As polling stations closed in Welland last night, one candidate has been declared the clear unofficial winner.
John Mastroianni garnered 712 votes in the Ward 3 by-election, approximately 35 percent of the total votes cast.
According to the initial count, his next closet opponent, Steve Soos, earned 386 votes.
City staff say only 24.95 percent of eligible Ward 3 voters cast a ballot.
Once the clerk makes the count official, Mastroianni is set to swear the oath of office before the September 7th council meeting.
He will be filling the seat left vacant by former councillor Lucas Spinosa who stepped away citing persistent harassment of friends, family, and his staff members.
The unofficial results are:
Cathy Connor - 341
Nancy Dmytrow Bilboe - 271
Phill Gladman - 91
John Mastroianni - 712
Steve Soos - 386
Douglas R. Thomas - 205
Per Section 55(4) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, election results are unofficial until such time that the Clerk - as soon as possible after voting day - declares the candidate or candidates, as the case may be, who received the highest number of votes to be elected.
Mastoaianni previously served as city councillor, but lost the seat to Spinosa in 2018.