. “There’s just so many other things that I’m excited about, I couldn’t even list them on two hands.”
Voter turnout in Grand Bay-Westfield was 39.35 per cent, above the provincial turnout of 30.35 per cent.
You can find the full list of results for Grand Bay-Westfield and municipalities across New Brunswick through Elections New Brunswick’s website.
