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The citizens need to make the decision, not draw from a hat

The judicial recount and, possibly, the draw, each of which will be held before Nov. 3, will bring to an end a contentious mayoral campaign that ruffled Peachland, a small, picturesque town southwest of Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley.

Fortin, who became Peachland’s mayor in 2014, says she has been hounded online and, in certain cases, threatened with harm by people who opposed her bid for re-election, including a group that took issue with council’s approval last year of a new five-storey mixed-use building to be erected on Beach Avenue, the road that borders Okanagan Lake throughout downtown. This week, she said, some residents have theorized conspiratorially on a community Facebook page that the snafu with the vote machine shows that her campaign team helped rig the election.

“It’s really unbelievable that they would think that we could figure out how to get 803 people in there and then jam the machine,” Fortin said.

“I really think it’s important that people stop with all the accusations and finger-pointing. It’s not helpful. This town is stressed enough over this. We really need to just relax.”

Photo by Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press/File

For his part, Gough, who supports capping the construction of any new buildings on Beach Avenue at three storeys, said some voters denounced his candidacy because he doesn’t actually live in Peachland, but 10 km outside of town in West Kelowna. Gough and his wife own a condo in Peachland, which made him eligible to vote and run for mayor, and he contends that he’s been deeply invested in the community for more than 20 years: He used to be a town councillor and was a longtime owner of the local IGA grocery store.