The coming municipal election this fall may seem a long ways off while folks are still enjoying the summer months complete with vacations, family gatherings, community markets, outdoor concerts and such special events, but before you know it, it will be time to cast votes for a mayor and council for the City of Red Deer and also across Red Deer County and for local school boards as well.
Again, although voting day in October seems quite a ways down the road, there has been plenty of interest in the community in terms of individuals announcing their plans to run in the election.
To date, we’ve had the chance to sit down with most of the candidates who are in the running, and it’s been fascinating to hear a spectrum of plans and hopes they each hold for the community should they land a seat on council.
Last week, Mayor Tara Veer announced her intention to seek a second term. So far, she is the only one in the running for mayor’s seat, but there is still time for another candidate to come forward.
Campaigns are just getting started for the most part. There hasn’t been a lot of talk as of yet regarding the election this fall, but the time will come quickly as we are less than eight weeks out from the election.
Red Deerians will begin to start to see candidates ‘popping’ up in more places including at the Red Deer Market on Saturdays and as we get into September, we anticipate election forums to begin as well. There will be plenty of opportunity for the community to get to know each candidate.
Voters will have to watch closely which candidate most lines up with what they as residents hope to see established as an overall vision for the future of Red Deer – a City which continues to grow and change as the years pass.
Common themes in this year’s campaign so far run the gamut anywhere from the need for expansion at the Red Deer Regional Hospital, to continuing to diversify the City’s economy, to continuing to make our way through the economic downturn.
Meanwhile, voter turnout hasn’t been stellar for municipal elections and we encourage all eligible Red Deerians to learn about the candidates and what they stand for and on Oct. 16th exercise their right to vote. We look forward to the coming weeks as the election nears and the excitement continues to build.
