13 people running in Ward 7 - and that's just the beginning
The deadline to file is nearly three weeks away, and already, 13 people are running
It's someone who will make decisions on tax increases and trash collection, on transit fares and roads and other key decisions on Hamilton Mountain. And on March 21, Ward 7 residents will be choosing from a crowded heat.
The deadline to file is nearly three weeks away, and already, 13 people are running in a Ward 7 byelection to replace new Hamilton Mountain MP Scott Duvall.
Eleven men and two women want to be the city hall voice for the more than 60,000 people in Hamilton's most populated ward. They range from a former Conservative candidate to a women's rights advocate active in the Hamilton Mountain Mosque.
With so many candidates, it's not going to take a lot of votes to get in.- Henry Jacek, McMaster University
It won't be an easy decision, especially since whoever wins will likely only get in by a few hundred votes, says Henry Jacek, a McMaster University political science professor. The winner will carry weight at the table, but it's hard to get people interested in byelections.
That means it could come down to who has more friends in the ward, or who has just a few more volunteers.
"With so many candidates, it's not going to take a lot of votes to get in," he said. "If you can get certain people to come out and mobilize, you have a chance."
- It will cost $100K to replace Scott Duvall in a March byelection
- New MP Duvall resigns from council – so who's running in Ward 7?
Each of the candidates claim to have ways to set themselves apart. Some say their own backgrounds make them stand apart, while others cited a more direct approach — knocking on as many doors as possible.
"I intend to meet with voters," said Damin Starr. Tim Gordon, meanwhile, pledges to "(take) the time to knock on doors and connect with constituents personally."
Howard Rabb, former special projects co-ordinator for Coun. Terry Whitehead of Ward 8, says he's putting most of his stock into door knocking. "That's my main focus."
David Siegel, a municipal politics expert at Brock University, agrees that door knocking is a decent bet.
"That's typically the way you go about it in local government," he said. "You don't always need a lot of money if you're willing to spend the time to knock on doors."
And in local politics especially, "any kind of name recognition really helps." Sometimes, he says, that's what people want from the run.
"Sometimes people run in an election like this to build up their name and have the experience because they want to run in the next election," he said. "They kind of know they don't have a chance this time around but they want to get their name out there."
Candidate list
So far, the candidates are as follows:
- Robert Bolton – Tow operator.
- Phil Bradshaw – Founder of the Concession Street News.
- Bob Charters – A former city councillor (1991-2000) and current chair of the Hamilton Waterfront Trust. Former provincial Conservative candidate.
- John-Paul Danko – Owner of blurMEDIA. His wife, Dawn, is a public school board trustee.
- Doug Farraway – Former media personality and former director of development at the Neighbour to Neighbour Centre.
- Tim Gordon – A social worker and mental health advocate.
- Greg Lenko – Small business owner and executive director of The Escarpment Project. Former Green Party candidate.
- Geraldine McMullen – An outreach co-ordinator who works at the Ontario legislature.
- Anthony Nicholl – Installation and repair technician for Bell Canada.
- Uzma Qureshi – Co-ordinator of marketing and communications at YWCA Hamilton.
- Howard Rabb – Vice-president of operations at Juch-Tech Inc.
- Damin Starr – Entrepreneur who operates a parts manufacturing firm in Vineland.
- Hans Zuriel – Electoral district association director for the Conservative Party of Canada.
It's unknown just how much that list will grow over the next two weeks. Typically, there's a rush at the end of a filing period, says Siegel. But the size of the existing slate could also scare off the others.
The first question most people ask me when I'm canvassing is 'where do you live?'- Tim Gordon, Ward 7 candidate
Several of the candidates don't live in Ward 7, which doesn't always make a difference, Jacek and Siegel say. What matters more is having ties in the ward — through a business or volunteer work — that will provide the critical name recognition and volunteer base.
"The candidates in the ward will use it against (the ones who don't)," Siegel said. "I can't imagine how not living in the ward is going to help anybody."
Does living there matter?
Not surprisingly, most of the candidates who live in the ward say it matters, while those who don't say it doesn't.
"I live in Ward 7 and I know it matters," Gordon said. "The first question most people ask me when I'm canvassing is 'where do you live?' and I am proud to tell them in Ward 7."
Danko also lives in the ward and agrees that it matters. "They need to live here in order to truly understand the concerns of residents."
I believe as long as you live in Hamilton, and more importantly are ready to serve the residents of Ward 7, then that is what matters most.- Doug Farraway, Ward 7 candidate
McMullen, meanwhile, said she lives "183 metres from the boundary." The city is currently reviewing its ward boundaries, which will likely impact Ward 7, she said. Once that boundary shift happens, she'll likely be living in the ward anyway.
Lenko is another candidate that lives on the periphery of the ward — literally across the street. "When I pull out my driveway onto Upper Gage and turn left, I am in Ward 7."
Farraway doesn't live in the ward, but he lives "blocks away."
Voters get the final say
"I believe as long as you live in Hamilton, and more importantly are ready to serve the residents of Ward 7, then that is what matters most," said Farraway, who calls himself a "Mountain boy through and through."
Others say that as long as you live in Hamilton, it just doesn't matter.
"We are not just 'wards' of constituents divided by imaginary lines, but integrated communities of people connected by a common desire for livability," Starr said.
Qureshi lives in the ward and thinks it matters, but ultimately, she said, the voters will decide.
"As much as one can try, it may be difficult to understand the issues, and identify the opportunities, if you are unfamiliar with the area," she said. "I will let our voters decide if this is as important to them as it is to me."
Correction
A previous version of this article identified Howard Rabb as a former Liberal candidate. In fact, he pursued the candidacy but was not nominated.