Anna Roberts is new MP for King-Vaughan

By Mark Pavilons
Editor

King's Anna Roberts is the newly elected MP for King-Vaughan.
All eyes were on the riding following Monday night's federal election, which saw the Justin Trudeau Liberals return to office with another minority government.
Long lines at polling stations across this riding delayed ballot counting Monday night. As well, the tedious job of counting some 2,000-plus mail-in ballots began Tuesday afternoon. By late Tuesday evening, it was clear that Roberts won the race.
Without the mail-in results, at press time, the numbers showed Roberts winning the riding, upsetting Liberal incumbent Deb Schulte. Roberts had a lead of 1,372 over Schulte, 21,657 votes to 20,285. These totals will change when all the ballots are counted.
The numbers reveal that Roberts picked up 45.4% of the vote, while Schulte amassed 42.5%. Of the riding's 102,820 eligible voters, 47,711 hit the polls to cast ballots, for a relatively low 46.4% voter turnout.
Schulte commented that polls were “oversubscribed” and the process in some areas was simply “crazy.” The problem was especially bad at Schomberg's Trisan Centre, with hours-long waiting times.
Roberts also noted many voters were annoyed by the extremely long lines at polling stations.
She was declared the unofficial winner Tuesday afternoon and she was elated.
“My team did an amazing job,” she said. “We worked really hard, started early and finished strong.”
Roberts said they focused on the end game and never gave up.
Hitting thousands of doors across the riding, Roberts said the message from residents was clear – they wanted change.
“And that's what we delivered,” she said.
She can't wait to take her constituents' voices to Ottawa.
Many voters could have simply walked away in frustration and not cast their vote, since numbers were noticeably down from the 2019 election.
Conceding the election Tuesday, Schulte admitted she was “sad,” noting she really enjoyed serving the community. She believes she did a good job and “delivered for the community.”
She said another term would not only have been beneficial would but would have been “a beautiful gift.”
It's the community's will who they chose to represent it and she wishes Roberts all the best in her role in the opposition.
“That's what politics is all about,” she said.
She said Roberts will fully enjoy the job and Schulte said the new MP will love serving this incredibly diverse riding.
“I would like to thank Minister Schulte for all she has done for King, and I would like to congratulate King's own Anna Roberts on her victory,” said King Mayor Steve Pellegrini. “I look forward to working with Anna on issues important to King like broadband and infrastructure funding.”
NDP candidate Sandra Lozano was a distant third with 3,089 votes, or 6.5% of the vote. Gilmar Oprisan, representing the People's Party of Canada, took 4th with 2,082 or 4.4% of the vote. The Green Party's Roberta Herod was last, with 598 votes or 1.3% of the vote.
Conservative Scot Davidson was re-elected in York-Simcoe with a huge margin over Liberal candidate Daniella Johnson. Davidson earned 23,853 votes, or 49.6% of the vote. Johnson was roughly 10,000 votes behind, with 13,821 or 28.7% of the vote. The NDP's Benjamin Jenkins was third with 6,858 votes or 14.3%. A distant fourth was Michael Lotter of the People's Party, with 3,544 votes, or 7.4%.
Voter turnout in York-Simcoe was slightly higher, at 51.7%