Nine candidates across midwestern Ontario are poised to secure four-year terms as mayor or reeve without a vote being cast, following Friday's municipal election nomination deadline.
A CKNXNewsToday.ca review of final unofficial candidate lists across 35 municipalities in Bruce, Grey, Huron, and Perth counties and northern Wellington found nine head-of-council positions with only one candidate. The candidates have not yet officially been acclaimed.
Municipal clerks have until 4 p.m. Monday to examine and certify nominations. Candidates who remain the only certified nominee for an office can then be declared elected by acclamation.
The final picture represents a significant change from earlier in the nomination period.
A review on August 11 found only 19 of the region's 35 municipalities had contested races for mayor or reeve, leaving 16 top positions with a single candidate at the time.
A surge of late nominations created new races in several communities, but nine remain uncontested following Friday's deadline.
In Grey and Bruce counties, three incumbent mayors are poised to return without facing voters.
Chris Peabody is the only candidate for mayor in Brockton, Sue Carleton is unopposed in Georgian Bluffs, and Kevin Eccles is the lone mayoral candidate in West Grey.
Huron County has three uncontested head-of-council positions, including two that would result in someone moving into the municipality's top job.
Central Huron Deputy Mayor Marg Anderson is the only candidate seeking to replace Mayor Jim Ginn, while Howick Councillor Doug Hargrave is alone in the race for reeve.
Morris-Turnberry Mayor Jamie Heffer is also unopposed. If certified, it would mark Heffer's third consecutive term obtained by acclamation. He was previously acclaimed mayor in both 2018 and 2022.
Two Perth County municipalities are also headed toward mayoral acclamations. North Perth Deputy Mayor Doug Kellum is the municipality's only candidate for mayor. He has served 16 years on North Perth council, including the past eight as deputy mayor, and is now poised to succeed Mayor Todd Kasenberg without a mayoral election.
Perth South Mayor Sue Orr is also running unopposed. Orr was appointed mayor in December 2024 following the death of Mayor Jim Aitcheson. An acclamation would give Orr her first full term in the mayor's chair without facing a vote for the position.
In northern Wellington, Minto Mayor Dave Turton is the only candidate seeking the top job. It would be Turton's second consecutive mayoral acclamation after he also ran unopposed in 2022.
Several other municipal positions across the region are also poised to be filled by acclamation.
In Grey-Bruce, uncontested deputy mayor candidates include Scott Greig in Owen Sound, Barbara Dobreen in Southgate, Grant Pringle in Georgian Bluffs, Jennifer Shaw in Arran-Elderslie, and James Hanna in Huron-Kinloss.
Robert Uhrig is also the only deputy mayor candidate in Meaford, while Rory Cavanagh is unopposed for deputy mayor in Kincardine.
Central Huron has only one candidate for deputy mayor, David Jewitt, while Nicholas Vink is the sole deputy mayor candidate in West Perth.
Official certified candidate lists and declarations of acclamation are expected from municipal clerks sometime late Monday afternoon.
The municipal election will be held October 26.
