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Mark Sutcliffe is returning to the mayor’s office for a second term.
The former broadcaster and business owner held off 13 challengers Monday, earning 44.65 per cent of the vote and beating his nearest rival, outgoing councillor Jeff Leiper, by 33,535 votes, according to unofficial results.
Preliminary results pegs voter turnout at 36.21 per cent, according to the City of Ottawa, dropping from the 43.8 per cent in 2022.
“Whether you live in urban Ottawa, in our suburban communities or our rural villages, you chose to support a plan to build an even better city for our children and grandchildren,” Sutcliffe told a packed Hometown Sports Grill during his victory speech.
“It was a great campaign because we had a great team,” he said, thanking his campaign team and his supporters. “This victory is not mine, it is yours.”
Mark Sutcliffe delivers his victory speech Monday night. (Olivier Plante/Radio-Canada)
He also thanked his main challengers Jeff Leiper, Alex Lawson and Neil Saravanamuttoo.
“Thank you to each of you for serving our community by putting your names forward as candidates,” he said. “Jeff, Neil and Alex, thank you for caring about our city and our democracy.”
He gave a special shoutout to Leiper, a three-term councillor who gave up his seat to run for mayor. The two had often sniped at each other on the campaign trail.
“I just spoke with him on the phone,” Sutcliffe said. “I appreciate and respect the ideas and the effort that he brought to this election campaign.”
Ready for Round 2
When Sutcliffe was elected four years ago he promised to ease tensions on council, restore confidence in OC Transpo and keep Ottawa affordable.
This time around, the 58-year-old campaigned on continuing to improve transit, increasing affordable housing and ending youth homelessness by 2030.
Critics have argued Sutcliffe failed to achieve the changes Ottawa needed, but Monday’s unofficial results suggest voters disagree.
He’ll be surrounded by familiar faces next term, with only three news councillors elected: Erin Coffin in Kanata South, Joanne Chianello in Kitchissippi and Chelsea Walton in Stittsville.
As of Sept. 20, there were nearly 870,000 eligible voters in Ottawa. Nearly 90,000 people cast an advance ballot, including by mail.
Looking ahead, Sutcliffe said he’ll be back in the office first thing Tuesday.
“I am filled with hope and optimism for the future of our city,” he said. “But first, let’s have some fun tonight.”