ANTIGONISH: There won’t be a lot of activity in the Municipality of the County of Antigonish for the upcoming municipal election in October.
As COVID-19 may have played a factor in the lack of new candidates, it’s also a potential sign their residents are fairly satisfied with the direction the county is headed, as just three of the municipality’s 10 districts will be challenged on October 17.
The remaining seven seats were acclaimed after only a single applicant came forward before the deadline to file nomination papers on September 8.
Hughie Stewart (district 3), Remi Deveau (district 5), Owen McCarron (district 6), John Dunbar (district 7), Gary Mattie (district 8), and Bill MacFarlane (district 10), who are all incumbents, will be back for another term.
Incumbent Mary MacLellan, who is the only woman currently sitting at Antigonish County’s council table, has already been acclaimed in district 1.
Additionally, two other women have filed nomination papers to serve on council.
In district 2 (North Grant-Antigonish Harbour-Lakevale) Kristel Fleuren-Hunter is challenging incumbent Donnie MacDonald; while Carol MacEachern, a resident of Auld’s Cove, is squaring up against Harris McNamara and incumbent Neil Corbett in district 9 (Linwood-Havre Boucher-Auld’s Cove).
The only other race in the municipality will see Vaughan Chisholm, the current councillor for district 4 (Brierly Brook-Lower West River-Sylvan Valley) going up against Shawn Brophy.