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Crush of candidates for Alberni city council

There will be at least three new faces after this year’s election for Port Alberni city council.

There will be at least three new faces after this year’s election for Port Alberni city council.

The nomination period for this fall’s civic election has closed and it’s a dog pile of candidates for Port Alberni city council.

Four candidates are running for mayor and 20 candidates running for six council seats.

Incumbent mayor Ken McRae is running for a fourth term. McRae was last elected in the 2008 election with 2,386 votes.

John Douglas will relinquish his council seat for a shot at mayor. Douglas has served one term on council and had the environmental, library and education portfolios.

Valley residents Stacey Gaiga and Jen Fisher-Bradley, both of whom have been prominent in the coal issue, are running for mayor as well. Both women already declared their intention to run months ago, and made it formal during the nomination process.

Jacques Savard withdrew his nomination for mayor at the last minute.

On the council side, three of six positions are up for grabs. Douglas is running for mayor. Ike Patterson, who died earlier this year, previously held one seat. And incumbent councillor Kenn Whiteman isn’t running this term.

Other incumbent councillors running are Hira Chopra, Cindy Solda, and Jack McLeman.

Former councillor Dan Washington is running—he last represented the city a decade ago—as is Alice Schoffer, who ran in the 2008 election but was unsuccessful.

Newcomers running for council include Myron Jespersen, David Oscienny, Wes Hewitt, Ted McGill, Seva Dhaliwal, Wendy Lee Kerr, Richard Pesik, Ellen Chambers, Rick Muler, Annette Clement, Bill Randles, Angie Blake, Kevin Wright, Rob Cole and Carl Wagner.

Under the Local Government Act, nominations are subject to withdrawal or challenge of nomination.

Confirmation of candidates will be held on Monday, Oct. 24 at city hall.

An all candidates meeting is being held at the Capitol Theatre on Thursday, Oct. 27 (doors open at 6:30 p.m.).

The election is on Saturday, Nov. 19.

reporter@albernivalleynews.com