Mayor Jim Cahill and Kevin Egan were victorious in another re-election campaign this November.

Mayor Jim Cahill has held New Brunswick’s highest elected office since 1991 and voters have chosen to keep him in the seat for another four years.

With results from the November 8 general election now certified, Cahill will begin his ninth term in office in January.

Cahill, a Democrat, received 2,826 votes, or 63.2 percent of those cast. Independent candidate Charlie Kratovil, editor of New Brunswick Today, got 1,213 votes or 27.1 percent. Republican Maria Powell finished third, receiving 415 votes or 9.2 percent. 

After running a relatively low-key campaign, Cahill followed that up with a subdued victory announcement. On the day after the election, the mayor posted the simple message – “Thank you New Brunswick!” – on his Twitter feed.

Cahill easily won his latest election. But some might suggest a bit of slippage in his voter support when comparing the 2022 ballot numbers with those from four years ago.

Far more voters participated in New Brunswick’s 2018 mayoral election – 7,699 compared to the 4,454 who cast ballots last month.

In 2018, Cahill received 5,898 votes or 76.6 percent. Kratovil, his lone opponent in that election, got 1,801 votes or 23.4 percent.

Cahill received three out of every four votes in 2018. This year, it was a bit less than two of every three. One factor in the lower support may have been two opponents on the ballot as opposed to one in 2018.

On election night, Cahill attributed his win to his administration’s efforts to create housing, social services and jobs for his New Brunswick constituents and help them have a better quality of life.

Kratovil asserted that his campaign brought together New Brunswick’s diverse population and sent a message “that we deserve better.”

In the voting for City Council seats, Democratic candidates ran uncontested.

Rebecca Escobar received 3,577 votes, Petra Gaskins got 3,515 and Kevin Egan 3,478 while running for four-year seats. Escobar and Egan were incumbents. 

Manuel Castaneda received 3,622 as the only candidate for a two-year council seat that was on the ballot.

Politics Editor at New Brunswick Today | dpolakiewicz@nb.today | Website

A journalist in Central Jersey for nearly four decades, Dave has won awards for news, education and opinion writing. Since 2017, he’s been a member of Friends of the Middlesex Taxpayers, a citizen’s group that has exposed corruption and waste in Middlesex Borough and promoted greater transparency.

A journalist in Central Jersey for nearly four decades, Dave has won awards for news, education and opinion writing. Since 2017, he’s been a member of Friends of the Middlesex Taxpayers, a citizen’s group that has exposed corruption and waste in Middlesex Borough and promoted greater transparency.