Jan Liggett elected mayor in Cambridge, ousting incumbent

Current Coun. Jan Liggett will be Cambridge's next mayor after ousting incumbent Kathryn McGarry in Monday's municipal election.

Liggett won with 46 per cent of the vote. McGarry received 42 per cent of the vote. Liggett had 1,126 votes more than McGarry. The results are unofficial until verified by the city clerk.

When reached early Tuesday morning, Liggett told CBC News she was feeling "pretty calm. It hasn't hit me yet."

She said she was thrilled by the support from the community and her volunteers. Liggett, who was hit by a car in September and had a broken foot, says volunteers "carried me on their shoulders" through the campaign when she couldn't go door-to-door.

She says her win shows people have been unhappy with council's direction for the last four years, but they were happy with the work she has done for the last eight years as a councillor.

"I'm thrilled with the council that I have been given and we are going to be working together," she said. "I truly intend to empower this council as this past four years, we were not empowered, we were not included in anything. So, my council will be a full-out team to do the work of the city and the constituents."

Liggett says as an example, not enough consultation was done with the public on a ministerial zoning order to build a warehouse for Amazon in Village of Blair within the City of Cambridge.

"We're going to allow people to delegate in an easier way and not be so restrictive. I think I'm going to have a much gentler tone than has been in the past," Liggett said. "I think everybody has the right to come before us as council and we need to hear what they have to say."

4 new councillors elected

Four new councillors were also elected. That includes Adam Cooper in Ward 6, who beat incumbent Shannon Adshade.

The councillors elected Monday night were:

• Ward 1: Incumbent Donna Reid.
• Ward 2: Incumbent Mike Devine.
• Ward 3: Corey Kimpson.
• Ward 4: Ross Earnshaw.
• Ward 5: Sheri Roberts.
• Ward 6: Adam Cooper.
• Ward 7: Incumbent Scott Hamilton.
• Ward 8: Incumbent Nicholas Ermeta.