Nine individuals in midwestern Ontario are set to take on four-year terms as mayor or reeve without any votes being cast, following the nomination deadline for municipal elections on Friday.
A review by CKNXNews Today. ca of the final unofficial candidate lists across 35 municipalities in Bruce, Grey, Huron, and Perth counties as well as northern Wellington revealed nine positions of head-of-council with just one candidate each. These candidates haven’t been officially acclaimed yet.
Municipal clerks have until 4 p. m. on Monday to check and certify nominations. Candidates who remain the only certified nominee for a position can then be declared elected by acclamation.
This situation marks a notable change from what was observed earlier during the nomination period.
An analysis on August 11 showed that only 19 out of the region’s 35 municipalities had contested races for mayor or reeve, leaving 16 top spots with a single candidate at that time.
A wave of last-minute nominations created new contests in several areas, but nine positions still remain uncontested after Friday’s deadline.
In Grey and Bruce counties, three incumbent mayors are likely to return without having to face voters.
Chris Peabody is running unopposed for mayor in Brockton, Sue Carleton has no opposition in Georgian Bluffs, and Kevin Eccles is the only candidate for mayor in West Grey.
Huron County features three uncontested head-of-council positions; two of these will lead to someone stepping into the municipality’s top role.
Marg Anderson, Deputy Mayor of Central Huron, is the sole candidate looking to replace Mayor Jim Ginn while Doug Hargrave from Howick is alone in his bid for reeve.
Morris-Turnberry Mayor Jamie Heffer also has no challengers. If certified, this would mark Heffer’s third straight term won by acclamation. He was previously acclaimed as mayor in both 2018 and 2022.
Two municipalities in Perth County are also on track for mayoral acclamations. North Perth Deputy Mayor Doug Kellum stands as the only candidate for mayor. With 16 years of service on North Perth council-eight of which were spent as deputy mayor-he’s set to succeed Mayor Todd Kasenberg without an election for the position.
Sue Orr from Perth South is also unopposed. She became mayor in December 2024 after Mayor Jim Aitcheson passed away. An acclamation would give Orr her first complete term without facing an election for this role.
In northern Wellington, Minto Mayor Dave Turton is also running unopposed. This would be Turton’s second consecutive acclamation after he ran without opposition back in 2022.
Additionally, several other municipal roles throughout the region appear ready to be filled via acclamation.
In Grey-Bruce area, uncontested deputy mayor candidates include Scott Greig from Owen Sound, Barbara Dobreen from Southgate, Grant Pringle from Georgian Bluffs, Jennifer Shaw from Arran-Elderslie, and James Hanna from Huron-Kinloss.
Robert Uhrig stands as the only deputy mayor candidate in Meaford while Rory Cavanagh runs unopposed for deputy mayor in Kincardine.
Central Huron has just one deputy mayor candidate: David Jewitt; Nicholas Vink is likewise the sole deputy mayor hopeful in West Perth.
The official certified list of candidates along with declarations regarding acclamations are expected from municipal clerks late Monday afternoon.
The municipal election will take place on October 26.
Source link
Source link
