Voters now have one month to decide on whom they will cast a ballot for after the cutoff for nominations came and went on Friday.
There were no new entries for Prince Rupert's mayoral race last week. As of 4 p.m. on Oct. 10, Lee Brain, Tony Briglio, Sheila Gordon-Payne and Jack Mussallem were candidates battling for the mayor's chair.
Five of six Prince Rupert councillors presently in office have entered to run again, with Anna Ashley, Barry Cunningham, Gina Garon, Nelson Kinney and Joy Thorkelson all submitting their names into the race. Wade Niesh and Gurvinder Randhawa, who both ran for a seat in the 2014 by-election, are also seeking one of six city council seats, in addition to Blair Mirau and Raymond Pedersen.
In Port Edward, Mayor Dave MacDonald is pursuing his third term as the community's leader, with Alice Kruta also putting her name forward for the mayor's seat.
There will be a lot of familiar names on Port Edward’s ballot, as all of the current councillors are seeking re-election, including Knut Bjorndal, Dan Franzen, Murray Kristoff and Christine McKenzie. Others hoping to fill one of the four Port Edward council seats are James Brown, Ed Day, Grant Moore and Clayton Vanier.
There are 10 individuals going for one of five chairs around the School District 52 board of education table. Current trustees Terri-Lynn Huddlestone, Bart Kuntz, Tina Last and Louisa Sanchez are all seeking re-election in November, with James Horne, June Lewis, Fanny Nelson, Kimberly Williams and William Spat also entering their names into the race. Interestingly, city councillor Judy Carlick-Pearson has decided to run in the school board race this year.
Janet Beil will be returned by acclamation, as the lone candidate running for the board’s rural seat.
Tanya Ostrom, the City of Prince Rupert’s chief election officer, said candidates are able to withdraw their names up until Oct. 17 at 4 p.m., at which time the list of candidates will be finalized.
There will be three opportunities for advance voting in Prince Rupert and one in Port Edward. There will also be a special advance vote at the Prince Rupert Regional Hospital for those unable to leave the facility.
General voting will be on Nov. 15 at the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre in Prince Rupert and at the municipal office in Port Edward.