Williams Lake city council will have a new look after the 2014 election.
All three incumbents who ran from last term’s council were re-elected, however, it was the newcomers who won the most votes.
Businessman and former mayor Scott Nelson took home the most votes with 1,946.
“It’s absolutely fantastic,” Nelson said of the results.
“My top priority will be to work with Mount Polley to get that mine running and those 400 people back to work.”
Williams Lake and District Chamber of Commerce president Jason Ryll, in his first race, won 1,789 votes while business owner Craig Smith garnered 1,688.
Incumbents Sue Zacharias received 1,577 votes, Ivan Bonnell won 1,501 and Laurie Walters had 1,500.
Mayor elect Walt Cobb described the newly elected council as one with a good range of experience, although he said he was surprised the three incumbents were re-elected because the feeling on the street was that people wanted a clean sweep.
“In a sense it will be easier for me because I’ll have some councillors there with experience,” he said.
Six other people ran for councillor positions including Peter Bowman who received 1,106 votes, Marnie Brenner who had 1,040, Sue Lachance who had 1,452, Wayne Lucier who had 1,073, Bobbi-Joe Macnair who had 1,288 and Tovi Pare who had 1,291.
The city said Saturday a total of 3,565 of 7,777 estimated eligible electors voted resulting in a 45.8 per cent voter turnout.
This compares to the 2011 general local election in which a total of 3,638 of 7,173 estimated eligible electors voted resulting in a 50.7 per cent voter turnout, the 2008 election, in which a total of 2,989 of 6,682 estimated eligible electors voted resulting in a 44.7 per cent voter turnout, and the 2005 general local election in which 3,857 of 7,769 eligible electors resulting in a voter turnout of 49.6 per cent.