Sunday, October 18, 2026Newsletter archive
Victoria Buzz
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Good evening, Victoria!

It's been nearly 24 hours since polls closed across Greater Victoria, and what an election night it was!

Voters delivered some major political shakeups, with Langford and Saanich seeing some of the biggest changes.

In Langford, former mayor Stew Young made a remarkable comeback, reclaiming the mayor's chair with more than 64% of the vote, four years after being voted out. The changes didn't stop there, with five new faces elected to council and just one incumbent returning.

Meanwhile, in Saanich, Rishi Sharma was elected mayor, defeating Zac de Vries, while the Save Our Saanich slate captured all six seats it contested. Voter turnout also jumped significantly, with more than 42% of eligible residents casting ballots.

Elsewhere, Marianne Alto secured another term as Victoria's mayor, while View Royal elected Volker Dammann and several other communities welcomed new leadership.

Our Victoria Buzz team was busy throughout election night, bringing you live updates, breaking stories and results through our interactive Election Portal.

If you missed any of the action, we've got you covered! You can explore the results, see who was elected in your community and catch up on some of the biggest election stories below.

And with the votes counted and new councils preparing to take office, the big question now is what the next four years will look like across Greater Victoria. We are now switching gears and preparing for coverage of the provincial elections next Saturday!

Thanks for following along with Victoria Buzz!

Today’s roundup · 14 stories
Top story
Concerts
5 things to do in and around Victoria this Monday, October 19th
Ghibli Fest is back! 
Read the full story →
The LatestToday in Victoria
Elections
Volker Dammann elected View Royal mayor in close race as council sees major shakeup
Dammann narrowly defeated former mayor David Screech.
Elections
Marianne Alto re-elected Victoria mayor as council results bring new faces
Three newcomers have been elected.
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More Around the Region
Elections
Rishi Sharma elected Saanich mayor as voters shake up council
Longtime councillors Susan Brice and Judy Brownoff lost their re-election bids.
Elections
Duncan Cavens elected mayor of Esquimalt after first leadership change in 18 years
Longtime mayor Barb Desjardins decided she would not seek re-election.
Elections
Kevin Pearson elected Sooke mayor as five new faces join council
The race was decided by 833 votes.
Elections
A new chapter for North Saanich as John McClintock wins mayoral race
Defeating Peter Jones and Felice Mazzoni.
Elections
Zeb King elected Central Saanich mayor as voters bring major changes to council
The race was decided by just 359 votes.
Elections
Steve Gray elected as Metchosin’s new mayor with more than 77% of the vote
Four councillors will also round out the new council.
Elections
Stew Young makes stunning comeback as Langford voters oust mayor and council
Young received 9,801 votes (64.4%).
Elections
Kevin Murdoch re-elected Oak Bay mayor as three newcomers win council seats
Murdoch secured 5,231 votes (75.2%).
Elections
Doug Kobayashi re-elected as mayor of Colwood in landslide victory
He secured 4,250 votes (78.5%) in Saturday’s municipal election.
Elections
Sidney sees two new council members as acclaimed mayor Peter Wainwright takes the reins
Former mayor McNeil-Smith abruptly ended his campaign prior to the election.
Elections
Gord Baird defeats longtime Highlands mayor Ken Williams in close election
He won by just 29 votes.
A little brain break
Today’s Island Unscramble
Rearrange the letters to find a familiar local place.
ODGOUUMTN
Hint: A familiar English name for PKOLS and its surrounding park.
Check your answer →
Around the community
Buzz Bulletin
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Event · Victoria
Home for the Holidays ~ An Ella Fitzgerald Christmas
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS ~ AN ELLA FITZGERALD CHRISTMAS brings the magic of this legendary icon to the stage in a wonderful new holiday concert.
Event · Victoria
Raagaverse Indian & Jazz Fusion Music with Shruti Ramani
Led by vocalist Shruti Ramani, Raagaverse is a creative Indo-Jazz fusion band that pays homage to the two culturally-significant genres: classical Indian music and Jazz.
Job Posting · Central Saanich
The Butchart Gardens – Skate Rink Attendant
We're hiring for Christmas! Join our Visitor Services team as a seasonal Rink Attendant and help bring holiday magic to life at The Butchart Gardens' outdoor skating rink.
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3 Buzzworthy Businesses to Check Out
Discover local businesses worth knowing around Greater Victoria.
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Victoria Royals Hockey Club
Other · Victoria
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Chicken Hub
Where Taste Meets Tradition – Only at Chicken Hub
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Bluebird Self Storage
It’s Not Just Your Stuff —It’s Your Life
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