While the next mayor of Halifax Regional Municipality prepares for his job in office, there are five other candidates who will be returning to their day jobs now that the election is over.

Leading contenders Tom Martin and Fred Connors say it’s time to get back to their regular jobs, but that doesn’t mean they are shutting the door on politics.

“I’ve always been involved in the municipality. I’ve always been involved in the community. However, where I’m going to go from here, what does tomorrow hold? I can’t answer that question right now,” said Martin.

The retired police officer is focusing on his farm and two other businesses.

North end businessman Fred Connors said throughout the campaign, he continued to work full-time at his salon.

“The time that I spent running, I can now put back into my business and developing my team and creating magic on the corner of North and Agricola streets,” said Connors.

The stylist said he’s spent the last nine months studying municipal reports and newspapers, and he’s looking forward to unplugging his laptop for the next little while.

That doesn’t mean Connors won’t be a political name in future.

“I look forward to sharing the energy and the passion I have with more organizations, perhaps on a provincial or federal level,” said Connors. “I’ve noticed a lot of people coming to me, very interested in the ideas that I have to share, and I hope that those ideas actually turn into tangible results.”

Mayor elect Mike Savage won with 57.7 per cent of the vote, 63,547 ballots.

Martin had 19.9 per cent, with 21,912 ballots, and Connors was a close third, with 18.4 per cent and 20,277 ballots.

There were three other candidates in the race, Dalhousie computer science student Aaron Eisses, comedian Steve Mackie, and Robert Wesley McCormack.

“I would like to thank all the people that supported me. It was [an] interesting experience,” Eisses Tweeted following the election.