With unofficial city council results freshly announced, the Observer caught up with the six candidates with the top results.
Newcomers Martin Runge and Mitch Vik had listened to results together, along with family and friends, around a campfire.
“I’m excited and thankful,” said Runge. “Now the fun starts. It’s exciting, and we’ve got lots of new plans to make.”
Vik, who came in with the second-highest number of votes, behind only incumbent councillor Scott Elliott, was almost speechless.
“I’m really surprised and blown away and honoured,” he said.
“It was a hard campaign and we worked very hard and I thank everyone who helped me with my campaign. I was just working to get in, nothing more than that.
“The success is unreal. Is it real?” he joked.
Incumbent councillor Laurey-Anne Roodenburg said she watched the results at Quesnel City Hall.
“I had dinner with family and we went to City Hall … and now I’m just having a cup of tea,” she said.
“I’m excited. It’s been nerve-wracking for the last couple of days. There are three new faces on council and I think we’ve got some pretty dynamic people.”
Roodenburg expressed disappointment that she’s again the only woman elected to council, but she said she’s “still smiling” an hour after unofficial results were announced.
Ron Paull said he was at the Legion’s dinner and dance.
“I just heard I got re-elected, so I guess I’ve got a job for the next four years and i’m pretty happy about it.”
Paull commented that he’s now the most senior councillor with the most years under his belt, as Sushil Thapar did not run this term.
“There are lots of challenges that lay in front of us and that’s why I’m there, because I like to deal with that kind of stuff,” said Paull.
Incumbent Scott Elliott, who received the highest number of votes, said he felt his hard work had paid off.
“I’m excited to be re-elected, but it’s a double-edged sword. I’m a little disappointed in the low voter turnout. That’s something we’ll have to look into in the next little while,” he said.
“I just heard about the news at my brother-in-law’s studio and now we’re playing some music and enjoying ourselves,” said Elliott.
And Tony Goulet said he was home with his family when he heard the news.
“It feels good. I’m excited. I look forward to being on council and I’m still waiting for results from the school district,” he said. Goulet is also in the running for School District 28 trustee.
“It’ll be the first for Quesnel to have a trustee and a person on city council, so that’ll be exciting as well,” he said of the potential of winning both seats.
“It’ll be a busy four years, but I’m up to the challenge.”
READ MORE: Preliminary results show support for Public Works Referendum
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