Unofficial results from the October 26 municipal elections sealed a clear victory for incumbent Mayor Mario Zanth, who will begin a new term at the head of the city of Clarence-Rockland.
The vote reaffirms citizens’ confidence in the leadership at City Hall, while marking major changes in the wards with the arrival of several new representatives.
A strong mandate for Mayor Zanth
Mario Zanth decisively won the mayoral race, garnering 5,868 votes. His opponents, Laurier Lalonde and Jay Woodruff, received 1,971 and 1,142 votes, respectively.
This victory builds on a long track record of community involvement for Zanth. He first entered municipal politics in 2014, serving two terms as Ward 2 councillor before taking over the mayoralty in 2021 and winning election to the post in 2022.
A retiree from the federal public service with the Department of Justice, Zanth was also named Warden of the United Counties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR) for the 2026 term and Vice-Chair of the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (EOWC) executive.
For this upcoming term, Zanth’s platform centers on maintaining momentum on major projects and fostering greater transparency with residents.
On infrastructure and growth, he continues to prioritize regional modernization, most notably the widening of County Road 17 as well as implementing tailored financial frameworks to stimulate regional development.
Ward 1
The Ward 1 seat became vacant following the decision of outgoing councillor Kyle Cyr not to seek another mandate, having represented the area since 2022.
Marc Daigneault secured victory with 773 votes against Christine Dawood, who earned 339 votes. Mr. Daigneault enters politics following a lengthy career in municipal administration, including roles with Clarence-Rockland, the UCPR, and the Township of Alfred-Plantagenet.
Ward 2
Stéphane Fournier was acclaimed as councillor for Ward 2. He returns to his seat for a second term since his initial election in 2022.
Ward 3
The contest proved particularly tight in Ward 3, where incumbent councillor Carl Grimard held on to his seat with 600 votes, narrowly edging out his closest rival, Mathieu Gervais, who tallied 564.
Raymond Luttmer finished third with 154 votes. Grimard embarks on a fourth consecutive term as Ward 3 councillor, a post he has held since 2014. With this victory, he becomes the longest-serving continuous member around the council table.
Ward 4
Ward 4 also featured a hard-fought contest to succeed outgoing councillor Samuel Cardarelli, who opted not to seek re-election after serving since 2022. Casey Billing won the vote with 639 ballots compared to 561 for opponent Sameer Chhibber, a local business owner and active volunteer, Billing makes his municipal politics debut.
Ward 5
Two candidates ran in Ward 5 to succeed outgoing councillor André J. Lalonde, who chose not to seek a fourth consecutive term.
Don Bouchard earned a decisive victory, capturing 813 votes against Chantal Sarkisian, who received 250.
Having first served as Ward 4 councillor in 2018 before falling short in the 2022 mayoral race, Don Bouchard marks his return to the council table.
Ward 6
In Ward 6, a three-way race concluded with the election of France Daviault, who received 593 votes, finishing ahead of Sarma Merdian (432 votes) and David Roy (179 votes).
Daviault succeeds outgoing councillor Simon-Olivier Péladeau-Houle, who declined to run for a second term.
She enters municipal politics following a diverse career in the non-profit sector, military service, and grassroots community initiatives.
Ward 7
Michel Levert was acclaimed as councillor for Ward 7, replacing outgoing councillor Trevor Stewart, who did not run for re-election.
Having previously represented the ward from 2014 to 2022 and served as acting mayor in 2021, Michel Levert returns to municipal council to represent Ward 7.
Ward 8
Ward 8 delivered the only defeat of an incumbent councillor, with Marc Roy securing victory with 698 votes over 440 for long-standing councillor Diane Choinière.
Choinière, first elected in 2010, had been seeking a fifth consecutive term. A resident of Bourget for nearly 40 years, Roy joins the council following a career spanning more than three decades in municipal services. He brings over 35 years of local volunteer and charity involvement to the service of Ward 8 residents.
