West Carleton-March District Results: Clarke Kelly Wins Race to Replace Eli El-Chantiry

West Carleton-March District Results: Clarke Kelly Wins Race to Replace Eli El-Chantiry

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Ottawa’s West Carleton-March district has rarely been one to reckon with. Eli El-Chantiry has clung firmly to that position for nearly twenty years and the race has never been close. But this year is different.

Clarke Kelly held the seat with 27.4 percent of the vote. Sasha Duguay and Greg Patacairk were slightly behind, at 24.79 and 21.36 percent, respectively.

As the leader of the race, Kelly was elated.

“I have been working for this since June. I was born and raised in this neighborhood, the only candidate on the ballot who was, and I care deeply about your issues.”

Kelly said the local focus of his campaign was one of the two points that gave him this advantage.

“The other would be to cross those political lines and try to find bipartisan solutions.”

Kelly’s first goal would be to create a prioritized list of problems facing her protégé, from Internet reliability to road maintenance.

Veteran councilman El-Chantiry opted not to seek re-election, ending a nearly 20-year career on the council.

First elected in 2003, El-Chantiry has comfortably won re-election in all subsequent elections, winning between 57 and 77 percent of the vote.

El-Chantiry served two terms as chairman of the Police Services Board during his time on the council. He held the top spot on the influential body from 2009 to 2019, when he was replaced by Diane Deans. However, El-Chantiry was re-elected as president after the council voted to remove Deans in early 2022 during the Freedom Convoy occupation.

The race for the council seat was very crowded, with seven candidates vying for votes.

Running for El-Chantiry were Duguay, a businessman, property manager and Hill staffer for the federal Conservatives; Kelly, Hill’s staffer for the Liberals, including former Kanata-Carleton MP Karen McCrimmon; Patacairk, president of the Dunrobin Community Association; Stephanie Maghnam, a former journalist turned advocate who ran for the provincial Liberals in 2018; Nagmani Sharma, software engineer; Ian Madill, an employee of the March Networks software company; and Colin Driscoll.

Despite having only 5.82 percent of the district vote, Sharma remained positive.

“I was born and raised in India, and most people are looking to vote for someone in their own community. I know that less than 5 percent of West Carleton came from India, so I’m proud of how I did.”

  1. Mark Sutcliffe and his wife, Ginny, vote in Monday's municipal election.

    Mark Sutcliffe and his wife, Ginny, vote in Monday’s municipal election. Photo by Jean Levac /post media

  2. Mayoral candidate Catherine McKenney leaves the Plant Recreation Center after voting on Election Day.

    Mayoral candidate Catherine McKenney leaves the Plant Recreation Center after voting on Election Day. Photo by Errol McGihon /post media

  3. Richard Garrick, candidate for City Councilor for the 24th Ward, Barrhaven East, with family and friends at The Barley Mow pub in Barrhaven.

    Richard Garrick, candidate for City Councilor for the 24th Ward, Barrhaven East, with family and friends at The Barley Mow pub in Barrhaven. Photo by Ashley Fraser /post media

  4. The post-election hangout/party for supporters of Matt Luloff, candidate for District 1, Orleans East-Cumberland, at the Orleans Corner Bar and Grill.

    The post-election hangout/party for supporters of Matt Luloff, candidate for District 1, Orleans East-Cumberland, at the Orleans Corner Bar and Grill. Photo by Simon Hopkins /post media

  5. Wilson Lo and his wife, Amelia Howell, at an election night party in Barrhaven.

    Wilson Lo and his wife, Amelia Howell, at an election night party in Barrhaven. Photo by Ashley Fraser /post media

  6. Jessica Bradley Ward 10 Gloucester-Southgate.

    Jessica Bradley Ward 10 Gloucester-Southgate. Photo by Gwyneth Egan /post media

  7. George Darouze, left, waits for the results to come in Monday night.

    George Darouze, left, waits for the results to come in Monday night. Photo by Joanne Laucius /post media

  8. Kanata South District Candidate Erin Coffin, middle front row, Campaign Manager Chris Miller, front row second from left, and Coffin's campaign volunteers gather at Hurley's Neighborhood Grill in Kanata .

    Kanata South District Candidate Erin Coffin, middle front row, Campaign Manager Chris Miller, front row second from left, and Coffin’s campaign volunteers gather at Hurley’s Neighborhood Grill in Kanata . Photo by ZUHRA JIBRIL /post media

  9. Jeff Leiper awaiting the results of the municipal election at the campaign meeting at The Carleton Tavern.

    Jeff Leiper awaiting the results of the municipal election at the campaign meeting at The Carleton Tavern. Photo by Polina Ilinykh /post media

  10. “Our motto was to build stronger communities together, and that’s the philosophy I carry forward with. That’s why we were successful. It wasn’t my success.” Rawlson King gives an acceptance speech after early ballots showed him re-elected as District 13 councilman. Photo by TAYLOR O’BRIEN /post media

  11. District 7 incumbent Theresa Kavanagh with supporters and campaign staff Monday night at Lorenzo Bar & Grill.

    District 7 incumbent Theresa Kavanagh with supporters and campaign staff Monday night at Lorenzo Bar & Grill. Photo by EMILY PUTNAM /post media

  12. Wilson Lo, newly elected councilor for Ward 24, Barrhaven East, with his wife Amelia Howell, at the Heart & Crown Irish Pub in Barrhaven, Monday, October 24, 2022.

    Wilson Lo, newly elected councilor for Ward 24, Barrhaven East, with his wife Amelia Howell, at the Heart & Crown Irish Pub in Barrhaven, Monday October 24, 2022. Photo by Ashley Fraser /post media

  13. A jubilant and emotional Laine Johnson thanks her supporters after winning College Ward in the municipal election on Monday, October 24, 2022.

    A jubilant and emotional Laine Johnson thanks her supporters after winning College Ward in the municipal election on Monday, October 24, 2022. Photo by ERROL MCGIHON /post media

  14. Sean Devine at his campaign victory party at Fitz's.

    Sean Devine at his campaign victory party at Fitz’s. Photo by Aedan Helmer /post media

  15. Rouba Fattal, left, and campaign manager Pat Freel at their election night meeting in the southern Kanata district.

    Rouba Fattal, left, and campaign manager Pat Freel at their election night meeting in the southern Kanata district. Photo by Zuhra Jibril /Special for postmedia

  16. Steve Desroches (center) thanks his family and fans at Broadway Bar and Grill Riverside.

    Steve Desroches (center) thanks his family and fans at Broadway Bar and Grill Riverside. Photo by Nathan Fung /post media

  17. Mark Sutcliffe arrives at his election night party after being declared the next mayor of Ottawa.

    Mark Sutcliffe arrives at his election night party after being declared the next mayor of Ottawa. Photo by Julie Oliver /post media

  18. Mark Sutcliffe (along with his wife Ginny and their three children, Erica, 23, Jack, 13 and Kate, 19) celebrates becoming Ottawa's new mayor with a packed house of about 250 supporters at the Lago restaurant in Dow's Lake on Monday in the evening.

    Mark Sutcliffe (along with his wife Ginny and their three children, Erica, 23, Jack, 13 and Kate, 19) celebrates becoming Ottawa’s new mayor with a packed house of about 250 supporters at the Lago restaurant in Dow’s Lake on Monday in the evening. Photo by Julie Oliver /post media

  19. Mark Sutcliffe (along with his wife Ginny and their three children, Erica, 23, Jack, 13 and Kate, 19) celebrates becoming Ottawa's new mayor with a packed house of about 250 supporters at the Lago restaurant in Dow's Lake on Monday in the evening.

    Mark Sutcliffe (along with his wife Ginny and their three children, Erica, 23, Jack, 13 and Kate, 19) celebrates becoming Ottawa’s new mayor with a packed house of about 250 supporters at the Lago restaurant in Dow’s Lake on Monday in the evening. Photo by Julie Oliver /post media

  20. Mark Sutcliffe (along with his wife Ginny and their three children, Erica, 23, Jack, 13 and Kate, 19) celebrates becoming Ottawa's new mayor with a packed house of about 250 supporters at the Lago restaurant in Dow's Lake on Monday in the evening.

    Mark Sutcliffe (along with his wife Ginny and their three children, Erica, 23, Jack, 13 and Kate, 19) celebrates becoming Ottawa’s new mayor with a packed house of about 250 supporters at the Lago restaurant in Dow’s Lake on Monday in the evening. Photo by Julie Oliver /post media

  21. Mark Sutcliffe (along with his wife Ginny and their three children, Erica, 23, Jack, 13 and Kate, 19) celebrates becoming Ottawa's new mayor with a packed house of about 250 supporters at the Lago restaurant in Dow's Lake on Monday in the evening.

    Mark Sutcliffe (along with his wife Ginny and their three children, Erica, 23, Jack, 13 and Kate, 19) celebrates becoming Ottawa’s new mayor with a packed house of about 250 supporters at the Lago restaurant in Dow’s Lake on Monday in the evening. Photo by Julie Oliver /post media

  22. Tim Tierney cuts the cake after being declared the winner of District 11, Beacon Hill-Cyrville, at the Richview Sensplex on Monday, October 24, 2022.

    Tim Tierney cuts the cake after being declared the winner of District 11, Beacon Hill-Cyrville, at the Richview Sensplex on Monday, October 24, 2022. Photo by ROWAN McCARTHY /post media

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