WESTLOCK — It was the finish to a hard-fought campaign that Jon Kramer was hoping for.
Kramer earned 819 votes, while his opponent Robin Brett earned 452 votes for a total of 1,271 votes cast. Kramer was elected alongside council candidate David Truckey.
Hundreds of voters packed the Westlock and District Community Hall throughout Wednesday, Jan. 10 despite the bitter cold and an extreme cold warning for the region issued earlier in the day by Environment Canada to cast their vote and have a say on who will be Westlock’s next mayor.
Kramer vacated his current council seat mid-way through the term to run for mayor. Kramer and his wife Kim have called Westlock home since 2004 and have raised their two daughters in the community.
Over the past two years he sat as a councillor under the leadership of former mayor Ralph Leriger until the mayor resigned to go work in the private sector.
Kramer's experience on council involves board and committee appointments, including the Westlock Regional Water Services Commission, Homeland Housing, the Municipal Planning Commission, Family and Community Support Services (FCSS), Health and Safety, and the Financial Framework Task Force.
Kramer currently works as a substitute elementary school educational assistant and an authorized Alberta marriage commissioner. He continues to be active in youth sports, including coaching the swim club and basketball.
The last byelection in Westlock was held in 2015 when acting mayor Murtaza Jamaly won his council seat, after Coun. Sheila Foley resigned and moved away. A total of 799 voters cast their ballots then.
More to come.
