Don Atchison loses bid for 5th term as Saskatoon mayor
Atchison defeated after tight 3-way race
Don Atchison's 13-year run as mayor has ended after he was defeated by former city Coun. Charlie Clark, who became the unofficial mayor-elect in Wednesday's election.
"The voters have spoken tonight and the voters are always right in the end," Atchison said after losing to Clark.
"It has been a real honour to be able to serve the citizens of Saskatoon.
The unofficial results were Charlie Clark with 41 per cent of vote, Don Atchison with 37 per cent, Kelley Moore with 22 per cent, and Devon Hein with one per cent of the vote.
The final leg of the campaign was a close, three-way race between Atchison, Charlie Clarke and Kelley Moore, with the lead changing several times during the campaign.
When polling started back in August, Clark and Atchison were in a dead heat.
Moore shook things up with a solid start to her campaign. At one point, a Mainstreet Postmedia had her tied for the lead with Atchison, pushing Clark into third place.
But in the final poll before the election, Atchison was back in the top spot.
Unlike his opponents, the incumbent was also competing against a campaign for change at city hall.
Having served as the city's mayor since 2003, he faced questions and criticisms about debt levels, crime rates, and claims of over-spending.
He denied the city had too much debt, shifting the focus to infrastructure projects like River Landing and the Circle Drive South Bridge.
Atchison promoted crime and safety as a top priority, saying the city should build on existing partnerships to find solutions.
Despite some negative reaction, he stood firm in his support for the practice of street carding, where police ask people on the street to show identification.
On the issue of transit, Atchison suggested moving the train lines outside the city and replacing them with paths for cycling and walking.
Moore calls campaign an 'incredible experience'
Kelley Moore came in third place with 22 per cent of the vote. She thanked her supporters for their help in her campaign.
"This has been the most-incredible experience of my whole entire life and I would not change a single thing."
Moore said she heard from so many people across the city who were looking for change.
She told CBC News that she would consider another run at political office.