Lambton Shores has a new mayor following the October 26, 2026 municipal election, as long-serving councillor Jeff Wilcox defeated incumbent Doug Cook to claim the municipality’s top office, the Petrolia Lambton Independent reported.
Wilcox Ends Cook’s Run as Municipal Leadership Shifts
Jeff Wilcox, who served three terms representing Ward 7 on council, secured 3,020 votes to decisively outpace Doug Cook, who finished with 1,781 votes. The decisive mayoral contest forms part of a broader wave of political turnover across the municipality, with five new councillors joining the local government for the upcoming 2026–2030 term.
Following the election results, Doug Cook reflected on his time in Lambton Shores politics after his mayoral loss. Looking ahead, Cook stated that he intends to focus on running his wine business and traveling alongside his wife.
New Faces and Returning Figures Shape Council Chambers
Chris Vanderydt secured the seat to serve as the Ward 1 councillor, competing in a ballot that also featured Randy McClinchey and Sarah Nicholson. In Ward 4, representing Forest, David Pugh emerged victorious over fellow newcomers David McLean and DJ Pugh. Suzanne Shea captured the Ward 5 councillor seat after contesting the ward against Jim Hanson. Meanwhile, Randy Shaw won the race in Ward 7, defeating Jeff Girling.
Further down the municipal leadership slate, Dan Sageman sought a third term as deputy mayor after previously serving two terms as a councillor. Sageman faced a challenge from Marilyn Smith, a newcomer who previously ran for the mayor’s office in the 2022 municipal election. Sageman has already signaled his future political intentions, publicly stating his plans to run for the mayor’s office in the 2030 municipal election.
