Penticton chooses newspaper editor to fill empty council seat

Penticton Herald managing editor James Miller will take the empty seat at the council table.

According to preliminary results, Miller was elected to Penticton city council with 1,666 votes which is 900  more than Isaac Gilbert who came in second place. He was one among 10 people running in the by-election that was called when former Coun. Jake Kimberly retired so he could continue healing from a stroke he'd had months earlier.

Due to COVID-19, it was a muted celebration, but Miller met with supporters at the Prague Cafe, this morning after getting the majority of votes the night before.

In a video post to social media, he said he was “overwhelmed” by the win and thanked the community for its support.

“Thank you voters for this overwhelming victory tonight,” he said.

“I am going to work very hard to be the best city councillor I can for you.”

He said he looked forward  to working with the public and “keeping Penticton the great place it is.”

The preliminary results are:

  • Miller 1,666
  • Gilbert 766
  • Hansen 718
  • Boultbee 610
  • Brown 399
  • Cox 317
  • Brownlee 237
  • OKell 134
  • Blake 95
  • McIntyre 67
  • Marina contract was YES

To contact a reporter for this story, email Kathy Michaels or call 250-718-0428 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. 

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community? Create a free account to comment on stories, ask questions, and join meaningful discussions on our new site.

Leave a Reply

Kathy Michaels

Kathy Michaels has been an Okanagan-based journalist for more than a decade, working for community papers along the valley and beyond.
She’s won provincial and national awards in business, news and feature writing and says that her love for telling a good story rivals only her fondness for turning a good phrase.
If you have a story that deserves to be told in a thoughtful and compassionate manner, don’t hesitate to reach out.
To reach Kathy call 250-718-0428 or email kmichaels@infonews.ca.