Experience returns to the ballot in Vernon as campaign season heats up
The 2026 municipal election in Vernon brings a measure of déjà vu: an incumbent mayor seeking a third term is being challenged by two former mayors and a political newcomer, while more candidates than last time are vying for council seats. For a city negotiating growth, infrastructure needs and community services, the contest poses clear choices about continuity, institutional knowledge and fresh perspectives.
Mayor Victor Cumming is running for re-election after first being elected in 2018. He faces a four-way contest for the mayor’s chair that includes two former mayors — Wayne Lippert, who led Vernon from 2005 to 2011, and Rob Sawatzky, who left the office in 2014 — alongside two-term councillor Kari Gares and newcomer Jerrod Stephenson. Gares and Cumming were both first elected in 2018 but have cultivated different public personas: Gares is more active on social media, while Cumming has kept a lower public profile during his term.
For voters, the return of Lippert and the candidature of Sawatzky — seeking a comeback as a councillor — represents a reintroduction of names long associated with city hall. Lippert’s mayoral tenure two decades ago gives him a record to point to, while Sawatzky’s decision to pursue a council seat after a 12-year absence signals a desire by some former officeholders to re-engage with municipal governance.
- Mayoral race: four candidates (incumbent, two former mayors, one newcomer)
- Council contest: 15 candidates competing for seats, up from 13 in 2022
- Incumbent councillors Teresa Durning, Kelly Fehr and Akbal Mund are seeking re-election
On the council side, 15 candidates are on the ballot, an increase from 13 in 2022. Incumbents Teresa Durning, Kelly Fehr and Akbal Mund are among those running. Mund is seeking another term on council after previously serving one term as mayor from 2014 to 2018 and two terms as a councillor. Fehr is pursuing a third term, while Durning — elected in a 2021 by-election — is also running again.
The field sees some familiar departures: three-term councillor Brian Quiring and one-term councillor Brian Guy are not standing for re-election, creating open space that has attracted a larger slate. Among other repeat candidates is Dawn Tucker, who placed eighth in 2022 with a noticeable vote gap to the candidate below her and is mounting another bid for a council seat.
| Position | Candidates |
|---|---|
| Mayor | 4 (Cumming, Gares, Lippert, Stephenson) |
| Council | 15 candidates (including incumbents Durning, Fehr, Mund) |
Campaign styles and voter outreach are already distinguishing contenders. Gares’ more visible social media engagement contrasts with the mayor’s more restrained communications approach. And while Lippert can point to a previous mayoral record, some challengers are presenting themselves as fresh alternatives to the status quo. Stephenson, described in advance reports as a political newcomer, had not established an online presence days after nominations closed, making his platform less clear to voters.
Local issues likely to shape debate include how Vernon manages growth, housing availability, infrastructure maintenance and community services. The mix of incumbents and long-serving former leaders frames the election as a choice between relying on municipal experience or embracing renewed approaches to persistent local challenges.
With the ballot now set, voters will have the opportunity to weigh track records against promises and priorities in the weeks ahead. The increased number of council candidates suggests heightened interest in local governance, and the presence of former mayors ensures the conversation will often circle back to Vernon’s recent municipal history as residents decide who should guide the city through its next chapter.
