Voters in the Town of Ste. Anne have re-elected Richard Pelletier as their mayor.

Pelletier received 61 percent of the votes but credits his challengers for making him work hard to get his message out throughout the campaign. He adds this race was no cakewalk.

"It was a challenge," says Pelletier who moved to the area from Quebec in 1982 at 21 years of age. He explains that as he has gotten to know the people in and around the community of Ste. Anne, he has become so passionate about it.

"There’s no doubt that, like I said, I had to work hard and really tell the people that I'm passionate for the Town of Ste. Anne and I think that’s what really did it. The people that really know me, they know the passion I got for Ste. Anne. They know I'm still new in the whole system and they knew that we could do more."

Pelletier notes this will be a productive term with a large lagoon project on the horizon, new businesses looking to move into town and he says hopefully more of this significant growth.

When comparing the last election when he first got in four years ago to this one, Pelletier says it's just different. "The first time, whether I was in or not, it didn't matter so much. This time I thought I need to be in. I have so much more to do, I wanted to be in so it was totally a different feeling," Pelletier adds.

The mayor-elect garnered 485 votes, second was Gerald St-Laurent with 227 then Mike Bernier with 63 and Don Simard with 20. Pelletier notes he was excited to know he won but admits he feels the added pressure now to deliver on his promises, seeing that community clearly wants him to lead.

"It's a big load, indicates Pelletier after coming out of a long evening of waiting as the ballots were counted at the Ste. Anne Curling Club.

"There's no doubt that I have to deliver a lot if I want to run the next term after. The people that gave me the chance again, I'm definitely not going to let them down."

Incumbent councillors Yvan St. Vincent and Ginette Gagnon were elected back onto council along with new councillors Lyle Davis and Tiana Bohemier.