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ELECTION NIGHT: Mayor-elect Alan Harrison expresses gratitude

Longtime councillor Alan Harrison is Salmon Arm’s new mayor, defeating incumbent Nancy Cooper

Longtime councillor Alan Harrison is the new mayor of Salmon Arm.

Harrison defeated incumbent Nancy Cooper, unofficial results 3,387 votes to 1,516.

Mayoral candidate Jim Kimmerly received 758 votes.

Harrison addressed his supporters at the Salmon Arm Curling Club after the results were tallied.

Firstly, he thanked the people of Salmon Arm.

“To all of you who voted, to everybody who engaged in the process, thank you for being informed voters and getting out to the polls today.”

He also thanked everyone who ran in the election, from school trustees to mayoral candidates.

In particular he thanked outgoing mayor Nancy Cooper, who he said has worked tirelessly over the past seven years for Salmon Arm.

“I’d like to recognize that and I’d like you to do that as well,” he said to his supporters.

He also thanked the elected councillors – Chad Eliason, Tim Lavery, Kevin Flynn, Louise Wallace Richmond, Debbie Cannon and Sylvia Lindgren, and said he’s looking forward to working with them.

Nancy Cooper, who spent the evening volunteering at Spooktacular at Haney Heritage Village – something she always does but this year it fell on election night, said she had hoped the Salmon Arm mayoral race would be closer, but thinks the mayor’s chair which she occupied for two terms is in good hands. Cooper said Harrison will do a good job in his new role and added that he campaigned hard for the position.

“It was a good run. Seven years was good. I was really happy to be the mayor for that long.”

She said she has no plans to return to politics.

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Debbie and Alan Harrison join the crowd at the Salmon Arm Curling Rink where supporters were celebrating his victory as the city’s next mayor. (Lachlan Labere/Salmon Arm Observer)