Penticton has lost a mayor and gained a new MLA.
Mayor Dan Ashton has won the provincial riding of Penticton, defeating NDP candidate Richard Cannings in a wide-open race.
Ashton had taken home 47 per cent of the vote as of 10:09 p.m. on election night. Cannings won 39.3 per cent.
Ashton is serving his second term as Mayor of Penticton, after three straight terms on council. He has said that he would pay for the cost of a municipal by-election if he were elected MLA, to ensure that the city didn’t lose money. Ashton is also the chair of the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen.
NDP candidate Richard Cannings is a biologist, birder and author. He works for Bird Studies Canada, specializing in bird counting. He also writes natural history books and plays fiddle in a Scottish country dance band.
It was anticipated that the lack of a Green candidate would help the NDP, as the Greens got 15.6 per cent of the vote last election. But it appears that wasn’t enough to tip the results in the NDP’s favour.
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