Political landscape is changing with several elected women

The political landscape is shifting, with more women sitting in council chairs, including in Gravenhurst, where women will fill seven of the nine council seats, including the mayor's chair.

"I think it's excellent," said mayor-elect Heidi Lorenz. "I've always been a champion for women in politics. I know that it's very difficult; women generally do the balance of the home care and the care of the children."

Lorenz was elected to council in 2010, and has served as District councillor and deputy mayor.

During the last term, only 16 of the 52 spots were filled by women in the District of Muskoka, but newly-elected councillor Erin Strength noticed a change in support.

"It's definitely progress when gentlemen in the area who have been participating in politics for several years are encouraging the women," she said.

District councillor Sandy Cairns has worked in politics for over three decades, serving 22 years on council, and said she's never seen anything like this before.

"Back in the day, they used to call it the old boys club. I think that's pretty much gone, and the respect to women has changed a lot. And we've seen over the course of many years of how men treat women. We're equal."

Despite some changes, there are still challenges.

"The way we look, the way we dress. I mean, I never look at a gentleman and say I don't like your suit. However, I've been told I don't like your blouse. You know, so we do get that physical kind of inspection that I don't think men do," noted Gravenhurst councillor Jo Murphy.

Mayor-elect Lorenz said she's ready to hit the ground running and hopes this inspires young women to enter the world of politics.

"I started my career in 2010 and maybe wasn't taken all that seriously. But I worked hard. I put the work in. The worst that can happen is that you lose, and you just wipe yourself off and go for it again."

ELECTED FEMALE MAYORS

Election night saw voters throw their support behind several women to lead council chambers across Simcoe County and Muskoka.

Yvonne Hamlin won the mayor's chair in Collingwood with nearly 40 per cent support. Hamlin will take over for Keith Hull, who chose not to seek another term. Hamlin is coming off her first term on council. She defeated current deputy mayor Mariane McLeod and veteran councillor Norm Sandberg in Monday night's election.

In Springwater Township, Jennifer Coughlin will step into the mayor's office after winning the seat by a landslide, with more than double the number of votes runner-up Perry Ritchie received. Before being elected mayor, Coughlin served as the township's deputy mayor.

Nancy Alcock will take the reins in Huntsville. Alcock has been on council since 2014 and spent time serving as a Town and District councillor.

In Innisfil, Lynn Dollin was re-elected for a second term in office. She served as deputy mayor in 2014 before becoming mayor in 2018.

And in Essa Township, Sandie MacDonald was acclaimed as mayor. MacDonald was first elected the township's mayor in 2018 after spending two decades on council, including time as deputy mayor.

-COMPLETE MAYORAL ELECTION RESULTS HERE-

With files from CTV's Kim Phillips