Nearly 10,000 more votes were cast in Windsor’s mayoral race Monday compared to four years ago, part of a broader increase in voting across several communities in the region. Unofficial results show 59,201 valid votes were cast for mayor in Windsor, up from 49,550 in 2022. That’s an increase of 9,651 votes, or nearly 20 per cent. An even larger jump was recorded in Chatham-Kent, where 36,703 residents cast ballots, compared to 24,546 four years ago. That represents more than 12,000 additional voters, with turnout climbing from 30.56 per cent in 2022 to 40.79 per cent this year. The increase came as Chatham-Kent voters elected Michael Bondy as their new mayor, defeating incumbent Darrin Canniff. Back in Essex County, LaSalle and Tecumseh also recorded substantial increases in voter participation. In LaSalle, 13,438 ballots were recorded in the mayoral contest, including declined votes, compared to 7,743 total ballots cast in 2022. Tecumseh saw 9,721 valid votes cast for mayor alone, surpassing the 5,655 ballots cast across the entire municipal election four years ago. Both towns had uncontested mayoral races in 2022, when Crystal Meloche and Gary McNamara were acclaimed. Both incumbents were defeated Monday. The upward trend extended to several other Essex County communities. Lakeshore recorded 11,580 valid votes for mayor, compared to 9,085 total ballots cast in 2022. Amherstburg also saw an increase, with 8,916 mayoral votes recorded Monday, compared to 7,339 ballots four years ago. In Essex, the town reported 7,487 voters, compared to 7,032 in the previous election. Meanwhile, on Pelee Island, 325 of 502 eligible electors voted, representing turnout of approximately 64.7 per cent. That’s up from 58.4 per cent in 2022. A complete picture of participation across the region is still emerging, with comparable turnout figures needed to determine how voting changed in Kingsville and Leamington. While the increases in votes cast are notable, they don’t necessarily translate to equivalent increases in voter turnout percentages. Many of the 2026 figures represent valid votes cast in mayoral races, while the 2022 comparisons represent total ballots cast. Final certified results and updated eligible-voter counts will provide a clearer picture of how voter turnout changed across the region.
