Tecumseh voters end McNamara era

Gary McNamara, the longest-serving mayor in Tecumseh history, has been removed from office after residents voted for a change in municipal leadership. Joe Bachetti, a former deputy mayor, won the mayoral race on Monday night, ending McNamara's 35 years in public office. The election results marked a complete turnover in the town's top administrative roles.

McNamara first entered council in 1991. He served as deputy mayor from 1998 to 2003 before assuming the mayoralty. Bachetti, who has served as a councillor for 20 years and as deputy mayor for the past 12 years, challenged the incumbent. The unofficial count shows Bachetti received 7,017 votes compared to McNamara's 2,704.

Bachetti characterized the vote count as a measure of community support rather than just statistics. He stated that the numbers represent neighbors and families who want the town to feel more welcoming. He emphasized his availability during the campaign, noting that he answered phone calls, visited sites, and provided solutions to residents. He said he will continue this practice as mayor.

McNamara expressed pride in his 31 years of service, despite being disappointed with the final numbers. He congratulated Bachetti and the new team for running a hard-fought campaign. The outgoing mayor said he feels good about the contributions he made to the municipality. He plans to take time off to travel with his wife and spend more time with his children and four grandchildren.

Tania Jobin, a former councillor, was elected deputy mayor with 5,773 votes. Larry Morand finished second in that race with 3,558 votes. Five new or returning councillors will join the board. James Dorner, an incumbent, won his seat with 1,594 votes. Darrin Drouillard received 1,370 votes, Chris Elliott received 1,213 votes, Cheryl Hardcastle received 781 votes, and Marisa Nabbout received 737 votes.

The Municipal Clerk will officially certify all results on Tuesday, October 27. Until that certification is complete, the figures remain unofficial. The new council will begin its term immediately following the confirmation of the vote counts.

Bachetti said he felt the support of residents during the campaign, noting that some voters told him he had their vote before he could distribute his campaign flyers. He described the response at door-to-door meetings as a strong indicator of how the election would turn out.