Municipal elections in Richmond Hill, Ontario are held every four years, concurrent with other municipal elections in Ontario. Historically, elections were held more often. Elected positions include mayor, regional and local councillor and ward councillors (for six different wards) on the Richmond Hill City Council, as well as trustees for the York Region District School Board, the York Catholic District School Board and for a Conseillere for the Conseil Scholare de District de Centre SudOuest.
1873 election
The first election in Richmond Hill was held January 6, 1873, just after its incorporation as a village.[1] The campaign focused on the need to build a new high school as the one built in the 1850s was becoming crowded.
Abraham Law, elected the first reeve of Richmond Hill
The vote tallies were (elected candidates bolded):
Reeve
Votes
Councillors
Votes
Abraham Law
56
William Warren
98
Andrew McNair
47
Jacob Brillinger
83
Dr. John Duncumb
5
William Powell
77
David Hopkins
62
James Freek
58
J.R. Arnold
42
1985 election
Concurrent with the 1985 election, two plebiscites were held, one relating to the ward system and one relating to Nuclear-free zones.[2] Voters rejected the new ward system 5057 to 5460 and endorsed the nuclear-free zone declaration 7073 to 3272. Low voter turnout was credited to the poor weather and the lack of a mayoral race.[3]
Mayor
Votes
Local and Regional Councillor
Votes
Ward 1
Votes
Ward 2
Votes
Ward 3
Votes
Ward 4
Votes
Ward 5
Votes
Ward 6
Votes
Al Duffy
Accl.
Gordon Rowe
4890
Tom Simpson
681
Doug Smith
1455
William F. Bell
1042
Gail Blackburn
1345
Bob Case
1108
Bryon Wilfert
810
Lois Hancey
6232
Bill Corcoran
3468
Frank Gallant
1058
Terence Munsey
128
Paul Hunter
585
Bernie Gaten
755
Nick Papa
333
David Amos
2814
Larry Ashton
207
James Justin Hogan
106
Gerry O'Donnell
313
Frank Cavallo
381
Steven Rotman
747
John Fearon
44
Joe Pacitto
151
1988 election
The election was held November 14, 1988.[4][5] Issues in the election included the rapid building of houses in Richmond Hill which many felt had outpaced the growth of corresponding services.[6] The relationship between the town councillors and developers had also been the subject of controversy.[7]
Mayor
Votes
Local and Regional Councillor
Votes
Ward 1
Votes
Ward 2
Votes
Ward 3
Votes
Ward 4
Votes
Ward 5
Votes
Ward 6
Votes
William F. Bell
8887
Frank Endean
6277
Tom Simpson
1737
Janet Mabley
1901
David Cohen
1456
Gail Blackburn
2466
Catherine Bishop
1907
Bryon Wilfert
1479
Al Duffy
5386
Lois Hancey
6002
Bonnie Tiffin
589
Nicholas Legge
802
Bronwyn Frazer
976
Dennis Chris
919
Nick Papa
1636
Rosario DeGregorio
671
Isabelle Gargarella
4811
Linda Christie
5940
David Amos
530
Terence Munsey
433
Nick Negri
322
Bill Monroe
4407
Joanne Leroux-Willison
138
Stephen Kaye
350
Robert Cage
3749
Larry Ashton
1165
1991 election
One of the main issue of the 1991 election was plans to scrap the building of a large civic centre in the downtown area, and instead lease office space in Beaver Creek Industrial Park for that purpose, and build a single purpose library downtown instead of integrating it into a multi-purpose facility.[8]
2003 election
The 2003 election was held on November 12, 2003.
Mayor[9]
Votes
Local and Regional Councillor
Votes
Ward 1[10]
Votes
Ward 2[11]
Votes
Ward 3[12]
Votes
Ward 4[13]
Votes
Ward 5[14]
Votes
Ward 6[15]
Votes
William F. Bell
2373
Vito Spatafora
2052
Arnie Warner
2027
David Cohen
1750
Lynn Foster
1830
Elio Di Iorio
2420
Joe DiPaola
1444
William Lazenby
917
Vince Agozzino
2006
Gary Schecter
614
Agnes Chan-Wong
1257
Bruce Gilmour
1121
Nick Papa
2175
Michael Charles Latour
858
Sonny Khan
202
Cathy Leung-Rosnuk
995
Ali Mian
399
Shirley Chan
86
Ted Bunker
850
Lucy Rosina Cunningham
294
Godwin Chan
702
Joe Pacitto
315
Blair Kingsland
107
Ali Zahedi
43
Jane Robertson
608
2006 election
The election debates centred on urban sprawl, especially with regards to the Oak Ridges Moraine, waste management and urban renewal in the downtown area of Richmond Hill.[16]
Mayor[17]
Votes
Local and Regional Councillor[18]
Votes
Ward 1[19]
Votes
Ward 2[20]
Votes
Ward 3[21]
Votes
Ward 4[22]
Votes
Ward 5[23]
Votes
Ward 6[24]
Votes
Dave Barrow
22007
Brenda Hogg
15296
Greg Beros
1568
Arnie Warner
2128
David Cohen
2179
Lynn Foster
4046
Nick Papa
2509
Godwin Chan
1627
David McCann
2661
Vito Spatafora
14536
Carrie Hoffelner
1209
Asghar Naqvi
1138
Natalie Helferty
685
Shiraz Hudda
608
Elio di Iorio
2480
Michael
Charles Latour
1292
Anastasios Baxevanidis
2276
Joe DiPaola
13916
Don Ciccone
746
Carmine Perrelli
1095
Vik Gandhi
436
Marg Aldridge
609
Sandra di Iorio
1069
Ramon Datol
962
Heather Sinclair
328
Mike McCallum
354
Arif Khan
228
Michael McGouran
552
Derek Wu
614
Adam Dodwell
78
D.L. Meitz
63
Nancy Storey
502
Muhammad Ali
303
2010 election
The 2010 election was held on October 25, 2010.[25] This was the first election in Richmond Hill where the ballots were tabulated electronically instead of manually.[26] Issues in the election included regional transit planning (e.g. VIVA rapidways, Line 1 Yonge extension), the future of the David Dunlap Observatory, and debt in York Region.[27][28]
The 2022 mayoral by-election was held on January 18-24, 2022. City council passed By-Law 133-21 on October 13, 2021 authorizing the use of internet voting to accommodate voters for the by-election during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reasons for the by-election
Then incumbent mayor Dave Barrow went on indefinite medical leave on February 24, 2021, leaving city council with 8 voting members.[32] According to local media reports, this left city council frequently gridlocked, as there was no leader in council and council votes would often end in a tie. City council meetings were characterized as "dysfunctional", where members would divulge into squabbling and name-calling.[33]
Barrow returned to preside over a special council meeting on September 8, 2021 regarding the future of the governance of council given the inefficiencies during his absence. Four councillors left the meeting in protest before it was adjourned.[34][35] On September 15, 2021, Barrow retired as mayor.[36]
On September 29, 2021, city council agreed to hold a by-election to fill the mayor's vacant seat instead of appointing a mayor.[37]
Candidates
Godwin Chan, incumbent city councillor (Ward 6)
Joe DiPaola, acting mayor and one of two incumbent regional councillors
Susan Korman, CEO, Furry Friends Company[38]
Carmine Perrelli, deputy mayor and one of two incumbent regional councillors
Ruida Tian, Founder/CEO, Smair Inc.[39]
Rona Wang, President & CEO at GoBest Immigration Services[40]
David West, incumbent city councillor (Ward 4)
Juni Yeung, music teacher, author, cultural historian, and interpreter[41]
Michael Zambakkides, Vice president, Z3 Controls[42]
Results
2022 Richmond Hill Mayoral By-election Results[43]
^Robert M. Stamp (1991). "The First Village Council". Fire Brigades and Fence Viewers. Town of Richmond Hill Public Library.
^Thomas Claridge (November 14, 1985). "Voters return six York Region mayors Aurora results only exception in strong support for incumbents". The Globe and Mail. pp. A24. ISSN 0319-0714.
^Victoria Stevens (November 13, 1985). "2 mayoralty upsets in York region but most incumbents back in office". Toronto Star. pp. B.8. ISSN 0319-0781.
^"MUNICIPAL RESULTS". The Globe and Mail. November 16, 1988. pp. A 16. ISSN 0319-0714.
^Rudy Platiel (November 15, 1988). "Easy wins, surprise upsets recorded". The Globe and Mail. pp. A 18.
^Jock Ferguson, Dawn King and Rosemary Todd (November 16, 1988). "York region's new councillors 'no pushover' for developers". The Globe and Mail. pp. A 17. ISSN 0319-0714.
^Jock Ferguson and Dawn King (November 15, 1988). "York region voters dump two mayors Jackson easily defeats challengers in Vaughan". The Globe and Mail. pp. A 1.
^Marney Beck Robinson and Joan M. Clark (2000). Growing Success. Town of Richmond Hill/Richmond Hill Public Library Board. ISBN 0-9695376-1-1. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
^Robert Prowse. "Election Results by Polling Station" (PDF). Town of Richmond Hill.
^Robert Prowse. "Election Results by Polling Station" (PDF). Town of Richmond Hill.
^Robert Prowse. "Election Results by Polling Station" (PDF). Town of Richmond Hill.
^Robert Prowse. "Election Results by Polling Station" (PDF). Town of Richmond Hill.
^Robert Prowse. "Election Results by Polling Station" (PDF). Town of Richmond Hill.
^Robert Prowse. "Election Results by Polling Station" (PDF). Town of Richmond Hill.
^Robert Prowse. "Election Results by Polling Station" (PDF). Town of Richmond Hill.
^Courtney Paoletti, Andrei Zaretski and Neil Springer. "CBC Toronto - Toronto Votes 2006 - GTA Mayoral Races - Richmond Hill". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2008-02-26.
^Robert C. Prowse (November 13, 2006). "Official Results - Office of the Mayor" (PDF). Town of Richmond Hill.
^Robert C. Prowse (November 13, 2006). "Official Results - Regional and Local Councillor" (PDF). Town of Richmond Hill.
^Robert C. Prowse (November 13, 2006). "Official Results - Ward 1 Councillor" (PDF). Town of Richmond Hill.
^Robert C. Prowse (November 13, 2006). "Official Results - Ward 2 Councillor" (PDF). Town of Richmond Hill.
^Robert C. Prowse (November 13, 2006). "Official Results - Ward 3 Councillor" (PDF). Town of Richmond Hill.
^Robert C. Prowse (November 13, 2006). "Official Results - Ward 4 Councillor" (PDF). Town of Richmond Hill.
^Robert C. Prowse (November 13, 2006). "Official Results - Ward 5 Councillor" (PDF). Town of Richmond Hill.
^Robert C. Prowse (November 13, 2006). "Official Results - Ward 6 Councillor" (PDF). Town of Richmond Hill.
^"Cohen elects to fight for new council role". YorkRegion.com. 6 May 2010. Retrieved 2021-12-29.
^"e-voting comes to Richmond Hill". YorkRegion.com. 14 April 2010. Retrieved 2021-12-29.
^"Transit key to York votes". YorkRegion.com. 18 October 2010. Retrieved 2021-12-29.
^"York Region: 5 big election issues". The Toronto Star. 2010-04-20. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2021-12-29.
^"Richmond Hill's voter turnout higher than 2006". YorkRegion.com. 28 October 2010. Retrieved 2021-12-29.
^"Election Results by Polling Station" (PDF). City of Richmond Hill. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-12-29.
^"2018 Municipal Elections Clerk's Certificate Certified Election Results" (PDF). City of Richmond Hill. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-04-22.
^"Richmond Hill mayor takes leave of absence to deal with health issue". CP24. 2021-02-24. Retrieved 2021-12-29.
^Javed, Noor (2021-10-01). "'The conduct of councillors is out of control': Name-calling, bullying and squabbling at Richmond Hill council". The Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2021-12-29.
^Special Council Meeting - September 8, 2021 - 1:00 p.m. - City of Richmond Hill, 8 September 2021, retrieved 2021-12-29
^"Special Council Meeting Minutes C#34-21 Wednesday, September 8, 2021, 1:00 p.m." (PDF). City of Richmond Hill. Archived from the original on 2021-12-29.
^"Statement from Mayor Dave Barrow". City of Richmond Hill. Archived from the original on 2021-12-29. Retrieved 2021-12-29.
^"Special Council Meeting Minutes C#38-21 Wednesday, September 29, 2021, 9:30 a.m." (PDF). City of Richmond Hill. Archived from the original on 2021-12-29.
^"Susan Korman, candidate for 2022 Richmond Hill mayoral byelection". The Toronto Star. 2022-01-05. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
^"Ruida Tian, candidate for 2022 Richmond Hill mayoral byelection". The Toronto Star. 2022-01-05. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
^"Rona Wang, candidate for 2022 Richmond Hill mayoral byelection". The Toronto Star. 2022-01-05. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
^"Juni Yeung, candidate for 2022 Richmond Hill mayoral byelection". The Toronto Star. 2022-01-05. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
^"Michael Zambakkides, candidate for 2022 Richmond Hill mayoral byelection". The Toronto Star. 2022-01-05. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved 2022-01-27.