West Kelowna Mayor Gord Milsom challenged at last minute

For the longest time it looked like West Kelowna Mayor Gord Milsom would be one of the few B.C. mayors to be returned to office by acclamation in this year’s municipal elections.

But today, Sept. 9, Andrew Kwaczynski filed his nomination papers to run against him.

Kwaczynski ran for Peachland council in 2018, finishing last in a field of 10 people vying for six seats on council with 277 votes.

Milsom easily won the mayor’s chair in 2018 with 83% of the vote.

The field for the six councillor positions is fairly small, with 10 people running.

Those include three incumbents, Rick de Jong, Jason Friesen and Carol Zanon along with former councillor Brydon Winsby.

Election day is Oct. 15. Nominations are now closed.

The unofficial full list of candidates is here. (I) indicates the incumbents.

MAYOR

• Milsom, Gord
• Kwaczynski, Andrew

COUNCIL (6)

• Bastiaanssen, Anthony
• Da Silva, Tasha
• de Jong, Rick (I)
• Ensign, Rusty
• Friesen, Jason (I)
• Groat, Tom
• Johnston, Stephen
• Martin, John
• Millsap, Garrett
• Naaykens, Jasmine Jane
• Sylvia, Dawn
• Winsby, Bryden
• Zanon, Carol (I)

 — This story was updated at 11:21 a.m. Sept. 10, 2022, to add candidates.

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