Polls will open at 10 a.m. Monday to kick off election day in Chatham-Kent.
Residents will have until 8 p.m. Monday evening to cast their vote. Family Services Kent is offering residents free rides to polling stations. BlackburnNews.com will have live coverage on election night through the website, social media, and on-air on Country 92.9FM / 630 AM.
There are six mayoral candidates, they include incumbent Mayor Randy Hope, current Chatham Councillor Darrin Canniff, local advocate Alysson Storey, Robert Salvatore Powers, Harold Atkinson, and Allan Robert Traylor. BlackburnNews.com and CFCO recently hosted a roundtable discussion with the candidates. You can listen to it here.
Hope has been mayor for over a decade and is looking to get re-elected for a fourth term. Canniff has made a name for himself throughout the community, not just as a councillor, but also as a volunteer and co-ordinator for several community events such as the International Plowing Match and Rural Expo. Storey has been making headlines over the past year as an advocate for concrete median barriers on Highway 401 between Tilbury and London, taking the issue straight to provincial politicians in Queen's Park.
Following Monday night's results, there will be some new faces on Chatham-Kent's council, as seven current councillors are not seeking re-election. Once their term is up, councillors Karen Herman, David VanDamme, Leon LeClair, Jeff Wesley, Bob Myers, and Derek Roberston will be stepping away from municipal politics. The seventh seat will be available since as Canniff is seeking the mayoral position.
In West Kent (Ward 1) there are two seats up for grabs. Current councillors Mark Authier and Bryon Fluker are seeking re-election with three other candidates challenging them for those spots.
In South Kent (Ward 2) there are three seats available, with eight candidates running. Current councillors Trevor Thompson and Frank Vercouteren are vying for a seat, as is former councillor Art Stirling.
With two seats available in East Kent (Ward 3), there are only three candidates, one of which is current councillor Steve Pinsonneault.
Meanwhile, it's a crowded race in North Kent (Ward 4) -- there are only two seats up for grabs, but there are eight candidates. Joe Faas is the only current councillor seeking re-election in this ward.
In Wallaceburg (Ward 5), there are four people campaigning for one of two council seats. Current councillor Carmen McGregor is seeking re-election. Current councillor Jeff Wesley is not seeking re-election but has thrown support behind Aaron Hall (as posted on his social media pages).
Chatham (Ward 6) has the most council positions with six seats available. Current councillors Brock McGregor, Michael Bondy, and Douglas Sulman are seeking re-election, but they'll have plenty of competition. There are 17 candidates running in Ward 6, which is fewer than past municipal elections. In 2014 there were 22 candidates running in Chatham and in 2010 there were 21 candidates.
You can find a full list of candidates and more on their election platforms by clicking here.
Municipal officials had said that the advanced voting numbers for this municipal election were up compared to previous years. The final number of votes cast in the Chatham-Kent 2018 municipal election will be made available by the municipality at a later date.