Ottawa municipal election: 14 running for mayor, 181 certified candidates across all wards

Ottawa's October 26 municipal election features 14 candidates vying for mayor and 181 certified candidates running across the city's 23 wards, with two councillors elected by acclamation.

Incumbent Mark Sutcliffe, seeking his second term as council's leader, is facing challengers including Jeff Leiper, Alex Lawson, Neil Saravanamuttoo, and 10 others. In total, fewer candidates registered this year than in the 2022 election, which saw well over 100 names on the ballot.

Riley Brockington in Ward 16 River and David Brown in Ward 21 Rideau-Jock will return to council unopposed after the nomination period closed with no competitors filed against them.

Despite the lower total candidate count, political commentator Brigitte Pellerin sees signs of healthy civic engagement. She has been following candidates as they canvass neighborhoods and noticed voters eager to speak with nominees. "These conversations we haven't really had as much in the few years since the pandemic," Pellerin said. "It's really coming back and I'm really seeing this as something that is hopeful and that may lead in four years, to more people, through this engagement with their neighbours being willing to step up and throw their hat in the ring."

Polling, firefighting, infrastructure and affordability are top concerns among Ottawa voters. The full candidate list across all mayoral and ward positions is available on the city's election page.