The voters of Don Valley West have chosen Gerri Gershon for a sixth time as trustee of the Toronto District School Board.
Gershon took almost half the votes, 47.3 per cent, ahead of Don Hedrick at almost 37 per cent and Pushpa Mathanalingam at 16 per cent.
Gershon has been in the limelight in recent weeks after a provincial auditor’s report questioned some TDSB trustee expenses. For instance, the audit showed Gershon spent $3,765 on a tour of Israel.
Gershon told the Globe and Mail that the trip had “very much to do with her role as trustee.”
And judging from the returns tonight, many East Yorkers seemed to take her at her word.
Gershon, a former psychiatric nurse, was first elected as trustee for the North York Board of Education in 1985. Her community involvement includes participation with the Toronto Public Board of Health, O.I.S.E/University of Toronto Advisory Board, EQAO Advisory Committee, and the Ontario Citizens Council.
Hedrick, a retired secondary school teacher, posted his reaction to the results on Twitter tonight.
“Over 9,000 folks voted for me have never even heard of me. Only on Twitter. Democracy in Toronto is a strange thing,” he said.
I don’t think Gershon’s reelection is a vote of confidence from the electorate. It is a reflection of the fact that there isn’t enough information about candidates to makes an informed choice.