Lethbridge mayor-elect Blaine Hyggen ‘honoured’ to serve second term as mayor

Blaine Hyggen is expected to remain in the mayor's seat. The incumbent is projected to have come out of the election with 44 per cent of the vote.

Lethbridge mayor-elect Blaine Hyggen says he’s honoured and thrilled to serve the community for a second term as mayor.

Unofficial results from the City of Lethbridge show Hyggen received 7,340 votes and is projected to have won.

“It’s been an honour to serve 12 years. Eight as council, four as mayor, and to continue this, these next four years,” said Hyggen.

“We’ve heard loud and clear at the doors and at any of the forums, if it’s between councillors or mayor candidates or trustee candidates, for that matter, they’ve said loud and clear that they want to make sure that we continue moving the city forward, continue the advocacy work that we’re doing, such as the doctor recruitment strategies.”

The mayor-elect says his top priorities are public safety, doctor recruitment and affordable housing.

“We need housing,” said Hyggen.

“We need to continue with the services that we have in the community, if it’s doctors, if it’s the roadways and the infrastructure that we need to welcome these folks into our community.”

He says advocacy efforts will also continue for funding of a third bridge.

Hyggen secured 42.9 per cent of the vote.

Only 17,000 people cast a ballot, or about 19.3 per cent of eligible voters.

“We did everything we could within the city, and that’s from the website, from emails to our local media and online, but there’s many people that don’t use those methods, or at least not all of them, so having that mail strike did hurt us in getting that out,” said Hyggen.

“However, I can guarantee you this: we did everything that we possibly could to make sure that people knew to get out and vote.”

Despite results only being released Tuesday night, Hyggen says he’s already getting to work.

“I’m on my way to Edmonton,” he said.

“I’m going to be meeting with a few ministers and getting some work done. Then I’m going to the speech from the throne and I need to let them be aware of what Lethbridge needs.”

The results of the municipal election will become official at noon on Friday.