2003 Ottawa municipal election


The 2003 Ottawa municipal election was a municipal election that was held in Ottawa to elect the city's mayor, City Council, and school trustees for the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The vote was held on November 10, 2003. The elections were held simultaneously with 2003 [Ontario municipal elections|most other municipalities] in Ontario.
The mayoral election was won by popular incumbent and former Liberal Member of Provincial Parliament Bob Chiarelli. His main competition was that of right-wing candidate Terry Kilrea.

Issues

The main issues of the race were a controversial Smoking ban, the expansion of the O-Train, official bilingualism and the recent amalgamation. Chiarelli was in favour of the smoking ban, which had been implemented by the last city council. The ban was on smoking in all public places, which angered many bar and restaurant owners. Kilrea was against the smoking ban. He was also against putting money into expanding the O-Train, and official bilingualism in the city.

Controversy

One of the prominent fringe candidates for mayor was associated with white supremacist support. Donna Upson received contributions from the Ku Klux Klan, and she voiced support for racial segregation. She has also set up a Canadian branch of the National [Socialist Movement (United States)|National Socialist Movement]. She finished in sixth place with 1,312 votes.

Turnout

Turnout for the election was low, at 33%. The highest turnouts were in the rural areas, specifically in Goulbourn, Rideau and the highest West Carleton. The lowest turnout was in Somerset Ward at 25% turnout.

Results for mayor

Chiarelli won all but three wards and had his most strength in the city core region. Kilrea won three wards, all in the rural south and west.

Council results

No incumbents lost any races, and only two councillors had a decrease in the popular vote percentage from the 2000 election.
Orléans Ward
  1. Herb Kreling 7,182
  2. Louise Malloy 2,671
Innes Ward
  1. Rainer Bloess 5,925
  2. J.-F. Claude 4,073
Bell-South Nepean Ward
  1. Jan Harder 11,678
  2. John R. Palmer 1,784
Kanata Ward
  1. Peggy Feltmate 12,260
  2. Richard Rutkowski 4,166
  3. Donald Leafloor 561
  4. Grant Johnston 384
West Carleton Ward
  1. Eli El-Chantiry 2,738
  2. Adele Muldoon 2,709
  3. Daryl W. Craig 480
  4. Jim Jenkins 210
Goulbourn Ward
  1. Janet Stavinga 5,076
  2. Michael P. O'Rourke 2,837
Bay Ward
  1. Alex Cullen 6,713
  2. John Blatherwick 4,477
  3. Don Rivington 394
  4. Didar Mohamed 248
Baseline Ward
  1. Rick Chiarelli
Knoxdale-Merivale Ward
  1. Gord Hunter 7,029
  2. Phillip Unhola 637
  3. Al Speyers 624
Gloucester-Southgate Ward
  1. Diane Deans 6,166
  2. Harold G. Keenan 3,917
  3. David Lamothe 308
Beacon Hill-Cyrville Ward
  1. Michel Bellemare 4,613
  2. Frank Reid 2,812
  3. Osman Abdi 132
Rideau-Vanier Ward
  1. Georges Bédard 3,631
  2. Bruce McConville 2,355
  3. Angela Rickman 1,829
  4. Giacomo Vigna 582
  5. Abdillahi Omar Bouh 211
  6. Natasha Duckworth 137
Rideau-Rockcliffe Ward
  1. Jacques Legendre 6,070
  2. James Parker 934
  3. Michel Binda 663
Somerset Ward
  1. Diane Holmes 4,105
  2. Dawn Pickering 1,195
  3. David MacDonald 567
  4. William A. Ostapyk 366
  5. Steve Sweeney 189
  6. Sotos Petrides 132
  7. Bill Driver 55
  8. Mike Jung 53
Kitchissippi Ward
  1. Shawn Little 2,907
  2. Kris Klein 2,330
  3. Gary Ludington 2,217
  4. Linda Davis 1,540
  5. Daniel Stringer 1,058
  6. David McConnell 625
  7. Les Gangé 42
River Ward
  1. Maria McRae 5,600
  2. Todd Mattila-Hartman 1,654
  3. Richard Smith 1,619
Capital Ward
  1. Clive Doucet 5,785
  2. C.R.L. Erickson 1,024
  3. Mike Salmon 417
Alta Vista Ward
  1. Peter Hume
Cumberland Ward
  1. Rob Jellett 2,957
  2. Garry Lowe 1,871
  3. Pierre E. Doucette 552
  4. David Whissell 59
Osgoode Ward
  1. Doug Thompson
Rideau Ward
  1. Glenn Brooks 2,765
  2. Paul Paton 1,646

Information on the candidates