Surrey mayor Doug McCallum rescinds concession, seeking judicial recount
Surrey mayor Doug McCallum appears to have rescinded his concession speech made on Saturday night, when unofficial results showed he had lost.
In a statement late Monday afternoon, McCallum’s party of Safe Surrey Coalition said that “with less than a 1,000 vote difference, Mayor Doug McCallum is not conceding at this point in time.”
They are also currently exploring options for a recount of the votes.
“Our legal advisors are currently reviewing The Local Elections Act section 148 for a judicial recount. The Act outlines rules for requesting a judicial recount through the BC Supreme Court,” continues the statement.
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Surrey Connect’s Brenda Locke was previously determined as the Mayor-elect of Surrey, with 33,311 votes — ahead of McCallum’s 32,338 votes, Surrey First’s Gordie Hogg’s 24,916 votes, and Surrey Forward’s Jinny Sim’s 14,895 votes.
In the 2018 civic election, when Ken Sim lost the Vancouver mayoral seat to Kennedy Stewart by 957 votes, no recount was triggered. The difference between Locke and McCallum in 2022 is 973 votes.
“I want to congratulate Mayor-elect Locke for becoming the next Mayor of Surrey,” said McCallum during his concession speech on Saturday night.
“The people have spoken and that’s what elections are all about. Our residents are the best residents that I’ve ever seen, I love all of them, and it’s their choice as to who they want to see as Mayor and on Council. They made that decision tonight, and I respect that because I respect the residents of this great city. I wish good luck to Mayor-elect Locke and the councillors.”
Voter turnout in Surrey’s 2022 civic election was 34.5% — up from 32.9% in 2018.
This was McCallum’s sixth municipal campaign.
He is embroiled with controversies and falling support for his push to transition Surrey’s policing needs from the Surrey RCMP to the municipal-controlled Surrey Police Services.
As well, McCallum found himself in legal issues relating to mischief after an altercation in a grocery store parking lot in September 2021.
Since yesterday, he has also been in the hot seat for returning his City-owned SUV with collision following his loss in Saturday’s election.
Locke has yet to comment on McCallum’s new position on the vote.
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