Essex Mayor Bondy wins 5,288 votes in second term bid

The Municipality of Essex elected its leadership on Monday, with incumbent Sherry Bondy securing a second term as mayor. Unofficial results indicate a clear victory for the sitting official over her primary opponent.

Bondy received 5,288 votes in the contest. Challenger Trevor Menard collected 2,206 votes. The margin of victory stands at 3,082 votes, confirming Bondy's retention of the office she first won in 2022.

Bondy stated that the outcome reflects the work performed during her previous four years in office. She noted that the council focused on infrastructure investment and fiscal responsibility during her first term. "Campaigns are not built on the last six weeks before the election, they're built on the four years," Bondy said. "People are seeing that this term of council, we've worked hard." She added that the council "pinched pennies" and invested in local infrastructure.

The new council composition includes a mix of returning officials and new members. Bondy noted that the group achieved gender parity, a balance she described as rare for Essex County. She expressed confidence in combining fresh perspectives with experienced voices to begin the new term. "We have gender parity, which is it's kind of unheard of in Essex County, so I'm excited to see fresh voices," Bondy said.

Deputy Mayor Rob Shepley retained his position on the new council. In Ward 1, voters elected Katie McGuire-Blais and Joe Garon. Kim Verbeek won the seat in Ward 2. Ward 3 is represented by Bill Baker and Ron Rogers, while Rachael Mills won the seat in Ward 4.

Several incumbent councillors lost their bids for re-election. Jason Matyi, who served in Ward 3, was unseated. Rodney Hammond, a Ward 4 councillor, also lost his seat. Bondy, who served as a Ward 4 councillor from 2010 to 2022, said she is ready to address resident concerns immediately. "I can't wait to bring those concerns and issues back to the council chamber," she said.

Bondy said the campaign presented specific challenges regarding local issues. She indicated that the next council will focus on the concerns raised by voters during the election period. The results are currently unofficial, pending final certification by election officials.