As deadline looms, no declared candidates in Vaughan mayoral race

Residents in the GTA will be heading to the polls this fall in the municipal elections, but with the deadline for candidates coming up on Friday, no one has signed up yet to run in the mayoral race in Vaughan.

The City of Vaughan’s website shows a list of names running for council, but as of Thursday morning, there are currently no candidates in the mayoral race. Though that can change later on Thursday, as current Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua told CityNews he will be running for a third time and will be signing up before Friday’s 2 p.m. deadline.

“I don’t think I was elected to campaign, I was elected to govern and I focus all of my attention on governing and we’ve done exceptionally well in the City of Vaughan,” Bevilacqua said

“I think generally speaking, people are quite happy and satisfied with my leadership and what I brought to the city, and I said this in a modest way. Having said that, obviously I welcome anyone who wants to become the mayor of the City of Vaughan.”

A similar scenario was playing out in Markham on Wednesday. When asked on Wednesday whether he was planning on seeking re-election, Mayor Frank Scarpitti said: “I’ll just say this, by the end of this week, I will be a candidate in the upcoming municipal election,” he said.

On Thursday morning, Scarpitti confirmed that he would be running for re-election.

Mitchell Kosny, interim director of the Ryerson School of Urban and Regional Planning and an expert in municipal politics, said there are a number of reasons why someone may be discouraged from entering the race: the challenge of raising campaign funds, public exposure and scrutiny, and because there are no term limits. He also said incumbency in an election is difficult to overcome.

“I think contests are good for democracy, they’re important and they offer choice,” he said. “Everything in the system works against new people, fresh people, young people, different people, diverse backgrounds, you name it from them getting in the system. I think that’s really tragic,” Kosny said.

Kosny, who ran in Toronto’s municipal elections in the past, said he expects more candidates to come out of the woodwork as Friday’s deadline approaches. But is this waiting game all a strategy?

“I don’t know that it’s that much of a strategy. When you’re an incumbent I think you have to worry less about the strategy, unless there’s a real competitor lurking out there,” Kosny said. “I don’t get a sense there’s a competitor lurking anywhere out there, so it’s just fine I’ll do it and maybe I’m guaranteed some media coverage.”

As for the race in Toronto, there are 21 candidates vying for the top job. Mayor John Tory registered to run in May.

Blayne Lastman, the son of former Toronto mayor Mel Lastman, was expected to announce his campaign launch on Thursday, but just hours before the event, he said he won’t be running for mayor.

The municipal election will be held on Oct. 22.