‘Focus on affordability,’ locals head to the polls in Central Elgin
Advanced polls opened on Oct 1. to locals looking to get their vote in early and skip the long lines.
Residents of Central Elgin will have more options in this municipal election with the choice of four mayoral candidates.
The current mayoral candidates include Dennis Crevits, Tom Marks, Casey Siebenmorgen and Andrew Sloan.
Tom Marks, the current deputy mayor told CTV News that he feels optimistic after engaging in a meet and greet Saturday morning which included other candidates.
“We had some good interactions today,” he said.
Marks’ message to voters is that he is always available to answer questions and to hear their concerns.
“I think what we hear the most is they want to see us and for us to answer questions,” said Marks. “Always concerned about high water rates, tax rates, etc. and they’re looking for solutions,”
Todd Noble, who is running as a candidate for deputy mayor expressed similar concerns that he’s heard from residents.
“I think at the end of the day the biggest thing that Central Elgin needs is cooperation, they need to build a better community,” he said.
Andrew Sloan said his priorities in this election are for change and to focus on affordability.
“It’s time for us to look at the budget and doing more with less,” said Sloan, a mayoral candidate for CE.
“We have tremendous challenges with the economy right now and going forward I don't think we can continue on the same path.”
Some candidates themselves arrived early to the polls on Saturday afternoon, eager to get in their vote in.
“It’s a nice day, we thought why not get out and vote,” said David Baughman, a candidate for Ward 5. “We wanted to skip the long line.”
“The expense of living today is getting higher and higher and it’s up to us as council, as a new council coming in to maximize the tax dollars spent and reduce the impact on the rate payers as we move forward” said rob McFarlan, a candidate for Ward 5.
There are 22 municipal candidates competing to become mayor, deputy mayor or a counselor in Central Elgin.
Ward 2 will be a race between the current mayor Sally Martyn and ward 3 incumbent councilor Karen Cook, Morgaine Halpin and Sherlock Reid.
Bill Sporbeck will competing with Baughman and McFarlan for a seat in Ward 5.
While running for deputy mayor, Noble is currently up against Bill Harrington and Colleen Row.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Centre Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs hasn't been ruled out of tonight's Game 7 against the Boston Bruins.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.