While news that no candidates came forward to challenge current mayor Andy Adams for the top seat in Campbell River garnered most of the attention in municipal election news this week, some of the electoral races around the region are likely of more interest to the residents of outlying communities.
In Gold River, for example, two candidates have stepped up to challenge incumbent mayor Brad Unger for that position, and two seats have been vacated by current councillors who have chosen not to seek re-election, meaning at least half of that council will be new after the Oct. 20 election.
Keith Broad and Michael McGee will challenge Unger for the mayor’s seat, while Kirsty Begon and Rodney MacLeod will seek to retain their seats on council, challenged by Jennifer Holbrook, Derry Mann, Brenda Patrick, Joe Sinclair and Rachel Stratton.
In Sayward, like in Campbell River, there is only one candidate for mayor – incumbent John MacDonald – but there are five candidates for the four seats on council, only two of which are current councillors.
Joyce Ellis and Norm Kirschner will attempt to retain their council seats in Sayward against newcomers Wesley Cragg, William Ives and Michael Marsh.
Marsh isn’t a total newcomer, however, as he served on Sayward council prior to 2014.
The village of Zeballos won’t have a race at all, as current councillor Julie Colborne is the only candidate for mayor, and newcomers Paul Brawn and Justin Janisse will join incumbents Candace Faulkner and Barb Lewis as the four town councillors.
Tahsis residents, however, will see three names on the ballot for the mayor’s chair and another eight candidates vying for the four spots on council.
What’s more, only one name on those lists is a currently sitting member of council, as Brenda Overton seeks to move from councillor to mayor.
She will be up against Martin Davis and David McIntosh for that job, while Bill Elder, Doug Elliot, Carol Finnie, James Fothergill-Brown, Sarah Fowler, Josh Lambert, Jeff Lancaster and Lynda Llewellyn will compete for seats on council.