And they're at the wire

As the polling station closes at the Civic Centre, we'll now step out over that limb and give our reading of the political tea leaves for Saturday night.


We find that we share the sentiments of a postee on htmf's council thread, one who sees a whole lot of estrogen in the City Hall chambers for the next three years. And this is how we think that Podunkians will have marked their X's when the ballots are counted Saturday night.


First off though we'll offer up the prognostication on the Mayoralty competition, a close race we suspect that will see Jack Mussallem ready to take the gavel for the next three years, a success what will at least allow him to really have a reason to use those "Re-elect" Mussallem signs in three years time.


The vote will be close with less than three percent the difference, or so we think anyways.

For council, we see a slight change a comin'

Three incumbents will return to office:

Nelson Kinney
Sheila Gordon-Payne
Joy Thorkelson

Our feeling however, is that joining them as the new agents of transparency and change will be:

Anna Ashley
Gina Garon
Erika Rolston

It will be of interest to watch how a council made up of women for the most part, may change the tone of debate and offer up solutions to the many problems facing the city. Of particular interest will be the debate over the inner workings of civic government considering some of the high profile issues of the last few months down at City Hall
.
For School board we see fewer changes with most of the old guard returned to office:

Tina Last
Russell Wiens
Louisa Sanchez
Bart Kuntz
Brian Johnson
Terri Lynn Huddlestone

Of course with the votes just beginning to be counted we could be barking up the wrong political tree, giving ample opportunity for Podunkians to question our picks. But then that's half the sport of the political game.

But for now, it's off to our computer and a frequent push of the refresh button as we follow the progress of the Civic Election from the City of Prince Rupert website.


We'll update the blog later, ready to pat ourself on the back or prepared to eat a little political crow...