About the only big surprises in the municipal elections were two upsets on the West Island. Incumbents in Beaconsfield and Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue lost the mayor's chair.
Benedetti loses in Beaconsfield
In Beaconsfield, incumbent mayor Bob Benedetti was defeated by challenger David Pollock.
At 11:30 p.m., Pollock had 3,307 votes, Benedetti had 1,607 and Hela Labene had 349 votes.
The main campaign issue in this city has been finances; anger over taxes has outraged many Beaconsfield residents.
The average tax bill went up 30 per cent after the 2003 demergers and the move was closely followed by a 20-per-cent pay raise at city hall.
Pollock said a low point came when Benedetti cast a tie-breaking vote in favour of the pay hike for elected officials.
Pollock, a sitting Beaconsfield councilor who voted against the pay raise, is supported by several community activists including Karen Essen of the Beaconsfield Citizens Association.
Both Essen and Pollock say residents want more consultation and less spending.
Tierney loses in Ste. Anne's
In a surprise upset, incumbent Bill Tierney lost to Francis Deroo. Deroo earned 1,256 votes. Tierney won 911.
St. Hilaire wins in Longueuil
By 11:30 p.m., Longueuil's mayoral challenger Caroline St. Hilaire won with 33,897 votes. Jacques Goyette trailed with 30,242 ballots.
"Is there anyone who doubts the winds of change in Longueuil tonight?" said St. Hilaire, a former Bloc Qu�b�cois member of Parliament, in her acceptance speech.
Laval re-elects Vaillancourt
Laval mayor Gilles Vaillancourt has been re-elected into a 6th mandate. With 60 per cent of the vote, he beats challenger Lydia Aboulian to return to the mayor's seat for another four years. Aboulian received 24 percent of the votes. Vaillancourt has spent 20 years as mayor of the city, and 36 years involved in local politics.
Steinberg wins Hampstead
At 12 a.m., incumbent Mayor William Steinberg led with 862 votes. Opposition David Sternthal captured 547 votes.
Billed as the ugliest of suburban races, the race for seats on the Hampstead city council became heated with candidates on opposing sides at loggerheads over vandalized campaign posters.
Sternthal, a member of the Hampstead city council for two decades, said during the campaign he was outraged by the vandalism and generally disappointed with the tone of this election campaign.
Last month, more than 100 of the posters were destroyed. Wooden stakes anchoring the posters were broken or completely uprooted from lawns. At least one of his posters was spray painted with a red line across his face.
Sternthal accused Steinberg of being dismissive about their concerns.
Steinberg responded by saying that the wind may have knocked down some posters and rejected his opponents' claims that he failed to adequately address the issue.
Danyluk elected in T.M.R.
A household name in the Town of Mount Royal, incumbent Mayor Vera Danyluk is facing off against a new group called Imagine TMR. As of 11:30 p.m., Danyluk earned a strong majority with 591 votes versus 188 votes for challenger Andre Krepec.
Danyluk has been involved in municipal politics for almost 30 years, but Imagine TMR has brought up several fresh issues and has stirred up a bit of excitement about the election.
Imagine TMR said debt is out of control, and they wanted Danyluk and her councilors to offer explanations.
The group was particularly upset about a cultural centre that is costing the town $3.5 million.
