What you need to know about Vernon candidates vying for seat at council table

Municipal election day is Saturday, Oct. 17, and there are 15 candidates vying for six council seats in Vernon, along with three running for mayor.

Here’s a brief snapshot of what they say they’re about.

Running for mayor

Two-term mayor Victor Cumming has kicked off his campaign trail by putting out a video highlighting all the things the city has achieved under his leadership in the last eight years. 

Now wanting to upgrade her seat from councillor to mayor, Kari Gares has been endorsed by Conservative MP Scott Anderson and is using the tagline “Leadership that listens” on her comprehensive website.

Wanting to get back into municipal politics after a 15-year hiatus, former two-term mayor Wayne Lippert is also running for mayor using the slogan, “Experience. Integrity. Results.”

Running for council

There are 15 candidates for council, including three incumbents, and former mayor Rob Sawatzky who served one term from 2011 to 2014 before choosing not to run.

Here they are, in alphabetical order:

Former North Westside Fire Rescue Wayne Carson is running for the first time in Vernon, but has been a Regional District of Central Okanagan electoral area director since 2014. He’s also been on the Okanagan Basin Water Board and is still running for his seat Regional District of Central Okanagan.

A new face in the race is Robert Cook. He told the Vernon Morning Star that water security, affordable housing, and stopping urban sprawl were key election issues. He also said he wouldn’t accept campaign donations from corporations.

Another new face in the race is Barry Dorval, a retired teacher, former chair of the city’s Climate Action Advisory Committee and former president of the Vernon Teachers’ Association. He told the Morning Star that his priorities included expanding housing choices, and that “difficult issues rarely have simple answers.”

First elected in a byelection in 2021, incumbent Teresa Durning is running for council. In 2025, she had a failed attempt to become the federal Conservative candidate for Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee. In announcing her campaign in July, she touted being financially responsible, supporting sustainable growth, and strengthening the local economy as key issues.

Another incumbent on the ballot sheet is two-term councillor Kelly Fehr. On his website, he lists his “vision for Vernon,” which includes climate resilience and water security as well as transforming Polson Park into a vibrant hub.

Lawyer Dustin Griffin is having his first shot at being a councillor, stating on his website that as a lawyer he’s spent a decade reading the fine print for other people and would now like to do it for the city. He’s sat on boards for the Upper Room Mission, Armstrong Co-op and the Junior Chamber International. 

Best known as the executive director of the Vernon Public Art Gallery, a position she’s held for almost 20 years, Dauna Kennedy is running for council. She attempted to become the BC United candidate before the party dissolved, and has been endorsed by former BC Liberal MLA, Tom Christensen. Posting on social media, she says that as a single mom who raised her children here, she knows firsthand the importance of supporting youth and ensuring Vernon is better for the next generation of residents.

Another new name in the race is Vernon-Lumby MLA Harwinder Sandhu’s constituency advisor Amy Klassen. Her website states, “There should be someone at the table who knows what ordinary life costs” and she told Castanet she brings the perspective of a working person, a renter and a person living in a multigenerational household to the council table.

Newbie Sarah Moorhouse has served on various Vernon boards over the years and is touting her experience as a single mom and single-income homeowner feeling the pressure of aggressive property tax increases. She also says that, as an employer, she sees the desperate need for better housing options for employees.

After a term as mayor and two terms on council, incumbent Akbal Mund is eyeing his fourth term at the council table. He’s likely running on his track record, as he has no obvious website or social media campaign. He recently told Castanet he was supporting Kari Gares for mayor.

Retired family doctor and former mayor Rob Sawatzky is pitching his previous term as mayor to voters, saying that during that time, council established a dedicated infrastructure levy and moved away from making ad hoc decisions. He’s sat on numerous boards over the years, including the Red Cross, Ribbons of Green Trails Society, Vernon Senior Curling and Turning Points Collaborative.

Best known as the owner of the Fig cafe in downtown Vernon, David Scarlatescu is running for council. He says he won’t make empty promises and is committed to being accessible, open-minded, and focused on Vernon. In 2021, Scarlatescu went on Rebel News speaking against vaccine passports, although he doesn’t mention that on his website.

Former Walmart store manager, who’s now a regional manager for a small business, Kari Statham is running for council. She told Castanet she would bring financial accountability, strategic vision and common-sense leadership to City Hall.

Well-known community advocate Dawn Tucker is having another shot at council after coming in eighth place at the last election. Calling herself a “financial watchdog,” she says that’s not just a slogan and she states that she’s been to almost every council meeting since 2017, a “level of consistency few residents or candidates can claim.”

Former Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce president Diana Wilson is running for a seat on council. A past president of both the Vernon Paddling Centre and the North Okanagan Cycling Society, she told Castanet that she doesn’t pretend to have all the answers. “But I do know how to evaluate complex issues, weigh different perspectives, and make thoughtful decisions that will serve the best interests of our community,” she said.

Municipal election day is Saturday, Oct. 17.