When the filing deadline passed last Friday, the Township of Emo fell short on residents interested in running for council. As a result, the municipality opted to extend its deadline, reopening nominations today at 9 a.m. and closing them again at 2 p.m.
Emo’s council is comprised of five members: four councillors and a mayor. However, after the nomination period came to an end, only three candidates had declared to run for councillor.
The confirmed members are all incumbents who were acclaimed due to there being fewer candidates than required seats. The returning members are Mayor Harold McQuaker and Councillors Lisa Teeple, Phil Whatley and Gerald Wieringa. The only member of the current council not seeking to return is Coun. Harrold Boven.
In hopes of finding another candidate, the township posted a notice to extend the deadline on social media and its own website.
“We posted that we have a vacancy,” Emo CAO Crystal Gray said. “It’s a notice of additional candidates. It gives instructions that we’re looking for another councillor to fill the vacancy. It follows the same election procedures with the nomination packages for them to fill out.”
Along with nomination packages that include documents to be filled and submitted by the candidate, there is also a filing fee of $100 to be paid before the nomination is certified. This fee can be paid by cash, money order or a certified cheque.
If a candidate was not found by the hard cut-off of 2 p.m. today, Gray said the township will have the option of either holding a byelection or taking applications for the seat, where any applicant must meet the same criteria as a normal nominee.
If the township receives only one nominee, they will be acclaimed as a councillor without competition after being certified. However, if there are multiple eligible candidates, there will be a race and runoff election for the one remaining seat.
Although it’s still uncertain whether Emo can expect an acclaimed nominee, a race for the seat, an application or a by-election, McQuaker said he is confident that the new term of council will be able to temporarily manage with only three of the four councillor seats filled in November if it comes to that.
“We can operate on three until such time,” he said.
McQuaker said that although there have been Emo residents who expressed interest in filing for council, they have yet to follow through.
More information on how to file as a council candidate in Emo can be found on the municipality’s website www.emo.ca, following the “Elections” link in the tab.
