The Hook

Below are notes on municipal elections throughout the Lower Mainland, with links to the full lists of candidates:

Abbotsford (pdf): Abby's going to have a new mayor this year. George Ferguson is stepping down after 40 years in public office.

Burnaby: Voters decided crime wasn't the issue in 2005 and rewarded Mayor Derek Corrigan with his 97th year in office, by my possibly flawed count. Will the TEAMsters have a better strategy this year with candidate Andrew Chisholm?

Coquitlam: Mayor Maxine Wilson faces a challenge from current councillor and former B.C. Lib MLA Richard Stewart.

In Delta (pdf), longtime Mayor Lois Jackson is up against veteran councillor and former colleague Krista Engelland.

Langley (Township) (pdf): Madam Butterfly? Apparently a local face painter, according to Coun. Jordan Bateman.

I'll also defer to Mr. Bateman for City of Langley candidates.

Maple Ridge: Mayor Gordy Robson is challenged from freshly de-caucused NDP MLA Michael Sather. He might want to get his website up and running.

In Mission, Mayor James Atebe won't be acclaimed after all.

New Westminster: Civic party politics comes to New West with VOICE New Westminster. Casey Cook is running for school board.

City of North Vancouver: Mayor Darrell Mussatto will have the least stressful October and November of any civic politician in the Lower Mainland - he appears to be the only person running without a challenger. Which I suppose is just as well given his onetime dayjob. Also, former councillor Rod Clark is back for another round - on council - after losing out to Mussatto in 2005.

District of North Vancouver: While Mayor Richard Walton hasn't exactly been acclaimed, he has been spared a challenge from anyone inside city hall. Biologist Jim Cuthbert, who was in office for a sip of tea, is trying again while former mayor-turned councillor Janice Harris is getting out of municipal office altogether. Also, blogger Barry Forward is running for school board, backed by former senior VPD officer and current councillor Doug Mackay-Dunn.

Pitt Meadows: Seven people running for six spots on council? I like those odds.

Port Coquitlam: All eyes have been on Scott Young. The embattled PoCo mayor will step down from the mayor's chair, instead seeking a presumably less high-profile spot on council. Coun. Greg Moore, who has repeatedly asked for Young's resignation, will try and take his place.

Port Moody: PoMo Joe (Trasolini) is back for another round.

In Richmond, the most interesting development isn't whether or not Mayor Malcolm Brodie plans on establishing a Corrigan-like dynasty, but the news that former mayor and Liberal stalwart Greg Halsey-Brandt is running for council, hoping to join both his wife (Evelina) and his former wife (Sue) at city hall. Also, there are five Chens and two Chengs running for office (Coun. Cynthia Chen is the only incumbent). Imagine the headline possibilities.

Surrey: Mayor Dianne Watts will face a challenger after all, although it's fair to say Watts is probably expecting a less stressful campaign than the 2005 battle that left at least one jaw wide open (that would be Doug McCallum's). Meanwhile, veteran councillor and federal Liberal candidate Judy Higginbotham has apparently decided her future lies in Parliament and not at city hall.

In West Vancouver, density has proven to be a touchy word. Pamela Goldsmith-Jones faces significant challenges from city councillors John Clark and Vivian Vaughn after just one term in office.

And White Rock (pdf) will have a new mayor with current councillors Catherine Ferguson and Stewart Peddemors both seeking Judy Forster's former job.

Oh, and there's Vancouver (pdf), too.