PEI candidates in place for municipal elections

Nominations closed Monday in several Prince Edward Island towns and communities for the November municipal elections.

The mayors or chairs have been acclaimed in North Rustico, O'Leary, Souris, Kensington, Borden Carleton, Montague and North Shore.

Anne Kirk, Mayor of North Rustico is pleased to have been acclaimed.

You come in here for the good of your community and the love of your community, she said.

Only three of the mid-sized communities have more than one candidate running for the top job. Rowan Caseleyhas been acclaimed in Kensington and will become mayor after November3. He says running for the job is unusual when there's no competition.

When there's nobody running against you, it kind of makes it a little more difficult to go knocking on somebody's door, he said. Its kind of like they don't want to be bothered.

There are still races for the top job in Georgetown, Alberton and Tignish.

In Georgetown, Mayor Lewis Lavandier is being challenged by Cindy MacLean.

In Alberton, Mayor Michael Murphy is being challenged by councillor Natasha Dunn.

The current chair of Tignish, Allan McInnis, is being challenged by Allan Gavin.

There are plenty of races for council positions across most of those municipalities as well.

Political science professor Don Desserud says there are fewer candidates coming forward in municipal elections because the race for mayor or town council is very personal, people represent themselves, not a political party.

You are all by yourself, you are putting your name forward, you are on your own, he said. You have your supporters but you don't have that professional team that helps you. That's a big disincentive for a lot of people.

When it comes to the paycheque, mayors don't make a lot of money. Several communities give an honorarium payment to their mayors ranging from $3,000 to $5,000 a year.

Desserud says the time commitment is extreme.

With the pressure on the person's and family, trying to find time to do it, they're not part time jobs anymore, he said.
Kirk agrees being on the job everyday is a big commitment.

It is very time consuming and you know I'm retired from teaching so this time I'm able to put in, she said.

The remaining smaller communities will hold special election meetings, where nominations may be taken from the floor.

Municipal elections will be held on P.E.I. on November 3.