John Rowswell was a Canadian politician who served as the mayor

Mayor

In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....

 of Sault Ste. Marie

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Sault Ste. Marie is a city on the St. Marys River in Algoma District, Ontario, Canada. It is the third largest city in Northern Ontario, after Sudbury and Thunder Bay, with a population of 74,948. The community was founded as a French religious mission: Sault either means "jump" or "rapids" in...

, Ontario

Ontario

Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

 from 2000 to 2010. He was first elected in the 2000 municipal election, defeating Steve Butland

Steve Butland

Steve Butland is a Canadian politician. He represented the Sault Ste. Marie electoral district in the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 to 1993 as a member of the New Democratic Party. Before entering politics, Butland served as principal at St...

, and in 2006 he was re-elected for his third term with approximately 56.5% of the vote. He was a consulting engineer

Engineer

An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...

 who operated his own company, Rowswell & Associates Engineers Ltd.

He was one of the longest-serving mayors in the city's history; only Joe Fratesi

Joe Fratesi

Joe Fratesi is the former mayor and current chief administrative officer of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Serving as Sault Ste. Marie's mayor from 1986 to 1996, he was the longest serving mayor in Sault Ste. Marie's history, breaking the record that W...

 served as mayor of Sault Ste. Marie for longer than Rowswell.

He died on August 31, 2010 after a prolonged battle with cancer.

Rowswell had a private funeral

Funeral

A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor...

, although a public wake

Wake (ceremony)

A wake is a ceremony associated with death. Traditionally, a wake takes place in the house of the deceased, with the body present; however, modern wakes are often performed at a funeral home. In the United States and Canada it is synonymous with a viewing...

 was held at the city's Essar Centre. The city's 2010 Terry Fox Run

Terry Fox Run

The Terry Fox Run is an annual non-competitive charity event held in numerous regions around the world in commemoration of Canadian cancer activist Terry Fox, and his Marathon of Hope, and to raise money for cancer research....

 was also dedicated to Rowswell's memory.

As his death occurred less than two months before the 2010 municipal election

Ontario municipal elections, 2010

The 2010 municipal elections in Ontario were held on October 25, 2010.Voters in the province of Ontario elected mayors, councillors, school board trustees and all other elected officials in all of the province's municipalities....

, provincial law did not permit a by-election

By-election

A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....

 to be held to choose his immediate successor. City Council opted not to appoint an interim replacement, but instead followed its existing rotation of acting mayors that had been arranged to serve as mayor during his medical absences. Councillors Lorena Tridico, Susan Myers and Ozzie Grandinetti each served one month as acting mayor

Acting Mayor

Acting mayor is a temporary office created by the charter of some municipal governments.-History:In many cities and towns, the charter or some similar fundamental document provides that in the event of the death, resignation, or removal from office of the mayor, another official will lead the...

 until Debbie Amaroso

Debbie Amaroso

Debbie Amaroso, née Jannison is a Canadian politician, who was elected mayor of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario in the 2010 municipal election....

, the winner of the 2010 election, took office on December 1.

Electoral record

|-
| style="text-align:left;"| John Rowswell
| style="text-align:right;"| 11,713
| style="text-align:right;"| 41.68
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Peter Vaudry
| style="text-align:right;"| 8,579
| style="text-align:right;"| 30.52
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Patricia Jennings
| style="text-align:right;"| 7,000
| style="text-align:right;"| 24.91
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Gary Bedryk
| style="text-align:right;"| 812
| style="text-align:right;"| 2.89
|- style="background:#eee;"
! style="text-align:left;"| Total valid votes
! style="text-align:right;"| 28,104
! style="text-align:right;"| 100.00
|}