Burnaby councillor — and punk-rock legend — Joe Keithley has been re-elected for four more years on city council.
While the NDP-affiliated Burnaby Citizens Association party won a council majority and swept school board, the incumbent Burnaby Green Party councillor and DOA frontman retained his seat on city council with 11,383 votes.
In 2018, he was elected to the eighth and final council seat with 215 votes to spare, but his showing was stronger this time around as he came fifth.
“I’m glad to have gained the confidence of Burnaby people,” Keithley said to the NOW, adding he hopes to work with the newly elected council to get work done.
The three other Green candidates did not fare as well as Keithley.
Carrie McLaren received 8,276 votes, fewer than the 10,019 votes she received in 2018.
New Green candidates Tara Shushtarian and Jasmine Nicholsfigueiredo garnered 6,215 votes and 6,723 votes respectively.
On the school board, Harinder Parmar put up a close fight with 12,428 votes, but failed to secure a seat.
Though the party secured just one seat on council, the unsuccessful candidates said they hope to keep fighting for the people of Burnaby from the sidelines — be it for the school board or the city.
Parmar said her motive to run was witnessing troubling things in school, and hopes the words from the elected school trustees will be met with action to provide safer schools for the children of Burnaby.
Acclaimed Mayor Mike Hurley, along with the newly elected councillors and school trustees, will be sworn in on Nov. 2.
