New candidate makes it a four-way race for Fort Erie mayor

Two more candidates have entered Fort Erie’s municipal election, and only two councillors are now on track to win their seats without a vote.

Mike Campbell registered to run for mayor on Friday, making it a four-way race between Campbell, incumbent Mayor Wayne Redekop, Regional Councillor Tom Insinna and Crystal Beach resident Juan Liu.

Jon Nadeau filed the same day to run in Ward 2, where Councillor Nick Dubanow had been unopposed.

That leaves Ward 1 Councillor George McDermott and Ward 6 Councillor Ann-Marie Noyes as the only candidates still running without a challenger. Both will be acclaimed if no one else files by the time nominations close at 2 p.m. on August 21.

Redekop is seeking re-election to the mayor’s seat he has held since 2014.

The rest of council is already contested.

In Ward 3, Councillor Darren Flagg faces Jennifer Priestley.

In Ward 4, Councillor Joan Christensen is up against Matt Paul and Daniel Turner.

Ward 5 has the most crowded field, with Councillor Tom Lewis facing Thomas Mete, Scott Boumeester and Kassandra Ryerson.

There’s more at stake in the mayor’s race this time around. Under the province’s Better Regional Governance Act, Fort Erie is losing its elected seat on Niagara’s regional council.

The new regional council will be made up of the area’s 12 mayors and a chair appointed by the province–meaning whoever wins the mayor’s job will be the town’s only representative at the regional level.

The town clerk has until August 24 to certify nominations. Election day is October 26, when voters will choose a mayor, six ward councillors and four school board trustees.

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