Tight election may delay votes to fill vacant council seats

Monday's election results would normally trigger byelections in four New Brunswick municipalities in December.

But Elections New Brunswick says it may not be able to hold votes to fill council vacancies in Moncton, Saint John, Shediac and Sackvillethat quickly.

"With last night's election being so close, we're reconsidering whether we will be doing that then because we will have to be focusing on preparations for a provincial election,"KimPoffenroth, the province's chief electoral officer, said Tuesday.

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Four of the 49 candidates elected Monday serve on municipal councils.

ShediacMayor JacquesLeBlanc, Saint JohnCoun. Gerry Lowe,MonctonCoun. Rob McKee andSackvilleCoun. MeganMittonmust resign their positions before they can be sworn in as MLAs.

Once they resign, their respective councils must declare the seat vacant to trigger abyelection. Elections NB administers thebyelections.

Elections NB anticipated holding municipalbyelectionsDec. 3 to fill several vacancies around the province, including those caused by the provincial election.

ButPoffenrothsaid the December votes may not occur as planned.

"Where the government is in a minority situation, we have to be prepared for an election at any time," Poffenrothsaid.

And there's more uncertainty.

Two of the four council members are facing automatic recounts, triggered if there's a request from a riding won by 25 votes or fewer.

Lowe won Saint John Harbour by 10 votes.Mittonwon inMemramcook-Tantramarwith an 11 vote margin.

Mittonsaid she won't resign her council seat until the recount is complete.

"If I do leave council, I'll miss it very much," Lowe told Information Morning Saint John on Tuesday.

Rob McKee, elected as a Liberal inMonctonCentre, said he'll begin the process to resign his council seat this week.

IsabelleLeBlanc,Moncton's director of communications, said the city expects council to declare a vacancy at its regular meeting next week.

GillesBelleau,Shediac's town manager, said a special meeting will be called to declare the mayor's seat vacant onceLeBlancresigns.

Those who ran in the provincial election did not have to resign their council seats during the election.

"I stayed on tofulfilthe obligations of the citizens who elected me," McKee said.The Ward 3 councillor said he hasn't been paid by the city since Sept. 9 because he was focusing on campaigning.