Zacharias secures win in Vauxhall by-election

Posted on March 30, 2023 by Vauxhall Advance

By Heather Cameron

Vauxhall Advance

On Monday, the Town of Vauxhall held a municipal by-election with Henry Zacharias, an employee of Bow River Gas Co-Op, taking the win.

“I’m excited to work with the rest of Town Council to help make the rules and policies so that the citizens and businesses in Vauxhall can thrive,” Zacharias said.

According to the CAO of the Town of Vauxhall, Cris Burns, a by-election was called to replace the late Councillor Barry Thomson, who passed away in late 2022. The Council originally passed the resolution for the by-election at the council meeting on January 9 and nominations were subsequently opened and eventually closed on February 27.

Two candidates, Russell Colin Norris and Henry Zacharias, ended up being the two nominees on the ballot. The official notice of election was shared publicly on March 6.

On Monday voting was open between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. and ultimately, Zacharias received a total of 78 votes while Russell Colin Norris received a total of 33 votes. 

“I’m very thankful for everyone who came out and voted,” Zacharias said.

Zacharias said that his family and everyone he talked to about his campaign was very supportive of his win, as many encouraged him to run in the first place.

“I’m hoping to encourage more community engagement now that I am on Council,” Zacharias said. “As you might know, Vauxhall is mostly Mennonite and I was raised in Mennonite, so I’m thinking my presence will help bridge the gap and promote community engagement.”