Waterloo’s Regional Chair Karen Redman has officially filed her papers and will seek re-election this fall when Ontario holds its municipal elections.
Redman is seeking a second term, after winning 62 per cent of the votes in 2018, in a race to replace the retired Ken Seiling who had held the seat since 1985.
Redman is a well-known politician in the area, having served as a Liberal MP for Kitchener Centre from 1997 until 2008 as well as having spent time as a school board trustee, Kitchener city councillor and Waterloo Region Councillor in the 1980s and 1990s.
So far, Narine Dat Sookram is Redman’s sole competitor in the race to be Regional Chair although it is still early as potential candidates have until Aug. 19 with the election set to take place on Oct. 24 (not to be confused with the provincial elections taking place on June 2.)
Sookram also ran as an NDP candidate in the Kitchener—Conestoga riding during last year’s federal election.
Redman joins Cambridge Mayor Kathryn McGarry as area leaders who have declared that they will seek re-election in October.
Waterloo Mayor Dave Jaworsky has said he is retiring from office while Kitchener Mayor has yet to declare what his plans will be.