Chapleau Councillor Recount Results Released

Some numbers have changed but the elected Council has not, after a recount for some of Chapleau's municipal election results.

Ordered by Chapleau Town Council Monday night, the recount focused on councillor results, as the official count released last week showed former councillor and Chapleau High School vice principal Lisi Bernier elected with 496 votes, while Our Lady of Fatima elementary school principal Natalie Tessier just missed a seat on Council with 492.

The recount results show slightly different vote numbers: current councillor Rick Smith picked up a vote for a total of 682 (was 681); incumbent councillor Gerard Bernier remained at 642; Chapleau Public School principal Nicolle Schuurman gained a vote for a total of 549 (was 548); and Lisi Bernier remained at 496.

Tessier - on the other hand - lost two votes in the recount, down to 490, widening the margin to six votes, while local teacher Alex Lambruschini also lost a vote, down to 465 (was 466).

Even after this recount, another can still be requested of Council or a judge until 30 days after official election results were released, which would set a November 22nd deadline.

The new Council is scheduled to be sworn-in on the first Monday of December, the 3rd.

Council also ordered a recount of the French separate school board trustee results, which showed incumbent Garry Bruneau win by 276 votes to 273 for Luc Tessier.

Results for that recount are expected early next week: as the trustee represents not only Chapleau but also Wawa, White River, and unorganized territory in the region, each community needs to perform a recount of their results, which will then be compiled for the official total.

The recount order sets a 15-day limit for those results.