Harvey Smith loses Daniel McIntyre council seat to Cindy Gilroy

Long-time Daniel McIntyre city councillor Harvey Smith lost his seat Wednesday night to Cindy Gilroy.

“I feel excited. Excited and nervous at the same time,” said Gilroy. “I came within 108 votes last time so it was a close race and I anticipated a close race this time too.”

Gilroy ran against Smith in the last election and lost by a hair. This election, the difference was much larger. Gilroy took in more than 4,200 votes, while Keith Bellamy took in more than 3,600 and Smith racked up more than 3,200.

Gilroy said she thinks she was able to win this year because she got out early to campaign.

Smith held the council seat for the area since 1998 and took on five candidates this time around.

His campaign manager, Joe Chan, called the defeat extremely disappointing.

"I've never seen a councillor work seven days a week -- done so much in this ward and we get such a result," said Chan. "We're thankful for all those people coming out to vote."

Gilroy said the next step for her will be getting up to speed.

“I really have to learn the ropes. I have a learning curve ahead of me,” she said, adding she would be getting to know her colleagues and new mayor Brian Bowman soon.

“I grew up in this area my whole life … and I was a school trustee so I already have deep roots in my community,” she said.