Get ready to vote

Bedford's own 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.

In District 2 Waverley-Fall River-Beaver Bank current councillor Krista Snow, first elected to council in a November 2003 byelection is up against Wellington resident Barry Dalrymple. Born and raised in Fall River, Dalrymple 55, is an active volunteer in a number of community organizations.

In the nearby district of Middle and Upper Sackville (District 19), incumbent and lifelong Sackville resident Brad Johns hopes to hold on to the seat he's held since the November 2000 municipal election. He's up against Tim Hosford, a longtime Sackville resident who's involved in a number of community organizations.

Veteran politician Bob Harvey began his career in politics with the former Halifax County council in 1989. He was re-elected to Halifax regional council in 1996, and wants to keep doing the job he says he still enjoys. Harvey is up against community activist Bruce DeVenne, who's well-known for his staunch opposition to HRM's 2014 Commonwealth Games bid and the way taxpayers' dollars are being spent.

In Bedford (District 21) Tim Outhit, who's held the job since May following the death of former councillor Gary Martin, will once again face Matthew Christie on the ballot. Christie grew up in Bedford and is son to Bedford MLA Peter Christie. He lost to Outhit in the May byelection.

With the retirement of Gary Meade in District 23 (Hammonds Plains-St. Margarets) four newcomers have come forward to apply for the job. Deborah Brunt, of Haliburton Hills, had a brief stint in politics after being elected to the Halifax Regional School Board in November 2004. The board was disbanded in December 2006. Also running are businesswoman Gina Byrne, environmentalist Peter Lund and Doug Poulton. The St. Margarets Bay Stewardship Association will host a District 3 candidates' debate on Oct. 8 from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the St. Margarets Bay Community Centre.

Vying for a seat on the Halifax Regional School Board in District 7, which comprises of HRM districts 17 (Rockingham-Wentworth), 21 (Bedford) and 23 (Hammonds Plains-St. Margarets) are Rob Clarke, David Finlayson, Silvana Germana and Mark Ward.

In HRSB's District 8, comprising of HRM districts 2 (Waverley-Fall River), 19 (Middle & Upper Sackville-Lucasville) and 20 (Lower Sackville) are Donna Hubbard and Paul Russell.

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

kmoar@hfxnews.ca