Robert Ritz elected next mayor of Stratford
CONNOR LUCZKA, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Robert Ritz is the Festival City’s next mayor.
Ritz, an architect and lifelong Stratford resident, won the local race on Oct. 26, with 4,246 votes cast for him, 31.1 per cent of the vote count.
“It is fantastic,” Ritz told reporters shortly after the results were posted. “It's meaning a lot for our city now. They will have true involvement with council, the interaction is going to be a lot stronger. We're already talking about little changes up here tonight, and how the citizens feel like they're really part of the decision-making process.”
It was a hard-fought contest. Ritz beat out four other candidates for the win, by a narrow 500 vote gap. According to the unofficial election results, city councillor Jo-Dee Burbach had 3,738 votes (27.4 per cent), Mayor Martin Ritsma had 2,899 votes (21.3 per cent), Coun. Mark Hunter had 2,542 (18.6 per cent) and Andrew Rea had 206 votes (1.5 per cent). Out of the 29,175 eligible electors, 13,844 citizens cast a vote, a 47.5 per cent turnout rate.
This is round two for Ritz, who first ran for mayor in the 2022 municipal election, losing to Ritsma by an even narrower 345 votes. Ritz attributed stronger winds for change and a larger presence during the campaign as the reason for his win this time around.
“We learned a lot in round one,” he said. “… This time we had 10 groups out doing door-to-door. I think that was key to the campaign, great competition with the other people running for mayor. We had our sign wars with each other, who had the most signs is always part of the battle, and then also the other side, the media side with social media, was sort of part of the change and the strength in it, and we were also on the radio … I think those were the two that really surged us ahead.
“I think people just wanted a change. I was truly the outsider looking in. People saw me delegating on a regular basis over the last 40 years, which illustrates that I did have the experience. It isn't like I haven't been upstairs, and it isn't like I don't know the media team, right? And I think they recognized that was enough to make sure I could make it happen as mayor. And I have ideas, and I think they also like my creative side, and the side to speak up for the people, and more than speaking up for the people, having the people speak, and have them actually state their ideas and what they want. I've been on the other side delegating. I want to make that process easier. It shouldn't be intimidating. It should be welcoming. These people, these 10 people that were elected tonight on council, should treat every citizen that walks up to that podium like their best friend, and we're here to help them get what they want. … Our goal as a council and as a city is primarily to provide the life that our citizens want in harmony with respect to each other, and without being of a danger to each other.”
On Monday night, Ritz said the real work begins Tuesday, beginning discussions with city staff on moving forward – though nothing official will occur until Nov. 15 when a new term of office begins. Currently, his inaugural meeting is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 16, though that date is set to change.
Ritz will lead a 10-person council, which largely looks the same as last term’s council. Only Burbach, Hunter, and Coun. Taylor Briscoe will not be returning. Newly elected councillors Christopher Giannakopoulos, Sarah Merkel and Ian Morton will join Brad Beatty, Lesley Biehn, Bonnie Henderson, Larry McCabe, Harj Nijjar, Cody Sebben and Geza Wordofa around the horseshoe, after they were all re-elected.
“I’m anxious to get into the car, figure out how it works, and let’s go,” Ritz said. “We got a group with us, and you know some days I'll be driving, other days other people on council will be driving, and that's my goal. The goal is to get in the right direction, go in the right direction for our City of Stratford to make a Stratford that works for you, citizen.”
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