The countdown is on until the Oct. 20 municipal election, and with the nomination period wrapping up on Friday, here are the mayoral contenders in the Okanagan Valley so far.
Central Okanagan:
Kelowna:
Kelowna voters will go to the polls to elect a mayor, eight councilors and four school trustees to the school district No. 23 board of education.
Incumbent Colin Basran is seeking re-election. Basran, a former broadcaster, was first elected to Kelowna city council in 2011. He served as a councillor for one term before he was elected mayor in 2014.
Josh Hoggan, the CEO of a software company, is also seeking the mayoral seat. Hoggan, born and raised in Langley, B.C. moved to Kelowna in 2010 and launched a hiking website.
Bob Schewe is a former City of Kelowna bylaw officer. His name will also be on the ballot for the mayoral seat.
West Kelowna:
West Kelowna voters will choose one mayor and up to six councillors for a term of four years. Voters will also choose one school trustee.
West Kelowna mayor Doug Findlater has decided not to seek re-election as mayor. Findlater was first elected mayor of West Kelowna in 2008, and was re-elected in 2011 and 2014.
However, Findlater recently announced his intention to run for a seat on West Kelowna city council.
Gord Milsom is aiming to replace Findlater as the mayor of West Kelowna.
Milsom is a former West Kelowna city councillor from 2007-2014. He said he did not run in 2014 to focus on his financial advisory practice.
Lake Country:
Lake Country constituents will elect a mayor, four neighbourhood constituency councillors, two councillors at large and one school trustee on Oct. 20.
Incumbent mayor James Baker is seeking reelection. Baker is a former district councilor and current Central Okanagan Regional District board member.
Peachland:
Peachland voters will elect a mayor and six councilors.
Incumbent mayor Cindy Fortin is seeking her second term as mayor. Fortin is a former Peachland councillor (2011-14) and worked for 20 years as a journalist.
Looking to unseat Fortin is Peachland councillor Keith Thom. Thom owned and operated a landscape and design company and has worked in management at several nursing homes.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my current term serving the good people in the District of Peachland and believe the four years’ experience has prepared me for such an important task,” Thom said in announcing his candidacy.
South Okanagan-Similkameen:
Penticton:
Penticton constituents will elect a mayor and six city councillors.
Incumbent mayor Andrew Jakubeit is seeking a second term as mayor. Jakubeit operates the Grooveyard record store in Penticton and has a video production company.
“I feel over the last four years I’ve grown and gained the experience that will provide consistency, stability and the leadership needed to continue the momentum we have generated during our term,” he said in a press release.
Jakubeit will have some competition. Political newcomer Jason Cox will attempt to unseat Jakubeit. Cox owns the People’s Soda Company in Penticton. The longtime businessman is the former president of the Penticton and Wine Country Chamber of Commerce.
Another familiar face, former Penticton city councillor John Vassilaki is also seeking the mayor’s chair. Vassilaki lost to Jakubeit in the 2014 municipal election after serving 12 years on city council.
Summerland:
On Oct.20 District of Summerland voters will choose one mayor and up to six councillors for a term of four years. Voters will also choose two school trustees.
Summerland will get a new mayor, as Peter Waterman has announced he will not be seeking re-election.
First-term councillor Toni Boot is running for mayor. Boot’s family moved to Summerland in the early 60’s and she graduated from Summerland Secondary School. Boot founded two businesses in Summerland; Kettle Valley Dried Fruit Company and Grasslands Nursery.
Another first-term councillor, Janet Peake, also entered the mayor race. Peake also served 19 years as a councillor in the District of Muskoka in Ontario.
Oliver:
On Oct. 20 eligible voters in Oliver will cast their ballot to elect one mayor, four councillors, and two water councillors.
Incumbent Ronald Hovanes is seeking his fourth term as mayor. Hovanes is a lifelong Oliver resident. He graduated from SOSS in 1980 and went on to serve in the Canadian Armed Forces. He has conflict resolution training from the Justice Institute of B.C. Hovanes owns and operates Hovanes Community Services. The organization serves the needs of children and adults with developmental disabilities in the South Okanagan and Similkameen.
Martin Johansen, current manager of building services at the City of Kelowna is also seeking the mayor’s chair. The political newcomer is retiring in Oliver and says his senior management skills will offer fresh new leadership to the south Okanagan town.
Osoyoos:
Osoyoos will be seeking candidates for one position of mayor, four positions of councillor and two positions of water councillor all for four-year terms.
Sue Mckortoff is seeking a second-term as mayor. In 2014 the town councillor became the first female mayor in the history of the Town of Osoyoos. McKortoff is a retired teacher.
Mckortoff will be challenged by Doug Pederson, who came in last in the 2014 mayoral race with just 54 votes to McKortoff’s 1,285. He is a cannabis activist.
Keremeos:
Incumbent mayor Manfred Bauer is seeking a third term as mayor in Keremeos. Seeking to unseat him is village councillor Arlene Arlow.
Princeton:
The Town of Princeton will elect one mayor and four councillors.
President of the Vermillion Trails Society, Leona Guerster, is running for mayor. She is also the director of the Princeton Chamber of Commerce.
Longtime Princeton resident Jim Manion is also seeking the mayor’s chair. He has previously served three terms as councillor in the 1980’s and 1990’s and is a former president of the Chamber of Commerce.
North Okanagan:
Vernon:
Longtime resident and painter Art Gourley is the only candidate to have submitted nomination papers thus far.
Darrin Taylor, chairperson of the City of Vernon’s Activate Safety Task Force has announced his intention to run for mayor. Taylor is an addictions specialist and owns Axis Intervention Services.
Economist and volunteer Victor Cumming, who lost to Akbal Mund by only 625 votes in the 2014 municipal election, plans to give it another shot.
Incumbent Mayor Akbal Mund is not seeking re-election as mayor, but will run for a councillor seat.
Salmon Arm:
Incumbent mayor Nancy Cooper is seeking re-election in Salmon Arm. Cooper is a former business manager for the Canadian Mental Health Association.
Current city councillor Alan Harrison has also announced his bid for mayor. Harrison was elected councillor from 1990 to 1996. Having been re-elected in 2005, Alan is in his fifth term in local government. He has been a school principal for the past 19 years.
Enderby:
Incumbent Greg McCune is running against Herman Halvorson.
Lumby:
Kevin Acton is seeking his fourth term as mayor.
Armstrong:
The City of Armstrong will be conducting an election for the position of Mayor, Council (six positions) and one School District 83 Trustee for a four year term.
Candidates to be announced.
Spallumcheen:
Township councillor Christine Fraser to challenge incumbent Janice Brown.
Sicamous:
Incumbent Terry Rysz (Terrance Dayle) to seek re-election.
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