And they’re off!
Posted Sep 13, 2010 02:55:40 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A flurry of activity approaching last Friday’s deadline to file nomination papers for next month’s election means there will be races for virtually every political seat in the region. Within hours of that deadline Friday, a handful of incumbents were still running uncontested. Once the deadline had passed, however, only Karen Scian in Waterloo and all of Wellesley Township, including mayor Ross Kelterborn, will be acclaimed.
The mayoral races in Waterloo and Cambridge, meantime, promise to be interesting as incumbent councillors have decided to enter the race for their city’s top political job. In Cambridge, three-term councillor Linda Whetham will oppose incumbent Doug Craig and newcomer Andrew Johnson for the mayor’s post. In Waterloo, it’s three-term councillor Jan d’Ailly who has entered what’s become a crowded mayoral race that includes former business professor Franklin Ramsoomair and retired business executive Dale Ross. They’ll compete with incumbent Brenda Halloran, who is finishing her first term in office.
While there’s not the same intrigue in Kitchener’s mayoral race, that city likely represents the most entertainment for municipal political junkies in the region. With the expansion of council from 6 to 10 seats, two retirements (John Smola and Christina Weylie) and one switch from the city council race to the regional council race (Geoff Lorentz), there will be 7 new faces around the horseshoe at Kitchener City Hall this fall.
“That’s probably going to be “the” story of 2010 in Kitchener,” says Bob Williams, professor emeritus at the University of Waterloo and an expert in municipal affairs. “The personnel around the council table after October 25th are going to be a very, very different group than we’ve seen for many, many years.”
At least one candidate in Kitchener, Ward 6 hopeful Jamie Vasey, has raised the issue of candidates running in wards in which they do not live. There is nothing in the region’s electoral rules preventing it and Williams says that in no way makes us unique.
“Canadian electoral law has never made that kind of requirement,” Williams explains. “In some American contexts it is a requirement that you live in the area you represent but we’ve never done that.”
While Williams concedes that a candidate could make a case that they know a particular neighbourhood better because they live in it, he says voters should simply look for the person that can do a good job on council.
Despite the fact there promises to be plenty of turnover across the region’s political landscape, a key issue remains getting voters out to the ballot box on October 25th.
Williams calls the local turnout in 2006 (less than 25%, on average, across the region) “abysmal” and cites several factors that come into play. One, he says, is the absence of an organization that promotes the looming election. That makes a municipal vote much different than a provincial or federal vote because there is no party support in terms of revenue and advertising to grab our attention.
“We don’t see television ads, we don’t see campaigns in the major media reminding everybody that, ‘hey, there’s an election coming, be ready.’ We see that federally and provincially,” Williams points out.
And that, naturally, places the onus on the candidate.
“For many candidates, they have to rely on door-knocking or literature drops and signs because media advertising is really far too expensive for a ward candidate to undertake,” Williams acknowledges.
And then it’s up to us, as voters, to sift through that literature that comes in the mail and come to recognize those lawn signs as more than a nuisance.
To that end, 570 News and Rogers TV are partnering to bring you close to 40 debates, covering virtually every race in our region.
Here are the debate dates on Rogers TV, Cable 20.
Cambridge Candidates Debate
Tuesday, September 14 Cambridge Ward 7 LIVE at 7 PM, repeats at 10 PM
Monday, September 20 Regional Councillor Cambridge LIVE at 7 PM, repeats at 10 PM
Tuesday, September 21 Cambridge Ward 4 LIVE at 7 PM, repeats at 10 PM
Tuesday, September 21 Cambridge Ward 5 LIVE at 7:30 PM, repeats at 10:30 PM
Wednesday, September 22 Cambridge Ward 6 LIVE at 7:30 PM, repeats at 10:30 PM
Wednesday, September 29 Cambridge Ward 2 LIVE at 9 PM, repeats at midnight
Monday, October 4 Cambridge Ward 8 LIVE at 7 PM, repeats at 10 PM
Wednesday, October 6 Cambridge Ward 3 LIVE at 7 PM, repeats at 10 PM
Thursday, October 7 Cambridge Mayor LIVE at 7 PM, repeats at 10 PM
Tuesday, October 12 Cambridge Ward 1 LIVE at 7 PM, repeats at 10 PM
Waterloo Candidates Debate
Wednesday, September 15 Waterloo Ward 5 LIVE at 9 PM, repeats at midnight
Tuesday, September 21 Waterloo Ward 3 LIVE at 9 PM, repeats at midnight
Wednesday, September 22 Waterloo Ward 4 LIVE at 9:30PM, repeats at 12:30 AM
Monday, September 27 Regional Councillor Waterloo LIVE at 7 PM, repeats at 10 PM
Tuesday, September 28 Waterloo Ward 1 LIVE at 7 PM, repeats at 10 PM
Thursday, October 14 Waterloo Mayor LIVE at 7 PM, repeats at 10 PM
Tuesday, October 19 Waterloo Ward 7 LIVE at 7 PM, repeats at 10 PM
Wednesday, October 20 Waterloo Ward 6 LIVE at 7 PM, repeats at 10 PM
Kitchener Candidates Debate
Wednesday, September 15 Kitchener Ward 2 LIVE at 9:30 PM, repeats at 12:30 AM
Thursday, September 16 Kitchener Ward 10 LIVE at 9 PM, repeats at midnight
Monday, September 20 Regional Councillor Kitchener LIVE at 9 PM, repeats at midnight
Wednesday, September 22 Kitchener Ward 3 LIVE at 9 PM, repeats at midnight
Monday, September 27 Kitchener Ward 8 LIVE at 7:30 PM, repeats at 10:30 PM
Monday, September 27 Kitchener Ward 1 LIVE at 9:30 PM, repeats at 12:30 AM
Tuesday, September 28 Kitchener Ward 7 LIVE at 9 PM, repeats at midnight
Wednesday, September 29 Kitchener Ward 6 LIVE at 7 PM, repeats at 10 PM
Thursday, September 30 Kitchener Mayor LIVE at 7 PM, repeats at 10 PM
Tuesday, October 5 Kitchener Ward 4 LIVE at 7 PM, repeats at 10 PM
Wednesday, October 13 Kitchener Ward 5 LIVE at 7 PM, repeats at 10 PM
Monday, October 18 Kitchener Ward 9 LIVE at 7 PM, repeats at 10 PM
Regional Council Candidates Debates
Monday, September 20 Regional Councillor Cambridge LIVE at 7 PM, repeats at 10 PM
Monday, September 20 Regional Councillor Kitchener LIVE at 9 PM, repeats at midnight
Monday, September 27 Regional Councillor Waterloo LIVE at 7 PM, repeats at 10 PM
Monday, October 4 Regional Chairman LIVE at 9 PM, repeats at midnight
North Dumfries, Woolwich & Wilmot Township Debates
Monday, September 13 North Dumfries Ward 1 LIVE at 7 PM, repeats at 10 PM
Monday, September 13 Wilmot Township Ward 3 LIVE at 7:30 PM, repeats at 10:30 PM
Tuesday, September 14 North Dumfries Ward 2 LIVE at 7:30 PM, repeats at 10:30 PM
Wednesday, September 15 Wilmot Ward 4 LIVE at 7PM, repeats at 10 PM
Thursday, September 16 Woolwich Mayor LIVE at 7 PM, repeats at 10 PM
Tuesday, September 21 North Dumfries Ward 3 LIVE at 9:30 PM, repeats at 12:30 AM
Wednesday, September 22 North Dumfries Ward 4 LIVE at 7 PM, repeats at 10 PM
Thursday, September 23 Wilmot Mayor LIVE at 7 PM, repeats at 10 PM
Thursday, September 23 Wilmot Ward 2 LIVE at 9 PM, repeats at midnight
Thursday, September 23 North Dumfries Mayor LIVE at 9:30 PM, repeats at 12:30 AM
Monday, September 27 Wilmot Ward 1 LIVE at 9 PM, repeats at midnight
Tuesday, September 28 Woolwich Ward 3 LIVE at 7:30 PM, repeats at 10:30 PM
Thursday, September 30 Woolwich Ward 1 LIVE at 9 PM, repeats at midnight
Schedule is subject to change.
