As municipal election day approaches, here's a look back at recent results

After the ballots were counted, Charles Crosby – a veteran councillor – was the town’s new mayor. He was a decisive victor, winning 13 of 13 polls and finishing with more than twice as many votes as the second-place candidate.

In the election for council, meanwhile, three of the incumbents – Jim MacLeod, Victor Eldridge and Clifford Hood – retained their seats while Doug Mosley, Ken Langille and Jim Stockman rounded out the new council.

The 1988 election was an historic one for the Municipality of Argyle, where a realignment of electoral boundaries had created three new districts and therefore increased council’s size from eight to 11 members. (The number eventually would be cut back to nine.)

The big story coming out of Argyle in 1988 was the tie in one of the contested districts between Pat Murphy, the incumbent and long-time council member – and warden since 1979 – and challenger Christian Surette. Surette eventually won the seat in a draw of names after a judicial recount failed to break the deadlock.

Incumbent councillors who faced challenges but who prevailed included Fred Hines, Robert H. Amirault and Charles LeBlanc.

Joining council were Aldric d’Entremont, Edward LeBlanc and Del Boudreau.

Incumbent council members Eugene Doucette, Arthur Muise, Donald Doucette and Gordon Wood returned to council by acclamation.

In the Municipality of Yarmouth the 1988 election saw Jan Morrow, Dan Stanton, Bob Anthony and Pat Rodney return to council by acclamation.

Facing challenges but winning were incumbent councillors Staley Goodwin and Reg LeBlanc and newcomer Richard Hurlburt.



1991

Charles Crosby remained mayor in 1991 by acclamation.

As for town council, three incumbents – Vic Eldridge, Jim Stockman and Cliff Hood – were re-elected, while new candidates Esther Dares and Ken Wheelans would be joining them around the council table. Who would fill the sixth council seat was unclear at first. Gary Leach eventually was declared the winner after a close result prompted one candidate to call for a recount.

Only two of seven seats were contested in the Municipality of Yarmouth, Aurel Mooney and Jean Hersey winning these.

In the Municipality of Argyle winners of contested seats included Pat Murphy, Arthur Muise, Richard Donaldson, John Gray, Michael Murphy and Edward LeBlanc.



1994

There was a three-person race for mayor in 1994 and Charles Crosby topped the field, again winning decisively.

Incumbent councillors Cliff Hood, Esther Dares and Gary Leach were re-elected, with newcomers Martin Pink, Murray Judge and Wally Strickland joining them.

Town voters were asked two referendum questions. The majority of voters said no to the town taking over garbage collection from the present collectors. A majority also said no to having casino gambling in town.

In the Municipality of Yarmouth three incumbent councillors – Richard Hurlburt, Staley Goodwin and Pat Rodney – were triumphant over challengers to their seats, while Chris Perry and Leland Anthony – newcomers to council – were victorious. (Bryan Smith – who had joined council the previous year as the result of a byelection – was one of two incumbents whose council positions went unchallenged.)

As for the Municipality of Argyle, four of six incumbents whose seats were contested – Pat Murphy, Aldric d’Entremont, Donald Doucette and John Gray – were re-elected, while newcomers Bruce Hubbard and Emery Muise were elected. Five council seats were uncontested.



1997

Charles Crosby returned to the mayor’s office by acclamation in 1997 while five of the six town councillors who reoffered – Martin Pink, Cliff Hood, Wally Strickland, Murray Judge and Esther Dares – were re-elected. The sixth councillor’s seat eventually went to Dan MacIsacc, whose name was pulled from a box by the town clerk, a measure made necessary after a judicial recount had left MacIsaac and fellow candidate Theresa Dalton with the same number of votes.

There would be no change around the council table in the Municipality of Yarmouth as six of seven council members kept their seats by acclamation. Richard Hurlburt, the only council member facing a challenge, was triumphant.

In the Municipality of Argyle five seats were contested in the 1997 election. Of these, two were won by incumbents – Charles LeBlanc and Robert Amirault – two went to new councillors – Greg Foster and Briand Pothier – and one went to a former councillor, Arthur Muise.



2000

Again the mayor’s seat was uncontested while a dozen people ran for council. All incumbents reoffered, Hood, Strickland, Pink, Judge and Dares being re-elected, along with newcomer Byron Boudreau.

In the Municipality of Yarmouth Gilles Robichaud would join council after winning the only contested seat. Andy Nickerson also would join council, capturing his seat by acclamation.

Four seats were contested in the Municipality of Argyle. Incumbents Charles LeBlanc and Briand Pothier were re-elected. Former councillor Bruce Hubbard returned to council while newcomer Calvin d’Entremont was the winner in the other district that was contested.



2004

It’s now four years between civic elections. While the scheduling of the vote may have changed, however, there was no change around the town council table as the mayor and all six incumbent councillors were re-elected.

There would be changes in the Municipality of Yarmouth, albeit with some familiar faces – former councillors Brian Noble and Ken Crosby – winning seats. Daniel Muise, triumphant in one of the other contested districts, would be making his council debut.

In the Municipality of Argyle most council members kept their seats by acclamation, while seats that were contested went to former councillor Greg Foster, incumbent Arthur Muise and newcomer Roderick Murphy Jr.

A provincewide plebiscite was held as part of the 2004 civic elections to see how Nova Scotians felt about Sunday shopping.

In the three local municipal units a majority of voters expressed opposition to opening up Sunday shopping to all stores. A majority also said that, if Sunday shopping was to be wide open, they preferred that this be limited to the six weeks before Christmas.