Fewer candidates signing up in St. Catharines
Nominations for the Oct. 22 municipal election close Friday afternoon
With less than three days to go, St. Catharines has substantially fewer city council candidates signed up for the municipal election than the number who ran in 2014.
By end of day Tuesday, there were 29 candidates registered for ward councillors or mayor, compared to 40 running in the last election.
Whether that will mean a lastminute rush into the clerk’s office to meet Friday’s 2 p.m. registration deadline or simply less names on the Oct. 22 ballot is anyone’s guess.
“I’m surprised, but I still feel here in St. Catharines we may see more,” said city clerk Bonnie Nistico-Dunk, adding prospective candidates were still picking up papers Tuesday morning but until they drop them off she won’t know how serious they are.
“I’m assuming the end of this week is going to be very busy.”
Nistico-Dunk said changes to Ontario’s Municipal Election Act, including the length of time for registration, may have something to do with it.
Candidates had more than eight months to sign up for the Oct. 27, 2014, election, starting on Jan. 1 and continuing until Sept.
12. That time to contemplate a run has shrunk this time around.
The earliest date candidates could register was May 1 and they only have until July 27 at 2 p.m. to finalize their decision.
Another change is the requirement that candidates collect 25 signatures of support to run for office.
“I don’t think it’s impossible for anybody to get 25 signatures, but it makes it a little different,” Nistico-Dunk said. “There’s a little bit more work that has to go into getting your endorsements.”
Brock University political science professor David Siegel said he’s talked to other clerks in Ontario who have fewer candidates registered so far, so the phenomenon is not unique to St. Catharines.
“It could be the earlier date,” he said. “Maybe some people will start thinking about this in early September and be surprised by the fact that the date has been changed this time around.”
Each of St. Catharines’ six wards have fewer candidates so far than in 2014, with the exception of Grantham, but none are in an acclamation situation. Overall, there are 10 fewer councillor candidates at 25 and one less candidate for mayor at four.
Nistico-Dunk said it’s possible people who may have considered running for city council are thinking about a regional seat this year. Candidates for St. Catharines regional councillor currently stand at 12 — one more than on the 2014 ballot.
Nominations and withdrawals must be in by 2 p.m. Friday and will be certified on Monday, the day proxy vote certificates can start to be filed with the clerk’s department after 4 p.m.
Nistico-Dunk is ready for an influx Friday, should there be one.
“I have a feeling everyone’s being a little strategic, waiting to see what those lists look like and holding it to the last possible moment to see who they’d be up against,” she said. “I always think there’s a little bit of strategy to the hold-off.”