Vote on October 26th. You owe it to us all.
Ontario heads to the municipal polls tomorrow, Monday, October 26.
Municipal government delivers a remarkable amount of the stuff you use every day: police, fire, libraries, sewers, water, garbage pickup, snow clearing, and roads. Including, occasionally, roads you can actually drive on.
And yet, in 2022, London’s voter turnout was ABYSMAL. We’re talking roughly one in four eligible voters bothering to cast a ballot.
We can do better than that.
First, figure out where, when, and how to vote. London’s polls are open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. tomorrow. Check your voting location and what to bring through the City of London’s information for voters.
Once you know the logistics, you need to figure out who deserves your vote.
There are some excellent resources out there:
- CBC London for local election coverage.
- London Ontario Online News’ election coverage. I love this site and am a paid subscriber myself.
- London Decidesfor candidate information, questionnaires, and links to debates. Watch the candidates speak in their own words and form your own opinions.
For those who care what I think, here are my hot takes on what I consider London’s most important municipal election in the last 20 years.
London has hit a crossroads. Homelessness remains a crisis. Property taxes have gone up a LOT. Getting anywhere in a reasonable amount of time can feel like a competitive sport, with construction on seemingly every road anyone uses.
The mayor and 14 councillors make decisions that shape how our city is planned, built, run, and grown. Their actions—or inaction—affect you and me every day. Your vote is your opportunity to weigh in on the job they’ve done and the one you want them to do next.
These are my opinions alone. They do not represent anyone I work or volunteer for. Where I have personal connections, I’ll tell you. Where I don’t know enough, I’ll tell you that, too.
And the predictions? Mine. No polling firm was hijacked or plagarized in the making of this blog.
Mayor
The candidates are Josh Morgan, Susan Stevenson, Bronagh Joyce Morgan, Kirsten Krose, Tariq Khan, John Feher, Lawrence-Zachary Howe, Jeff Yam, Mustafa Zeboon, Dan Lenart, Christine Rosehart, and Barry Douglas Jacklin.
Josh Morgan
Josh is the incumbent. Before becoming mayor, he served as Ward 7 councillor, deputy mayor, and budget chair, alongside roles on the police and library boards.
Josh knows his stuff. His background includes working at Western University, and he understands policy and how to work with people from different backgrounds.
Strengths: He knows people, listens, cares, and is liked and respected. He helped lead London’s Whole of Community Response to homelessness, an approach that has attracted attention beyond the city. London’s HART Hub builds on that work.
Weaknesses: As mentioned, property taxes are up a LOT. In his defence, years of holding taxes down don’t make the costs disappear. Add the inflation we experienced during and after COVID, and eventually the bill comes due. That doesn’t mean residents shouldn’t ask hard questions about spending, open-air drug use, transit, and homelessness. They absolutely should.
Susan Stevenson
Susan is the number-one contender, to borrow a boxing/MMA term.
In my view, she benefited in 2022 from three progressive opponents dividing the vote. During her first term as Ward 4 councillor, she put herself at the centre of local political discussion as an outspoken critic of spending, nonprofit funding, and what she sees as an oversaturation of social services in her ward.
With an accounting background, Susan has run a strong campaign, with clear messaging on issues Londoners care about.
Whatever you think of her politics, I expect her to attract considerably more votes citywide than she needed to win Ward 4.
Bronagh Joyce Morgan
Full disclosure: Bronagh is a personal friend and an excellent human being.
A lawyer by training, she has spent more than 20 years in roles spanning nonprofit leadership, journalism, writing, board work, and fitness coaching. She is smart, creative, kind, generous, compassionate, and prepared.
She also has experience as a Green Party candidate and is the kind of consensus builder I would be happy to see in a leadership role.
To my mind, she is the strongest left-wing candidate in this race—assuming you join me in putting Josh Morgan somewhere around the centre.
Kirsten Krose
A former Stephen Harper staffer turned public-relations business owner, Kirsten knows how politics and communications work.
Her platform touches on the right questions about what a mayor should do and what London needs. My concern is whether her time in Toronto and Ottawa has left her with enough local visibility and connections to compete for the big seat this time around.
I think a term on council before a mayoral run would have helped.
Tariq Khan
I know Tariq’s name from local board service, including the London Transit Commission, and previous election campaigns. Beyond that, he hasn’t moved the needle for me in this race.
The mayoral speed round
John Feher: Playing the “crotchety old man” role in this election, at least to my eye. I’m not seeing a path to victory.
Lawrence-Zachary Howe: A younger fella who is clearly pissed off about the state of London and wants to do something about it. His website arguably overshares, but there are original ideas in there. More civic involvement could help him build his profile and credibility. Either way, I tip my hat to him for putting himself out there.
Jeff Yam: A realtor who seems pretty cheerful. Beyond that, I don’t have much of an assessment to offer.
Mustafa Zeboon: Also known as “Anime Teen.” My kids think his hair is hilarious. He has generated attention through TikTok and clearly knows how to communicate. I’m less convinced he has the experience and patience the mayor’s job requires. Still, the vote-compass tool I tried put me at 60% agreement with his platform, so I hope he stays involved. We need more young people who care and can get people listening.
Dan Lenart: I remember him from 2022. He hasn’t made much more of an impression on me this time. Meh.
Christine Rosehart: There’s contact information on the City’s candidate list, but I couldn’t tell you much else about her.
Barry Douglas Jacklin: Sent me a Facebook friend request. I accepted because I recognized the name. I read his wall. I unfriended him. Your mileage may vary.
The ward races
First, ward boundaries have changed for this election. Don’t assume you’re voting in the same ward as in 2022. Corrine Rahman, currently the Ward 7 councillor, is running in Ward 5 under the new boundaries.
For the complete ballot and candidate contact information, use the City’s certified candidate list.
Ward 1
A two-person race between incumbent Hadleigh McAlister and London political veteran Roger Caranci.
Hadleigh, a former NDP constituency-office staffer, did Ward 1 a big favour by unseating Michael van Holst in 2022. He has worked hard through his first term.
His ward faces serious challenges around crime, affordability, and getting around safely, including road safety along Hamilton Road. Hadleigh definitely cares.
This is also a good place to mention the councillor pay increase. Council approved a roughly 35% jump in annual base pay for the incoming term, from $69,783 to approximately $94,222, with subsequent adjustments. The City’s Council Guide outlines the new salary. The argument was that the size of the city and demands of the job require compensation that reflects full-time work and attracts strong candidates.
I expected that bump to bring more established names into the races. Only a few surprised me, but Roger leads that pack.
A former councillor and mayoral candidate, Roger has also run provincially and federally as a Liberal. He is a successful realtor, and his work on affordable housing has kept him involved in London during his time away from elected office.
Ward 1 gets a strong representative either way. If your priority is constituent-level support, I lean Hadleigh. If you’re focused on public-private relationships and broader housing initiatives, Roger brings a formidable network.
Prediction: Close to the end tomorrow night, and London wins either way.
Ward 2
Shawn Lewis, the current deputy mayor, is seeking a third term after defeating longtime councillor Bill Armstrong in 2018.
That race was beyond contentious. Since then, Shawn has shown up repeatedly for his city and neighbourhood.
Somehow, despite being a human being and not a cyborg, he also finds time for youth sports, schools, and community groups. I got to know him through my work with Dad Club London and am happy to call him a friend. He was accessible and willing to help us navigate change for local dads and families.
Zack Ramsey is a local activist and construction worker who ran for the Green Party provincially in 2022. He also entered the Ward 1 race that year before withdrawing to support Hadleigh McAlister, according to his campaign website.
This time, he’s trying to unseat Lewis. To me, that would be the electoral equivalent of one guy pulling off the Miracle on Ice, the Music City Miracle, and Rocky beating Drago in the same evening.
Zack clearly means well. My question is how he would translate his ambitions into achievable council decisions. Some proposals go beyond what one councillor can deliver, and many would require a majority of colleagues to come along. I’d like to see more evidence of how he would build that support.
Alexandria Hames ran in Ward 13 in 2022. I met her once and she seemed nice, but I don’t know enough to offer much more.
Steve Reed is familiar to many as the former owner-operator of Players Bar and Grill on Dundas Street East, a neighbourhood staple with great wings. Apparently retirement now comes with campaign signs.
Prediction: Shawn Lewis wins with 88% of the votes, or more.
Ward 3
Peter Cuddy moved from school-board politics to council in 2022, succeeding Mo Salih. A local business owner, Peter understands retail politics: he comes across as the kind of guy who would turn up with a wheelbarrow to sort out your pothole.
I got to know him through the library board. He’s solid and likeable. His first term hasn’t been without controversy, but the Ward 3 residents who like him LOVE him.
Ben Durham, a Western employee and cycling advocate, has run an excellent campaign. He communicates well, makes effective videos, and has the grinder mentality needed to keep knocking on doors and getting his message out. A likeable guy who works hard.
Leroy Osbourne is a former TVDSB trustee. I don’t know him personally, but some people I like and trust speak highly of him.
Zak Rahim is a young, smart, likeable political operator who works in political consulting. He leans conservative in his day job, but regardless of where you sit politically, engaged and intelligent young people are good for local politics.
Riya Philip and Harkirat Kaur: I don’t know either well enough to offer an assessment. You can hear from them directly at Riya’s website and Harkirat’s website.
Prediction: Ben Durham by a hair.
Ward 4
With Susan Stevenson running for mayor, Ward 4 will have both new boundaries and a new councillor.
There are nine candidates. The two I see as the front-runners are Tom Cull on the left and Mario Jozic on the centre-right.
Tom is a Western educator, poet, and community organizer, well known for his work with Antler River Rally and its Thames River cleanups.
Mario is a local entrepreneur and community volunteer with experience in businesses including hospitality, construction, and property management. He communicates well and has been campaigning his tail off, making repeated rounds of the ward.
In my view, Ward 4 wins with either of them.
Other candidates include Stephen Orser, the outspoken former councillor whose campaign includes backyard chickens and “free eggs,” and Bob Wright, a respected local Liberal volunteer.
I don’t know enough about the other five candidates to offer an informed opinion, and I’m not going to wing it. Even with all this talk of chickens.
Prediction: It comes down to who gets out the vote. As a former resident of Ward 4, I think Mario pulls it off as my old neighbourhood leans a bit more blue collar.
Ward 5
This growing north-London ward will have a different representative, with Jerry Pribil not seeking another term.
Corrine Rahman is finishing her first term in Ward 7 and running in Ward 5 under the new boundaries. She is well liked and respected, and I expect her to win comfortably.
I’m not familiar enough with her opponents to assess them fairly. If you live in Ward 5, check the candidate list, watch the debate, and make up your own mind.
Prediction: Corrine wins with 78% of the vote.
Ward 6
A four-way race, with Sam Trosow seeking a second term.
Sam’s background includes librarianship and teaching law at Western. He is unapologetically himself, very well read, and passionate about progressive politics.
There are people you want backing you in a bar fight and people you want backing you in a legal fight. Sam is definitely the latter. He is ride-or-die on the issues he cares about.
Ian Sterling Leishman, a former Fresh FM radio personality turned realtor and business-association leader, strikes me as the strongest challenger. He communicates well and has done a good job getting his message out.
Full disclosure: I was asked to run in Ward 6. Between being friends with Ian and serving on a board with Sam, I was quite happy to stand back and let them fight it out. Ian is a good guy who would serve the ward well.
Stephanie Marentette is a local lawyer with substantial London Transit Commission experience. She is well liked and respected. I’ll keep this assessment concise; she presumably knows what billable hours cost.
Naomi Nadea is a local activist with some creative proposals, although I have questions about how several would work within a councillor’s responsibilities. A confrontation she shared on Facebook early in the campaign also left me questioning her approach to difficult interactions.
Naomi’s website Prediction: I like and get along well with both Sam and Ian, and would be happy with either.
Ward 7
With Corrine Rahman running in Ward 5, eight candidates are competing for this seat.
I’m familiar with German Gutierrez, who ran in Ward 11 in 2018 and has also run federally. I’m familiar with Jonathan Sher from his years at the London Free Press and his enthusiastic participation in Twitter arguments.
The other six are Kamrul Ahsan, Sam Hajar, Waseem Kazzah, Bensy Mathew, Dan Meinen, and Djuma Moïse Sharifu.
My best friend lives in Foxfield. He tells me Dan Meinen is the only candidate who has knocked on his door and that they had a great conversation. Dan earned his vote. Sometimes it really is that straightforward.
If Jonathan wins, he’s smart and I expect he’ll learn the role. I also suggest the mayor and committee chairs stock up on batteries for their speaker timers.
Prediction: Pass.
Ward 8
Steve Lehman is seeking a third term against Coralia Tudor and Osam Ali.
I got to know Steve through the Oakridge Optimists. He’s a rock-solid guy who puts time into supporting his community and maintaining relationships with the people in it.
He is also willing to explain his votes. You might disagree with him, but he’ll tell you clearly and directly why he voted the way he did. I learned that firsthand, and I respect him for it.
Prediction: Lehman in a landslide. 83% or more.
Ward 9
The indomitable Anna Hopkins is running again.
Anna is a lovely person. If you don’t know her, imagine your best friend’s mom—the one who remembers your birthday, gets you a Christmas present, and sends flowers on your anniversary. A strong communicator and a salt-of-the-earth human being.
She has five challengers: Tammy Abi-Khalil, Dino Jose, Veronica Warner, Matt Millar, and Luke Thomas.
Matt Millar’s politics strike me as appealing to voters well to the right of where I sit.
Luke Thomas is a former Western football player turned entrepreneur, with family ties to Thomas Brothers Farm Market south of Lambeth. He is accomplished and hardworking, and I think he would appeal strongly to the ward’s conservative voters. I expect him to be Anna’s stiffest competition.
Prediction: Anna wins, but Luke has a strong showing.
Ward 10
Paul Van Meerbergen is a longtime representative of the Westmount area, with a four-year interruption after losing to Virginia Ridley in 2014.
In 2022, John Kuipers and Kevin May divided a sizeable opposition vote. Their combined support exceeded Paul’s, although we can’t assume every voter would have transferred to whichever challenger remained.
I’ve never met or spoken to Paul, but “the human nay button” captures his reputation for voting against spending. He also wants Wonderland Road widened about as badly as my kids want every squishy and LEGO set ever made.
His opponents are Steven Edwards, Alexander Moore, Lois Margaret Ward, and Juman Al-Jumaili.
I know Alex Moore, a local business owner and community advocate. He’s a solid guy, and his wife, TVDSB trustee Sherri Moore, is lovely. I think he would serve Ward 10 well.
My concern is another divided challenger vote, particularly between Alex and Lois Ward, who brings political experience from Nova Scotia.
Alex’s website | Lois’s website Prediction: It's close. I'd like to see Alex win, and it comes down to how the next 18 hours go in terms of getting supporters to the polls.
Ward 11
Skylar Franke is seeking a second term. After soundly beating me in 2022, she went on to do a good job representing our neighbourhood.
She communicates well, is accessible, and responds. From my perspective, she has been a night-and-day improvement over the two-term councillor I originally intended to run against, who ultimately didn’t seek another term.
Her opponents are Harinder Kumar, a local realtor whose profile in the neighbourhood seems limited to me, and Denise Brown, returning from the Fontana-era council.
If Skylar gets less than 85% of the vote, I’ll be shocked. Yes, that’s a prediction. You can come back and grade it tomorrow night.
Skylar’s website | Harinder’s website Prediction: Skylar with 6,000 or more votes in total.
Ward 12
Elizabeth Peloza is seeking a third term, with engineering student Ribal Zebian and Alexander Main challenging her.
Elizabeth has been an excellent councillor, both for Ward 12 and citywide through her board work, advocacy around the horseshoe, and service as budget chair.
Conscientious, kind, creative, intelligent, and insightful, she cares about Londoners and the quality of life they deserve. I could say plenty more nice things, but I don’t expect her to need them.
Ribal seems smart, but I have a practical question: how would he balance a full-time engineering program with a council role now being paid and presented as a full-time commitment? That deserves a clear answer.
I wholeheartedly endorse Elizabeth. That’s all there is to it.
Prediction: Elizabeth with 78%, solely because of the ethnic makeup of the area providing Ridal with some built in support.
Ward 13
Downtown and its surrounding neighbourhoods need help, and residents and businesses feel the consequences when services fall short. Whether it’s people sleeping rough on Dundas Place, businesses dealing with theft and vandalism, or seemingly endless construction, living, working, and getting around here has been a challenge.
The ward has also seen considerable turnover: Tanya Park, Arielle Kayabaga, John Fyfe-Millar—appointed after Kayabaga became an MP—and now David Ferreira.
David won in 2022 by just 34 votes after an exceptionally hardworking door-knocking campaign. If you think your vote doesn’t matter, there’s an example worth remembering.
I’ve gotten to know him through my day job over the last four years. He is a good person who cares.
He has six challengers. The strongest appears to me to be real estate broker Andrew Crook, who has done an excellent job getting people talking about the election.
Schelley Bisson’s social-media responses have often struck me as long, generic, and oddly impersonal. Sometimes I’ve wanted a clear answer and felt like I’d been handed 23 paragraphs and a graphic instead.
I’m not familiar enough with Tony Biviano or Jari Spence to assess them. Stephen D’Amelio is known for his work with Pride London; I would want to hear him address the organization’s governance challenges and what he learned from that experience.
I’m not offering an assessment of the remaining candidate. The full ballot is available through the City’s candidate list.
Prediction: I'm not sure who is running David's campaign this year, but I think it comes down to a few points either way. Both candidates have campaigned their tails off, and need to be working the phones and social media and email, connecting with identified supporters until 7:30 pm tomorrow night.
Ward 14
With Steven Hillier not seeking a third term, Ward 14 will have new leadership.
The four candidates are Ubaid Bhatti, Gurinder Pal Singh, Sarah Lehman, and Jason King.
My read is that this comes down to Sarah, a well-liked social-services worker, and Jason, known for managing Kurt Holman’s successful federal campaign against incumbent NDP MP Lindsay Mathyssen.
I don’t know either well enough to offer a personal endorsement. Some of Jason’s material has struck me as better suited to a federal campaign than a municipal one. It might land with others. For me, some of it has been a bit cringey.
My prediction: Sarah in a close one.
School board trustees
We’re also electing school board trustees, including for the Thames Valley District School Board, where provincial supervision has left elected trustees sidelined.
TVDSB has hired a new CEO, but that does not itself end provincial supervision or restore trustees’ authority. TVDSB trustees remain sidelined under supervision. That leaves a pretty fundamental question hanging over this election: what will the people we elect actually be able to do, and when?
My enthusiasm for this race is limited.
As a local parent, my experience trying to get help from elected trustees has not been good. On one occasion, an issue involving my child wasn’t getting resolved at school. I contacted a trustee and was told, essentially, “I’ll have the superintendent call you.”
It felt like activating live human voicemail.
I understand trustees aren’t supposed to personally manage every classroom problem. But if the support available amounts to passing along a message, I’m left wondering what meaningful advocacy and accountability the elected role provides.
There are five candidates competing for two seats in my trustee area. Two served during the Mark Fisher era. Given what followed, I want a much clearer account of how they exercised oversight and what they would do differently.
Of the three challengers, two don’t have a website listed on the City’s candidate page. In an election where voters already have so little clarity, making your case easy to find seems like a reasonable starting point.
I wasn’t persuaded by the choices available, so I chose to spoil the trustee portion of my ballot during advance voting. For me, it was a “none of the above” decision.
That was my choice. You should look at the candidates and make yours.
Over to you
That’s my election preview: some strong opinions, some personal experience, a few predictions, and an honest admission when I don’t know enough to help.
Questions? Disagreements? Fire away in the comments and I’ll do my best to get back to you.
But first, make your voting plan. Tomorrow’s polls are open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Let’s give London a better turnout than one in four.
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