Port Hope council reversed course Tuesday night on how to fill its vacant Ward 2 councillor seat and will now hold a by-election. 

At the committee-of-the-whole meeting February 20th, council opted to appoint Darrell Toms, the runner-up in Ward 2 in the 2022 municipal election but it required formal approval at the regular council meeting.

That decision was defeated as Councillors Les Andrews and Vicki Mink, who opposed it last week, were joined by Mayor Olena Hankivsky and Councillor Adam Pearson with only Deputy Mayor Claire Holloway-Wadwani and councillor Todd Attridge remaining in support.

In the end, the decision to choose a by-election was unanimously supported.

Council also passed a By-law last night required to authorize the use of internet and telephone voting in the By-election, the same methods used in the 2018 and the 2022 Municipal Elections.

The By-election will be held in late spring or early summer. More information will be provided by the municipality in the coming days.