Burlington residents have elected an almost entirely new city council, with a new mayor and only one returning councillor.
Marianne Meed Ward unseated two-term mayor Rick Goldring by nearly 6,600 votes, taking in 46 per cent of ballots cast.
LISTEN: Marianne Meed Ward joins the Bill Kelly Show
Two incumbent city council candidates, Blair Lancaster and Jack Dennison, were also defeated.
“People wanted change. They clearly spoke about change,” Meed Ward told Bill Kelly on Global News Radio 900 CHML.
Ward 5 Coun. Paul Shaman is the sole incumbent candidate who won re-election.
Three council seats were open races, however. Kelvin Galbraith took Ward 1. Lisa Kearns won in Ward 2, which Meed Ward vacated to take on the mayor.
In Ward 3, Rory Nisan earned 54 per cent of the vote.
Shawna Stolte won Ward 4 with nearly 56 per cent of ballots cast, and Angelo Bentivegna is the new councillor for Ward 6.
Meed Ward, who had served two terms on council prior to being elected mayor, said the election was defined by the issue of development in the growing city.
“This was a really unique election,” she said. “After four years of really relentless growth in the community and the community saying we don’t feel heard in the decisions that are being made. And it wasn’t just downtown.”
Nearly 40 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot in the election, compared with 34 per cent in 2014.