THUNDER BAY – Fewer people are running for municipal office nowadays, and Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association president Rick Dumas says one of the biggest reasons is online negativity.
“You’re doing all this effort and energy, putting it into your community that you live in with the same people that are voting you in, and yet you get beat up by a small percentage of people, and I think that scared a lot of people away,” he said.
“When I talk to my peers within the municipal world, it’s the same everywhere,” said Dumas, who is also the mayor of Marathon.
Members of council everywhere routinely arrive at home to find their phones “blowing up” with criticisms about what they’ve done that day in a council meeting to improve their community, he said.
“Look at your community and reflect on what you want to see in your community, and stop worrying about the one per centers that are on the social media platforms that are beating you up, because they’re going to be there no matter what,” he said.
Further, Dumas added sometimes, when a mayor or reeve is acclaimed, meaning they were unopposed and the position fell to them, it may look like no one is interested in running for that community.
On the contrary, he said, “everybody’s interested in their community, but they don’t want to be taking the abuse they get from individuals.”
With the deadline to file nomination papers less than one week away, there are at least three municipalities throughout the region that have no current candidates for mayor or reeve: Alberton, Emo and Ear Falls.
While clerks are able to extend the deadline, what happens no one files during the extension?
On Thursday evening at a virtual candidate information session for the Kenora and Rainy River districts, municipal advisor Ellen Beaudry explained this policy varies depending on the municipality.
She added that municipalities should have a vacancy policy that explains the course of action in the event that there are no candidates for reeve or mayor, or not enough for a council.
“Some municipalities use an expression of interest, some would run a by-election, it really just depends on the procedural by-laws of that particular community,” she said.
Dumas said diversity in council is a must.
“That means young and diverse, male, female, everybody who lives in the community. I want to see, at the council table, what my community looks like,” he said.
The last day to file for the 2026 municipal election is Aug. 21.
Election Day is Oct. 26.
