London, Ont.’s next door neighbour is about to get a new mayor

London’s closest neighbour to the east is about to get a new mayor.

With Alison Warwick not seeking re-election, the top job in Thames Centre is up for grabs — and much like its urban neighbour, some candidates in the mostly rural riding have seen the campaign take a negative turn.

“The last two elections, it was harder to run as a female,” explains mayoral candidate Kelly Elliot. “This year I think it’s just harder to run in general. I think everybody’s experiencing the same types of things.”

Elliot has been on council since 2014, serving her most recent term as deputy mayor, but she says the tone of the campaign is much different this time around.

About 30 of her campaign signs have been stolen so far, and she has even experienced personal attacks, facing the brunt of constituents’ anger over COVID-19, and the social divides that have emerged from the pandemic.

“It’s become very personal, and I think especially for incumbents who have gone through the pandemic and had to lead through the pandemic,” she says. “It’s become very personal.”

As for issues, Elliot says constituents have raised concerns about housing and growth.

“Growth and development, especially in our rural communities, we’ve seen that a lot in the last couple years. That fine balance of growth and development, as well as keeping the agricultural land and keeping the small town feel that we have. I’d say that’s definitely the highlight of what we’re talking about,” she says.

Mayoral candidate Sharon McMillan told CTV News London she is concerned about growth and intensification in Thames Centre.

“We, like a lot of other places are facing issues with intensification, which in a small municipality, in rural villages, there’s some concern about how big we grow and how fast we grow. That’s probably one of the number one things,” she says.

As for the tone of the campaign, McMillan says she has not had to deal with the same level of negativity that others have faced.

“Negativity comes, I think, more through social media than anything else. Because, like I said, we’ve had pretty good reception at the door,” she explains.