Amir Zuccolo Wins Charlottetown Mayoral Race, First Woman in Office Since 1970s
Zuccolo secured just over 5,000 votes, more than 1,500 ahead of incumbent Philip Brown, becoming Charlottetown’s first female mayor in more than five decades.
Amir Zuccolo has been elected mayor of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, according to Elections P.E.I.’s unofficial results. Zuccolo received just over 5,000 votes, more than 1,500 ahead of incumbent Philip Brown, who was seeking a third term.
Historic milestone
Zuccolo will be the first woman to sit in the mayor’s chair since Dorothy Corrigan held the position in the late 1960s and early 1970s, making her only the second female mayor in the city’s history.
Campaign and voter sentiment
"After a long campaign, we were continually hearing that people in the city wanted change. There were different issues depending on where we went, but change was on everyone's mind — and this time, it was on the ballot," Zuccolo told CBC News. Zuccolo said the campaign revealed a city‑wide desire for change and highlighted strong support from women of all ages, from students to seniors, who wanted more female perspective in politics.
Council composition
The new city council will include four newcomers alongside the mayor. Three of the ten council seats were filled by acclamation, while voters decided the remaining seven wards.
Reaction from the incumbent
After conceding, Brown told CBC News, "I take my role as a public servant very seriously and I think that I can walk away and say that I've done a good job," adding he has no regrets about his service as a politician.
Next steps
Zuccolo said her first priority will be to meet with the newly elected council to begin work on key issues facing Charlottetown.