(Image credit: CFJC Today/File photo).

By Aaron Schulze

Municipal Election 2022

Four candidates gunning for Merritt’s mayoral seat in 2022

Sep 12, 2022 | 10:37 AM

MERRITT, B.C. — It’s a crowded race for Merritt’s mayoral seat in 2022.

Ahead of nominations closing for B.C. municipal elections on Sept. 9, a list from CivicInfo BC shows four candidates to become Merritt’s mayor: incumbent Linda Brown, current councillor Tony Luck, former councillor Mike Bhangu and former councillor Mike Goetz.

Brown became Merritt’s mayor in 2018 with more than 51 per cent of the vote. She announced her intentions to seek re-election in June saying she feels she has unfinished business to take care of following the floods of 2021.

Luck was first elected to council in 2018, finishing with the second highest number of votes at just over 61 per cent.

Bhangu was first elected to council in 2018, finishing with the fifth highest number of votes at just over 48 per cent. Bhangu announced his resignation in December 2021, citing his lack of confidence in Mayor Brown’s leadership. He’s set to go to trial in November 2022 on a charge of uttering threats.

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Goetz, a former long-time Merritt councillor, is gunning for the city’s top seat after not running for re-election in 2018. Goetz was elected with more than 47 per cent of the vote in 2008, more than 52 per cent in 2011, and more than 60 per cent in 2014.

Rounding out the rest of Merritt’s council race, incumbents Adam Etchart and Melvina White will seek re-election, while Kurt Christopherson and Travis Fehr will not.

In addition to Etchart and White, 16 outsiders are looking to get into council. The list is:

• Jay Barley
• Yvette Baxter
• Michael Behrens
• Darrel Brooks
• Wendy Charney
• Dana Egan
• Mary Fleury
• Norma Littleton
• Claire Newman
• Manuel Olguin
• Deanna Palmgren
• Brian Peterson
• Paul Petroczi
• MJ Phillips
• Susan Roline
• Derry Wooden

Candidates have until Friday, Sept. 16 to withdraw their names from the ballot.

The B.C. municipal elections will take place Oct. 15, 2022.