Mike Frazier is back for a fifth term as Mayor of McBride.

Frazier received 188 votes during the Nov. 19 municipal election. He was followed by former councillor Loranne Martin, who registered 109 votes, and Allen Birnie, who received 31.

Joining Frazier on council for the next three years are two familiar faces, along with two new ones.

Rick Thompson and Irene Rejman were both re-elected, receiving 140 and 136 votes respectively.

This is both Thompson and Rejman’s fourth term on council. 

Newcomer to council, Raj Basran, received the most votes with 158, while Lori Kimpton filled the fourth spot on council, registering 129 votes.

Basran is the owner of three businesses in McBride: Stedmans, BKB Cedar Products and Cougar Den Cabins. He said his focus will be creating well-paying jobs for the next generation, so they aren’t forced to move away after graduation. 

Kimpton is an elementary school teacher. Before the election, she said she wants to help foster community spirit as a way of getting everyone to work together. The traits that make her a good fit for council are that she’s organized, energetic and likes to get things done, she said.

Of the estimated 434 eligible voters, 328 cast votes in the municipal election. That’s about a 75.6-per-cent turnout.

There were 11 candidates running for the four council positions. 

Falling only five votes short of Kimpton was Kevin Taphorn with 124 votes. Then came Allan Frederick (116 votes), Joe Kolida (109 votes), Michael Monroe (95 votes), Vanessa Byron-Stanley (90 votes), Eunice Wentz (53 votes) and Nelson Hicks (46 votes).

The new council will meet for the first time Dec. 5. At the start of that meeting, the newly elected mayor and council will be sworn in.