The sheer noise of an election campaign is like listening to a thousand dog whistles at times.

A statement, a misstatement or rumor can over blow and derail everything. For a candidate it’s like playing hopscotch in a minefield.  I know, many years ago,  I was a candidate.

So, what was the end result.  Not from all the figures and counts but from the mood of the voters.

Lake Country, Kelowna and West Kelowna for all intent and purpose voted status quo.  In Peachland the drama continues as a recount showed a tie for Mayor, and there are a couple of new faces on council. Summerland has a new Mayor. Toni Boot a councillor who rose from the ranks of council.  Penticton found comfort in turning to the past –  they voted for a feeling of security on the strength of ballots from older citizens.

On a personal note one new Princeton councillor, George Elliot is an old radio announcer friend from the old days in Kelowna. George is one of the newly elected with ma new Mayor as well.  This was truly the zest for change born of restlessness.

At the RDOS there are a lot of new faces and three of the long standing members did not seek re-election.  It will be interesting to see who emerges as new leaders in the eyes of the community in terms of the Okanagan Similkameen.

On paper anyway, Osoyoos saw the most stable vote in terms of the electorate.  The Mayor was unchallenged. Two new people to replace those that stepped down.

Oliver was the most active in terms of debate and grassroots action.  I sensed the mood in late August when I was there to moderate the crime forum.

In the final analysis the numbers between the incumbent Mayor Ron Hovanes  and Martin Johansen  not that far apart but enough to be decisive.   In addition there are two new faces on the Oliver Council, and it will be interesting to see how the interaction of  new opinions will play out in the decision making process.

In my view what happened is people voted local. By that, I mean  there was no valley wide rush for change.

I watched as people actually talked about ideas and a touch of vision.  Turnout could have been better as usual but those who did vote approached the exercise with a sense of purpose.  For voters their moods with change too as candidates transition from campaign mode to the gavels of governance.

Four years from now we will see by the present mood if the voters were right.

Fred Steele