Rob Ford emerges victorious

Ford was declared mayor-elect after capturing 47 per cent of the vote Monday night. Former deputy premier George Smitherman won 35 per cent of the vote, while Toronto’s outgoing deputy mayor, Joe Pantalone, won nearly 12 per cent.

In the final tally, the 41-year-old won 383,501 votes, with Smitherman taking 289,832 and Pantalone 95,482.

The intense campaign resulted in high voter turnout compared to the 2003 and 2006 municipal elections, which saw turnout of less than 40 per cent.

In his victory speech Monday evening, Ford thanked his main competitors and told supporters that he intends to stay true to his election promises.

“Four years from tonight, you’ll look back and say, ‘Rob Ford did exactly what he said he would do,’” he told a crowd of thousands.

The 10-year city councillor pledged to stop “the gravy train at city hall.”

He said his priorities will be customer service, eliminating the $60 car registration fee, and cutting the waste at City Hall.

“We will abolish the fair-wage clause and open contracts to fair and honest competition,” Ford said. “The party with taxpayers’ money is over, ladies and gentlemen.”

“We’re going to get this city back on its financial feet,” Ford said. “Toronto is now open for business.”

Premier Dalton McGuinty told reporters he called Ford Monday night to congratulate him. However, McGuinty wouldn’t speculate on whether the victory of a fiscal conservative in the province’s largest city could affect the Liberals in provincial elections next year.

Smitherman also told his supporters at the Government nightclub complex that he had phoned mayor-elect Ford to offer his congratulations.

When some boos broke out, Smitherman shut down the negative response. “No, there are no boos tonight. We love our city. Toronto is too important,” he said.

“It is incumbent on the new mayor to rise above division and seek to unite Toronto, to become a mayor for all Torontonians,” he added.

Pantalone, who represented Trinity-Spadina (Ward 19) for about 30 years on city council, is now shut out of city politics.

“I feel fine, because the people have spoken and democracy is beautiful,” Pantalone told CP24 before going into an election-night party for his supporters.

Ford and the new 44-member council will be sworn in on Dec. 1. The first council meeting will take place on Dec. 7, with 14 new councillors taking seats after this hard-fought election.