One week to finalise ballot for October municipal vote
Guelph voters have one week to learn who will appear on the ballot for mayor as nomination papers for the Oct. 27 municipal election must be filed by 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21. To date, four people have formally entered the race to replace Mayor Cam Guthrie, who announced in March he will not seek re-election after three terms.
The names that appear on the city’s list so far are: Ward 5 Coun. Leanne Caron, Ward 6 Coun. Ken Yee Chew, Ryan Meunier and Evaristo Ramos Jr. The coming days will determine whether other local figures or sitting councillors add their names to what is already a contest between current members of council and community challengers.
Councillors shifting plans reshape local contests
The looming deadline has prompted movement in ward races as well as the mayoral contest. Several sitting councillors have not yet filed nomination papers, leaving uncertainty in their wards and potential ripple effects across council.
Notably, Ward 1 Councillor Erin Caton confirmed they will not seek a second term. In an email to CBC News, Caton cited the difficulty of balancing the workload with personal responsibilities, saying:
"Unfortunately, I have found the workload to do a good job is far more than part-time, and the low pay plus very limited benefits plan are not adequate for a single parent with disabilities to be sustainable."
Caton also noted that they had driven "massive systemic change" in areas including accessibility, transparency, equity and governance, and did not rule out running again if the position became full-time.
Two other sitting councillors, Michele Richardson in Ward 3 and Christine Billings in Ward 4, had not filed paperwork as of the city’s public list and did not respond to comment. Their decisions will influence both ward-level contests and the broader balance of experience on council after the election.
Who’s declared so far
| Candidate | Current role / Ward (if applicable) |
|---|---|
| Leanne Caron | Ward 5 councillor |
| Ken Yee Chew | Ward 6 councillor |
| Ryan Meunier | Candidate |
| Evaristo Ramos Jr. | Candidate |
What residents should expect next
With nominations closing in days, campaign activity typically ramps up: candidates will file, nomination lists will be finalised and voters will begin to see more visible campaigning. For Guelph, the race has implications for downtown renewal, transit planning, affordable housing, and the city’s approach to growth—topics that have animated recent council debates.
- Nomination deadline: 2 p.m., Aug. 21 (City of Guelph clerk’s office)
- Election day: Oct. 27 (municipal election)
- Key incumbents undecided: Michele Richardson, Christine Billings
Local consequences and next phases
Incumbent councillors entering the mayoral race would open seats across the wards; that dynamic can accelerate candidate recruitment in hotly contested areas and change the composition of the next council. If additional sitting councillors join the mayoral contest, residents should expect a flurry of announcements and possible by-elections within wards for experienced municipal leadership.
For many Guelph residents, the stakes are practical and immediate: decisions on transportation, downtown infrastructure, and municipal budgets will be decided by the next mayor and council. The short window for nominations means interested community members and potential challengers must act quickly to ensure their names are on the ballot.
Information about filing requirements and the complete candidate list is available through the City of Guelph clerk’s office. With little more than a week to go, Guelph’s political landscape is still taking shape ahead of a municipal campaign that will determine direction at city hall for the coming term.
