Brenda Locke elected mayor of Surrey, CBC News projects
Surrey Connect candidate ran on a promise to stop the city's transition to a municipal police force
Brenda Locke is the new mayor of Surrey, B.C., CBC News has projected.
Locke was a former member of incumbent Doug McCallum's Safe Surrey Coalition before leaving in 2019. She has been a fierce opponent ever since and ran on a promise to overturn McCallum's transition to a municipal police force and return policing to the RCMP.
Locke, who took an early lead against Doug McCallum for the top job in Metro Vancouver's fastest-growing city, gave a victory speech to her supporters just after 9 p.m.
Surrey residents cast their ballots for a mayor, eight councillors and six school trustees, with Locke set to be joined on council by Surrey Connect colleagues Harry Bains, Gordon Hepner, Rob Stutt and Pardeep Kaur Kooner.
As of 11 p.m., all 130 polls have been tabulated, with Locke capturing 28.14 per cent of the vote. Trailing her was McCallum, with 27.31 per cent and Surrey First candidate Gordie Hogg in third, with 21.05 per cent.
Locke, a former B.C. Liberal MLA for Surrey-Green Timbers won by 973 votes.
WATCH | Brenda Locke declares victory in Surrey, B.C.:
Locke's victory speech reiterated her pledge to keep the RCMP in Surrey despite McCallum's initiative to replace the Mounties with a civic police force.
"We need to keep the Surrey RCMP right here in Surrey,'' she said.
'Residents want change'
McCallum has had an uneven electoral history in the city of Surrey.
He was first elected mayor of what is now B.C.'s second-largest city in 1996, serving three consecutive terms with wins in 1999 and 2002.
He lost the mayoral race in 2005 and again in 2014 but returned to the mayor's chair in 2018.
"I have worked very, very hard for this city for many years," McCallum said after conceding defeat.
He congratulated incoming Mayor Elect Locke and incoming councillors, saying the loss gives him an opportunity to sit back, relax and enjoy the city.
"The residents want to see a change, and so I respect that decision."
McCallum faced consecutive challenges, first at the ballot box against seven other candidates and soon in court as he faces trial on a charge of public mischief.
Incoming city councillors
Incumbent Linda Annis with Surrey First received the most votes and will be joined by colleague Mike Bose.
The Safe Surrey Coalition's Doug Elford and Mandeep Nagra, both incumbents, were re-elected.
With all the polls reporting, Surrey Connect had secured four council seats, the most of any party.
WATCH | Locke speaks to CBC after her victory speech:
"We want to make the residents proud of this city once again," Locke told CBC News.
Other contenders for mayor included Surrey First candidate Gordie Hogg, Surrey Forward candidate Jinny Sims, United Surrey's Sukh Dhaliwal, and United Surrey's Sukh Dhaliwal, as well as Amrit Birring with the People's Council Surrey and independents John Milton Wolanski and Kuldip Pelia.
Surrey First sweeps school board
While Surrey First's Gordon Hogg came in third in the mayoral race, the party took all the school trustee positions and secured two council spots.
Elected as school trustees under the Surrey First banner are Terry Allen, Laurie Larsen, Garry Thind, Shawn Wilson, Bob Holmes and Gary Tymoschuk.
According to the City of Surrey, just under 35 per cent of eligible voters turned out for this year's municipal election. A total of 118,908 votes were cast out of 433,268.
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With files from Meera Bains, Kiran Singh, Justin McElroy and Andrew Kurjata and The Canadian Press
