Lethbridge elects new mayor: Chris Spearman

Businessman and former school trustee Chris Spearman is Lethbridge’s new mayor.

Spearman defeated former councillors Bridget Mearns and Faron Ellis, as well as challenger Curtis Simpson, to take the wide-open mayor’s seat.

Spearman received 46 per cent of the vote, 16 per cent more than his next closest competitor, Bridget Mearns. Faron Ellis and Curtis Simpson received 19.2 and 4.7 per cent of the vote, respectively.

Spearman spent 18 years, from 1992 to 2010, on the Holy Spirit School Board. He has also worked with the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce and other community groups.

Aside from the open mayor’s seat, Lethbridge council hasn’t changed significantly. All five incumbent councillors who ran this election were re-elected.

Jeff Carlson and Jeff Coffman were both elected to a third term on council.

But in Coffman’s case, these were non-consecutive terms: He was elected to one term in 1995, then returned to council in 2010. Carlson was first elected in 2007.

Lethbridge’s longest-serving councillor (in consecutive terms), Ryan Parker, was also re-elected. He was first elected to council in 1998. Another longtime councillor, Joe Mauro, was also re-elected.

Liz Iwaskiw, first elected in 2004 and again in 2010, is now the lone female voice on council.

Lethbridge’s new councillors are Rob Miyashiro, Wade Galloway and Blaine Hyggen.

Edit: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Faron Ellis had placed second in the mayoral race. Bridget Mearns was the runner-up.