A lack of candidates to choose from already has some council positions in Woolwich Township decided ahead of the upcoming election.
Council hopefuls in the township will have their papers certified by the end of the day Monday, but there aren’t many candidates running.
75 per cent of candidates running in the area will win their seat with only two wards being contested, leaving voters to only have to make a decision on wards one and two.
This also marks the only election in Waterloo Region where the mayor’s race has already been decided.
Current mayor Sandy Shantz will keep her seat along with both candidates in ward three, who are acclaimed.
“I'm not going to lie, it's a relief,” said Shantz.
But she does not that while it may be a victory for her, it’s a loss for the democratic process.
“The opportunity to engage with the community is very valuable,” she said.
Being a part-time municipal councilor only pays about $17,000 leaving many to believe the job is undesirable.
“It’s not well paying, there's a lot of work involved. You need to be, if you will, on the spot all the time,” said political scientist Robert Williams.
The Woolwich Township council has been put on the spot before after several councilors were held accountable for campaign spending and its previous mayor was held for doubling billing expenses.
The upcoming election will take place October 22, 2018.
For more information on the 2018 municipal election, visit our Election Hub page.
