Becky Hogg has won the North Cowichan council seat in a byelection held to fill a vacancy left in fall 2024.
Hogg expressed excitement as her supporters celebrated the preliminary results.
“It felt incredible,” she said. “While it’s a short term with many learning curves, I’m ready for the challenge and will keep to my word with my platform. I’m looking forward to working alongside Christopher Justice, Bruce Findlay, Mike Caljouw, Tek Manhas, Chris Istace, and Mayor Rob Douglas.”
The byelection took place on Saturday, April 12, with advance voting on April 2 and 8. Five candidates ran for the seat: Hogg, David Bellis, Raymon Farmere, Johanne Kemmler, and Joanna Lord.
Hogg received 2,029 votes, narrowly ahead of Joanna Lord, who earned 1,962 votes. David Bellis came third with 447 votes, followed by Johanne Kemmler with 387 and Raymon Farmere with 41.
Voter turnout was low, with 4,866 ballots cast out of approximately 28,684 eligible voters. Official results will be declared on April 16.
“Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote, and to the many people who worked at polling stations,” said the municipality on Saturday night.
Hogg’s victory marks the beginning of her short-term role on council, where she aims to implement her platform and contribute to North Cowichan’s governance.
