With voters heading to the polls in less than three months to vote in the municipal election, the options for some voters may be slimmer than usual.
As of July 27 – just over three weeks before the deadline to file nomination papers – there are several uncontested races.
“I’m surprised there haven’t been more to date. Usually [we] have a lot right off the start and then a lot right at the end,” said Jeff Henry, Ward 6 councillor in the City of Waterloo, who is not running for re-election.
As of now, no one is running to fill the empty seat Henry is leaving behind.
Currently, in the City of Waterloo, only one out of eight city council races has any competition. Ward 7 has two registered candidates.
“The more choices you have, the more voices that are offered during the campaign, the better we can feel about the direction the city’s gonna take,” said Henry.
Waterloo mayor Dave Jaworksy said he will not be seeking re-election.
Only one candidate has registered so far in the mayoral race for Waterloo.
“I’m not sure why people are holding back. Maybe it’s just because it’s the summer, and coming out of a pandemic, and honestly, people are tired,” said Jaworsky.
The choices aren’t much more abundant in the City of Kitchener.
Only two of the city’s council races, Ward 4 and Ward 10, are competitive.
Ward 10 is also the only one where there are more than two declared candidates.
Mayor Berry Vrbanovic is currently the only person registered for Kitchener’s mayoral race.
In the City of Cambridge, several highly contested races are taking shape.
Only three of the city’s council races have lone candidates.
In Ward 6 there are currently four people registered to run – the most in any of the three cities in the Region of Waterloo.
The mayoral race in Cambridge is also shaping up to be a lively affair with incumbent Kathryn McGarry facing off against current councillor Jan Liggett.
The two have butted heads in council on issues, including a vote last fall on a consumption and treatment site.
The last day to register is August 19.
