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Martin Elphee elected new mayor of Fort St. James

After serving a partial term, Robert Motion lost his bid for reelection
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Mayor Bob Motion was elected to office in a by-election on Sept. 26, 2020. On Oct. 15, he lost his bid for another term as mayor. (File photo)

Robert Motion was ousted as Fort St. James mayor, with voters choosing challenger Martin Elphee instead.

READ MORE: Fort St. James mayor among Freedom Convoy donors

Motion received 117 votes (37.3 per cent) compared to Elphee’s 183 votes (58.3 per cent).

Beverley Playfair was elected mayor of Fort St. James in 2018 with 52.67 per cent of the votes. She stepped down in March 2020, and Motion was elected mayor in a by-election on Sept. 26, 2020.

READ MORE: Bob Motion wins by-election for mayor

Only one incumbent returned to council, Jennifer Howell with 172 votes (54.8 per cent). The other three council members are Corbett Boschman, 195 votes (62.1 per cent); Kris Nielsen, 175 votes (55.7 per cent) and Judith Friesen, 173 votes (54.8 per cent).

Judith Greenaway was elected director for Area C (Fort St. James rural) of the Bulkley Nechako Regional District.

With 303 votes, Cheryl Peterson was elected to School District 91 board of trustees for Fort St James, Manson Creek, Germanson and Takla Landings.

In 2018, the estimated eligible voter turnout for the Fort St. James was 45.3 per cent, which was 9.7 per cent higher than the average B.C. municipal turnout of 35.6 per cent.