Langley Strong wins mayor’s seat and six of eight Township council positions

Langley Strong mayoral candidate Jay Lundgren held off declaring victory on Saturday night as polling-place results came in, despite a growing lead. “I’m not celebrating until I hear the final buzzer,” he said. Once all ballots were counted, Lundgren had won the mayor’s race with 18,302 votes to incumbent Eric Woodward’s 15,459.

Langley Strong captured six of the Township’s eight council seats. Its candidates Margaret Kunst, Barb Martens, Blair Whitmarsh, Kim Richter, Teresa Townsley and Lauren Chalus were elected. Of the four incumbent Progress For Langley candidates who ran with Woodward, Steve Ferguson and Michael Pratt retained their seats; Tim Baillie and Rob Rindt were defeated. Shumail Javed was the only Langley Strong candidate to lose the council race. Lundgren praised Javed’s efforts and joked about the enormous number of doors he had knocked on during the campaign.

Langley Strong swept all five school board seats elected in the Township. The seven-member board also includes two seats elected in Langley City.

At the start of his victory speech, Lundgren said he had told his wife before leaving that he did not know whether he had ever thought he would actually win. He credited his campaign team and the candidates who ran with him for council and school board under the Langley Strong banner. Lundgren said he had initially planned to run only for council before being persuaded to seek the mayor’s seat.

Victorious council and school board candidates mingled with more than 100 volunteers and supporters at an election-night event at Fort Langley Golf Course. Re-elected Councillor Margaret Kunst said, “We just needed a change in leadership.” Newly elected school trustee Kathie Dalziel said she was excited to get started. “I’m ready to work,” she said. Re-elected Coun. Blair Whitmarsh said, “I think it’s very clear people wanted a change.”

Turnout increased compared with the 2022 vote: 31.55 per cent of eligible voters cast ballots, and 34,029 people voted in the Township.