The Hawtin family: Kelli, Mitch, Hadley and Huxley. (Submitted Photo/Kelli Hawtin)

By Julia Lovett-Squires

Election Follow

Historic moments in the Battlefords; ML sees council shakeup

Nov 14, 2024 | 5:00 PM

With the cast of a single ballot unseating a councillor with over two decades of experience at the table and the election of the first woman mayor, the Battlefords have emerged from two historic elections.

“Wow,” said David George.

The long-term town councillor said he was disappointed to learn that after roughly 20 years of serving, it came down to a one vote difference between his 322 votes and the newly elected Clayton Lazar’s 323.

“So, they recounted?”

When battlefordsNOW asked if he would request a recount, he said he wasn’t sure as he had just learned of the results during the interview. George explained that thought he did what he could for the community, including working to keep the council fiscally responsible, but the voters, it seemed, wanted a change.

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“It is what it is, right?”

According to Lazar, while he hopes there will be a recount, he doesn’t have any concerns.

“That’s what democracy is,” he said.

“The people voted us in and if there’s a recount and the results change then that’s what the people wanted.”

According to Mayor Ames Leslie, George has faced losses before over his decades of service but acknowledged that to lose by a single vote hurts.

“Then you go through your mind of like ‘OK, which one of my friends didn’t vote for me’ or ‘Which person didn’t make it to the poll,’” he said, adding he thanked the former councillor for his work.

Joining Leslie in chambers alongside Lazar will be Judy Pruden, Doug Laing, Shelley Boutin-Gervais, Kevin Russell and Mark Coleman.

“It’s never easy to see people that you’ve sat at the table with for a lot of years to not get back on,” Leslie said, noting people who serve on councils don’t do it for prestige.

“By and large every single one of us do it because we truly want to make a difference in our community.”

In North Battleford, results took a little longer to come through due to having to wait for the polls to close so the voting machines could run totals for the advanced and special polls. Once they had the results, however, history was made. Kelli Hawtin became the first woman to be mayor of North Battleford.

“I’m feeling good and I’m feeling really excited,” she said after her glass ceiling-shattering win.

Hawtin was initially undecided in her campaign and had stepped back to reevaluate whether it was the right choice but following an outpouring of support from family, friends and the community, Hawtin resubmitted her name.

“A huge thank you to the community who had an opportunity to talk about some really important issues,” she said of her thanks to everyone who participated in the process.

“The biggest thanks of all goes out to my supporters and my team that really worked hard to make this happen.”

According to the City of North Battleford, a total of 2806 votes were cast, which represents a turnout of 22.4 per cent – up from 2366 votes four years ago. Hawtin won with 1591 votes with Terry Caldwell coming in second with 849 votes.

In a statement from Cody Benson, Red Pheasant Cree Nation Chief and Battlefords Agency Tribal Chief representative, they are “happy and ready to work” with the new mayor and council “To continue building a better, stronger community for everyone.”

Meanwhile, in the City of Meadow Lake, the newly-elected are taking stock of their wins.

Newcomer Connie Marsh-Yuhasz said she’s feeling “wonderful” after being elected to Meadow Lake’s table.

“I’m really humble and grateful to the citizens of our city who have put their trust in me to represent them and I hope that I can make a positive impact on our community,” she said.

According to Mayor Merlin Seymour, he’s looking forward to the new term.

“I am happy that there will be some continuity with the returning councillors but look forward to new and fresh ideas from the newly elected,” he said in an email.

Marsh-Yuhasz will join other newcomer Mike Ferguson and incumbents Martin Bishop, Mauri Young, Ron Dishko and Conrad Read as councillors and according to Ferguson, having the mix is positive.

“It’s going to be a learning curve and having those…people there are going to be helpful for Connie and I to see what the process and procedure is,” he said.

Here are some of the other races battlefordsNOW followed this year. Staff reached out to Light of Christ Catholic Schools for school board results and was told that they were published in the local paper and would not be posted online. Meanwhile, battlefordsNOW was told to submit an email request and is awaiting the reply. Results will be included once they are received.

Living Sky School Division

Subdivision 1 – 1 board member (Leoville, Meadow Lake, Medstead & Spiritwood): Kelly Schneider, 278 elected for first term

Subdivision 2 – 1 board member (Hafford & Maymont): Mary Linnell, incumbent was acclaimed.

Subdivision 3 – 1 member (Cando, Scott Colony & Wilkie): incumbent Nicole Kobelsky, acclaimed.

Subdivision 4 – 1 member (Cut Knife, Hillsvale Colony, Newmark Colony & Unity): Incumbent Ronna Pethick was acclaimed.

Subdivision 5 – 1 member (Macklin): new rep Lacey Gartner was acclaimed.

Subdivision 6 – 1 member (Kerrobert, Lakeview Colony & Luseland): new member Bailey Kemery was acclaimed.

North Battleford Subdivision – 3 members (Bready Elementary, Connaught Elementary, Lawrence Elementary, McKitrick Community & North Battleford Comprehensive High School): incumbents Rocky Omelchenko and Shaun Weber were acclaimed, as was new candidate Sarah Connor.

Battleford Subdivision – 1 member (Battleford Central Elementary, Heritage Christian School & St. Vital Catholic): Glen Leask, the incumbent was acclaimed.

Northwest School Division #203

Subdivision 1 – (Dorintosh, Goodsoil, Pierceland): Travis Neufeld, ACCLAIMED, (NEW)

Subdivision 2 – (Loon Lake, Meadow Lake Rural, Rapid View): Kim Russell ,146, ELECTED (NEW)

Subdivision 3 – (Frenchman Butte, Paradise Hill, St. Walburg): Amanda McGowan 193, ELECTED, (NEW)

Subdivision 4 – (Livelong, Mervin, Turtleford): Rick Starnes , 76, ELECTED, (NEW)

Subdivision 5 – (Edam, Glaslyn, Vawn): Cheyenne Ludwig , ACCLAIMED, (NEW)

Subdivision 6 – (Maidstone, Paynton, Waseca): Laurel Pauls,118, ELECTED, (NEW)

Subdivision 7 – (Hillmond, Lone Rock, Marshall): Kristen McGowan, 118, ELECTED, (NEW)

Subdivision 8 – (Lashburn, Marsden, Neilburg): Vaughn Bellin, 118 (NEW)

Subdivision 9 & 10 (2 positions) – (City of Meadow Lake): James McKee, 209 (NEW) and Barb Seymour 219 (INCUMBENT)

Subdivision 11 – (Flying Dust First Nation): Patricia Main, ACCLAIMED, (INCUMBENT)

RM of North Battleford No. 437

Reeve – Dan Bartko
Division 1 – Bob Hujdic

Division 2 – Todd Illingworth
Division 3 – Todd Winterhalt
Division 4 – David Acaster

Division 5 – Leon Lozowchuk
Division 6 – Gilles Fransoo

RM of Battle River No. 438

Reeve: Stewart Mitchell

Councillor

Roland Radchenko – Division 1

Pat Scherman – Division 2

Jason Russel – Division 3

Allan Rumpf – Division 4

Jaden Jamieson – Division 5

David Blais – Division 6

RM of Meadow Lake

REEVE No. of votes

Dale Sheppard 395 elected

Councillor Division 1

Mathew Roger 82 elected

Councillor Division 3

Ashley Russell 46 elected

Councillor Division 5

Sylvin Cockrum 77 elected

Subdivision 1 -1 member( Leoville, Meadow Lake, Medstead & Spiritwood): Kelly Schneider, 278, Elected, NEW

Subdivision 2 – 1 member (Hafford & Maymont): Mary Linnell, Acclaimed, INCUMBENT

Subdivision 3 – 1 member (Cando, Scott Colony & Wilkie): Nicole Kobelsky, Acclaimed, INCUMBENT

Subdivision 4 – 1 member (Cut Knife, Hillsvale Colony, Newmark Colony & Unity): Ronna Pethick, Acclaimed, INCUMBENT

Subdivision 5 – 1 member (Macklin): Lacey Gartner, Acclaimed, NEW

Subdivision 6 – 1 member (Kerrobert, Lakeview Colony & Luseland): Bailey Kemery, Acclaimed, NEW

North Battleford Subdivision – 3 members (Bready Elementary, Connaught Elementary, Lawrence Elementary, McKitrick Community & North Battleford Comprehensive High School): Rocky Omelchenko, Acclaimed, INCUMBENT, Shaun Weber, Acclaimed, INCUMBENT, Sarah Connor, Acclaimed, NEW

Battleford Subdivision -1 member (Battleford Central Elementary, Heritage Christian School & St. Vital Catholic): Glen Leask, Acclaimed , INCUMBENT

Northwest School Division #203

Subdivision 1 – (Dorintosh, Goodsoil, Pierceland): Travis Neufeld, ACCLAIMED, (NEW)

Subdivision 2 – (Loon Lake, Meadow Lake Rural, Rapid View): Kim Russell ,146, ELECTED (NEW)

Subdivision 3 – (Frenchman Butte, Paradise Hill, St. Walburg), Amanda McGowan 193, ELECTED, (NEW)

Subdivision 4 – (Livelong, Mervin, Turtleford): Rick Starnes , 76, ELECTED, (NEW)

Subdivision 5 – (Edam, Glaslyn, Vawn): Cheyenne Ludwig , ACCLAIMED, (NEW)

Subdivision 6 – (Maidstone, Paynton, Waseca): Laurel Pauls,118, ELECTED, (NEW)

Subdivision 7 – (Hillmond, Lone Rock, Marshall): Kristen McGowan, 118, ELECTED, (NEW)

Subdivision 8 – (Lashburn, Marsden, Neilburg): Vaughn Bellin, 118 (NEW)

Subdivision 9 & 10 (2 positions) – (City of Meadow Lake): James McKee, 209 (NEW) and Barb Seymour 219 (INCUMBENT)

Subdivision 11 – (Flying Dust First Nation): Patricia Main, ACCLAIMED, (INCUMBENT)

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julia.lovettsquires@pattisonmedia.com

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