Preliminary results for the Area H CVRD byelection show Ben Maartman ahead of Murray McNab by seven votes.
According to the preliminary results released on Nov. 28, Maartman garnered 28 mail ballot votes, 65 from advance voting, and 200 on general voting day. McNab received 11 mail ballot votes, 71 advance votes, and 206 on general voting day.
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McNab said he accepts the results of the election, but plans to ask for a recount since the margin is so thin. In the 2018 election, McNab lost to Mary Marcotte by nine votes and asked for a recount, which was carried out by the CVRD.
“I don’t expect anything to change,” McNab said. “I was down in Duncan when they did the count on the advance poll boxes and the mail ballots; the CVRD run everything very well.”
Maartman declined to comment until the election results are finalized.
Chief Election Officer Angie Legault said she expects the results of the byelection to by finalized by noon on Tuesday, Dec. 1.