It is May 1, 2025 – 365 days until nominations open for the 2026 municipal election. 543 days until election day.
The pending Ward 8 by-election will become the unofficial start of the 2026 campaign.
Candidates will have to outline their vision and plans for the next five years. Due to the incumbency advantage, de facto residents are voting for the person who will represent them until 2030; whoever wins this fall is very likely to be reelected next fall.
Inevitably, the by-election will be seen as a ‘referendum’ of sorts on the current city council. [I’ll leave it to the candidates to define what the issues will be]
It will be the unofficial start to the 2026 campaign.
The 155 Podcast By-Election Edition
I will interview candidates in the by-election for The 155 Podcast. There will be a few changes to the format this time.
For one, the candidates will not receive all questions in advance.
During a general election, I post all questions in advance to ensure fairness, given the unofficial affiliations between some candidates in different wards. A candidate in Ward A may share the questions they were asked with a candidate in Ward B, putting other unaffiliated candidates at a disadvantage.
Voting day in Ward 8 will occur in late September or early October.
The 155 interviews will occur during the week following the close of nominations.
Production Details
v. 1.0.0
Published: May 1, 2025
Last updated: May 1, 2025
Author: Joey Coleman
Update Record
v. 1.0.0 original version