Sherri Rollins wins Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry in 7-way race to replace Jenny Gerbasi

Sherri Rollinshas comeout on top ina seven-candidate race for Winnipeg's Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry seat.

"I just feel honoured and humbled and everything you'd expect me to feel," Rollins said Wednesday night."I want to thank the people of Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry for electing me their councillor tonight."

It was a tight margin: Rollinshad 36.9 per centof the vote, with 5,349 ballots cast, to Jeff Palmer's 33 per cent (4,783 votes).

Rollins thanked a packed room at the Fort Garry Hotel, speaking of acity that believes in clean water, supports the arts, has affordable housing and reliable public transit.

Rollins also offered an homage to former Coun. Jenny Gerbasi.

"I have a love note to Jenny Gerbasi," Rollins told the crowd. "I'm not Jenny 2.0 but to complete her legacy I will have to step up my game ... for women, for active transportation."

Gerbasirepresented the ward for five terms, after first being elected in 1998.She announced in March she would not seek re-election.

Rollinssaid the ward was lucky to have so many candidates step up.

"I'm grateful to every single person that ran," said the Labour Council-endorsed candidate.

The room was packed with labour leaders,NDPexecutives and evenNDPleader WabKinewslipped in to congratulate the new councillor.

"Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry definitely wanted a positive voice at city hall.... My priority is to be that progressive voice," said Rollins.

• Jenny Gerbasi prepares to leave after 20 years on Winnipeg city council

Rollinsis stepping up to city council after being elected as a Winnipeg School Division trustee in the 2014 election. Shewas serving as the division's chair prior to this year's election.

She's currently on special leave fromthe National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

CBCreported last month that Rollins lives inCrescentwood,386 metres outside the wardshe'll now represent.

The group of seven candidates represented a wide range of backgrounds, and also includedPeter Koroma, a retired former Liberal staffer;Jeff Palmer, a city planner;Stephanie Meilleur, the executive director of the Osborne Village BIZ;Bryanna Spina, a yoga instructor and trainer;Michael Thompson, a former computer operations supervisor who now works as a labourer;and anti-poverty activist Harry Wolbert.

• Battle for Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry draws diverse cast of candidates

Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry is a diverse and sprawling ward that runs from The Forks in downtown Winnipeg and follows Pembina Highway, ending at Crescent Drive.

In the last civic election, more than half the voters didn't cast a ballot in the ward, with 47.3 per cent of the 33,837 eligible voters going to the polls.

The ward has launched some long-lasting political careers, including that offormer councillor and mayorGlen Murray.

• Full coverage of the Winnipeg election

With files from Sean Kavanagh