Candidates set to hit election trail

NORTHUMBERLAND - With fall just around the corner, candidates for elections in the seven municipalities that make up Northumberland County are filing their nomination papers and, as expected, there are a lot of experienced politicians standing for re-election.
Municipalities are keeping a running list of candidates on their websites. For example, if you go to www.alnwickhaldimand.ca, www.brighton.ca, www.cobourg.ca, www.visitcramahe.ca, www.hamiltontownship.ca, www.porthope.ca and www.trenthills.ca, and look for "Elections 2010" in the left hand column, click on it and it will take you to an election overview and those seeking office.
Municipal candidates must fulfill the following minimum qualifications in order to be eligible to run in the 2010 municipal election on Oct. 25:
1. At least 18 years of age; and
2. A Canadian Citizen; and
3. A resident of the municipality, or the owner or tenant of land in the municipality, or the spouse of such owner or tenant.
Nominations can be filed until Sept. 10. Check to see the times for each different municipality.
ALNWICK / HALDIMAND
With long-time Alnwick / Haldimand Mayor Bill Finley letting people know very early in the year he would not seek re-election, Deputy Mayor Dalton McDonald is looking to move up, as are Ward 2 Councillor Rosemarie Robins (who lost to Finley by 140 votes for the mayoralty in 2006) and Ward 1 Councillor Art Jeninga.
Ward 1 Councillor Raymond Benns is looking to become deputy mayor. Incumbent Ward 1 councillor Cathie Ritchie has filed her papers in hopes of retaining the seat. Carl Jeptha, Joan Stover, Sandra Jaynes, John Logel and, as mentioned before, Hamilton Township councillor Twila Marston have also filed their nomination papers for a Ward 1 councillor seat. Incumbent Ward 2 councillor William Holmes will also run again. The council has three positions for Ward 1 and two for Ward 2.
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP
In Hamilton Township, four incumbents on the five-member council have filed papers for re-election including Mayor Mark Lovshin, Deputy Mayor Isobel Hie and councillors Gary Woods and Pat McCourt.
Three new people are seeking councillor positions and they are Donna Cole, Karen Roussy and John Davison.
Councillor Twila Marston is not seeking re-election in Hamilton Township but has filed papers to run in neighbouring Alnwick/Haldimand as a councillor for Ward 1.
BRIGHTON
The municipal election in Brighton currently has incumbent Councillor Brian Ostrander challenging Mark Walas, who is not on council at this time, for the mayoralty. Mayor Christine Herrington filed her nomination papers for re-election back in April only to withdraw in July.
Incumbent councillors Emily Rowley and Craig Kerr have filed to run for two of the six councillor seats while Dave Cutler, Chuck Ward and Mike Vandertoorn have not announced their intentions.
COBOURG
Cobourg's current Mayor Peter Delanty is retiring and so far it's a race between Deputy Mayor Gil Brocanier and Martin Partridge to replace him. Councillor Stan Frost has filed for the deputy mayor's position.
Only incumbent councillors Bill MacDonald and Miriam Mutton are looking to retain their council seats, but four others are looking for one of those five councillor positions: former Hamilton Township mayor Forrest Rowden, John Henderson, Larry Sherwin and Wayne DeVeau.
CRAMAHE
Cramahe Mayor Marc Coombs is seeking re-election. Former mayor Elie Dekeyser, who lost to Coombs in 2006, is the only official mayoralty candidate at this time and is not on the current council.
Cramahe Deputy Mayor Jim Williams will run again for the same position he now holds and he is being challenged by Councillor Tim Gilligan. Patricia Westrope has filed nomination papers to retain her seat as a councillor, along with Ken Johnson, Matthew Reed and Kenneth Awender who are not on the current council. Incumbent councillor Ed Van Egmond has not announced his intentions for the election.
PORT HOPE
There is a growing race to fill the mayor's seat in Port Hope with incumbent Mayor Linda Thompson being challenged by Robert Chatten and William Spotton.
None of the incumbent councillors, nor Deputy Mayor Jeff Lees, has filed nomination papers. Those who have filed for councillor include former Port Hope mayor Rick Austin (for Ward 1), along with Patricia Sinnott and Bob Johnston. Greg Burns and Mark Probert have filed for Ward 2, the rural area north of the urbanized part of Port Hope.
TRENT HILLS
There is a lot of interest in the Trent Hills municipal council election with incumbent Mayor Hector Macmillan up against former Hope Township municipal representative Bob Fudge.
Those running for Ward 1 include incumbents Rosemary Kelleher-MacLennan, Bill Thompson and Gene Brahaney challenged by Tom Kerr, Gerri Humphries and Terry Nunn.
Only one Ward 2 candidate has filed nomination papers -- Kim MacNeil -- while Ward 3's incumbent Camille Edward's currently faces a nomination filed by Robert Crate. The Trent Hills council has three Ward 1 reps, two Ward 2 and one Ward 3, plus its mayor.
Watch Northumberland Today for profiles of candidates for the municipal election as the race for the Oct. 25 contest heats up.