Waterloo Regional council has unanimously approved a recount after a candidate was edged out of a seat by just three votes in last week’s municipal election. Chris Moser, a political newcomer, finished third in the race for one of two regional council seats representing the City of Waterloo. He received 8,602 votes, just three fewer than incumbent Chantal Huinink, who secured the second seat with 8,605 votes. Incumbent Jim Erb finished first with 13,994 votes. Moser’s request for a recount was brought forward at Tuesday’s regional council meeting and received unanimous support. Eric Davis, a municipal law specialist with SV Law who represents Moser, said a recount would help ensure there were no issues with the original count. “I think a lot of people would look at that and say, ‘Hey, let’s at least conduct a recount to make sure that there’s no issues or anything like that,’” Davis said. Huinink also supported the request, and said she would have sought a recount herself if she were in Moser’s position. Regional councillor Michael Harris said approving the recount was not a reflection of a lack of trust in the electoral process, but rather a way to validate the results. “We all want clarity. I’m happy that the motion passed. I’m happy that the electorate and regional council will know the result,” Huinink said. When will the recount happen? The recount is scheduled for Nov. 9, alongside a separate recount in the Waterloo Catholic District School Board trustee race. Two candidates seeking to represent Waterloo, Woolwich and Wellesley on the school board each received 2,049 votes. The tie followed a reported typing error by the Township of Woolwich clerk. The recount will determine whether the candidates remain tied or if the results change. What happens if the school trustee race is still tied? Under Ontario’s Municipal Act, an automatic recount is required when an election ends in a tie. If the recount in the Catholic school board trustee race also ends in a tie, the standard procedure is for the clerk to determine the winner by lot, which can involve drawing a name. Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Bobbi Ann Brady is hoping to change that process. Brady tabled a motion at Queen’s Park Tuesday calling for a legislative change that would require a runoff election instead of leaving the outcome to chance. She argued that drawing a name after a recount undermines the democratic process and could contribute to voter apathy. “I think that we need to update the legislation and update that provision in order to give the electorate, give the voter, peace of mind that tie vote matters and is not just going to be left to chance,” she told CTV News. Even if the motion passes, the proposed change is unlikely to take effect before the next municipal election in 2030.
