The race is on in Dartmouth

Mayor Peter Kelly will be up against two contenders vying for his job in next month's municipal election.

Connaught-Quinpool Coun. Sheila Fougere, the first woman elected to council in June 1998, now wants the top job. Also on the mayor's ballot is David Boyd, a local cabbie and tow truck driver.

While a recent Corporate Research Associates poll suggests Kelly has a "lockdown" on another term as mayor, voters can decide for themselves when mayoralty contenders duke it out at a Halifax Chamber of Commerce debate later this month.

The debate takes place Sept. 25 at the Neptune Theatre in Halifax from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Cole Harbour (District 4) Coun. Harry McInroy did not reoffer for next month's election. After serving 12 years on regional council and 15 years service on Halifax County council, McInroy plans to retire, leaving his district up for grabs. Four newcomers have come forward to apply for the job. Lorelei Nicoll, chair of last weekend's Harvest Festival is running, along with Julia MacPherson, Barry Smith and Mark R. Fernando.

Dartmouth Centre (District 5) Coun. Gloria McCluskey was acclaimed in her district last week, as well as East Dartmouth-The Lakes (District 6) Coun. Andrew Younger and Portland-East Woodlawn (District 7) Coun. Bill Karsten.

In Woodside-Eastern Passage (District 8) Jackie Barkhouse, who has only held the job since a December byelection - called after former councillor Becky Kent took a job as MLA - will face opponents Calland Wells and Christa Webber, co-founder of the Kerri-Lea Dixon Memorial Fund.

Albro-Lake-Harbourview (District 9) incumbent Coun. Jim Smith is running against 22-year-old Brian LeBlanc and long-time Hester Street resident Wayne Sitland.

School board

Vying for a seat on the Halifax Regional School Board in District 2, which comprises of HRM districts 4 (Cole Harbour), 6 (East Dartmouth-The Lakes) and 7 (Portland- East Woodlawn) are Belinda States Bezanson, Kyle Buott, Gina Conrod and Jeff Wall.

In Halifax Regional School Board District 3, which comprises of HRM districts 5 (Dartmouth Centre), 8 (Woodside-Eastern Passage) and 9 (Albro Lake-Harbourview), Gretchen Birt, Theresa Colbear, Heddy Johnson, Lloyd Jackson, Tracey Mohr, Troy Myers and Gin Yee are in the running.

Irvine Carvery, Reed Jones and Morton Simmonds are vying for the one elected at large seat as the African Nova Scotian member of school board.

The three seats available for the Conseil Scolaire Acadien Provincial (CSAP) are acclaimed by Keith Coughlan of Dartmouth, Jacques LeBlanc and Andre Surette of Fall River.

Regardless of where they're running, all candidates urge voters to participate in the Oct. 18 municipal election. In 2004, less than half of the 258,396 eligible voters cast a ballot.

As for the Oct. 14 federal election, an official list of candidates in that race won't be available until nominations close on Sept. 22.

lmckay@hfxnews.ca

Editors' Note: The Weekly News will feature candidate profiles in the coming weeks leading up to the Oct. 18 vote.