Some positions you can't vote for on Election Day in Windsor-Essex - Action News
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Windsor

Some positions you can't vote for on Election Day in Windsor-Essex

Even though polls open at 10 a.m. Monday, there are a number of positions residents won't be able to vote for because the races went uncontested.

Mayor, deputy mayor positions in Tecumseh, LaSalle are acclaimed

Tecumseh mayor Cary McNamara stands in front Tecumseh town hall.
Tecumseh mayor Gary McNamara says ballooning costs for such things as diesel fuel are causing increases in the town's 2023 budget. (Jason Viau/CBC)

Even though polls open at 10 a.m. Monday, there are a number of positions residents won't be able to vote for because the races went uncontested.

The mayor and deputy mayor positions in Tecumseh and LaSalle were all acclaimed as nobody else filed nomination papers before the August deadline.

It's also the first time Tecumseh Ward 4 councillor Brian Houston ran unopposed. He'll soon be starting his third term.

Since the French Catholic school board trustee is also acclaimed, some residents Houston's ward won't be casting a ballot at all.

"There were some individuals who did log into the system and did not have to vote, just because all four positions were acclaimed. It's more surprise, right,, when they log in and say, 'Hey, there's nobody to vote for at all,'" said Houston.

Despite Gary McNamaraheading toward his sixth term as mayor without any opposition, he said it was important to knock on doors anyway leading up to the election. This is the third time McNamara has been acclaimed.

"I do go out and knock on doors. Not as intense as, you know, a full-blown campaign, but I do take the time to go out and have a conversation with the folks out there, because obviously they are the employer," said McNamara. "Nobody should take for granted, whether you're in the election, contested, or when you're not contested. I think it's important to continue to have a kind of feel on the pulse."

It's humbling getting support from the community, McNamara added, indicating nobody felt the need to run against him.

A woman wearing a pink suit jacket
Crystal Meloche has been acclaimed as LaSalle's new mayor. She will be the first female mayor in the town's history. (CBC News)

The Town of LaSalle's highest-ranking elected official also won't be on the ballot.Crystal Melocheis taking over from Marc Bondy, who decided not to seek re-election as mayor. Meloche was the municipality's previous deputy mayor.

Meloche said she'll be watching closely to see who the five people will be that help make up LaSalle's next council. An at-large system is being used, instead of wards, which means 11 people are vying for those five seats.

"It's been kind of nice being acclaimed because that gave me the opportunity to listen to all those concerns and allow the candidates to address them, but,make my own notes on what people were thinking, people want to see," said Meloche.

For candidates with some political competition, results will start coming in once the polls close at 8 p.m.

CBC Windsor will have a live results show starting at 8 p.m. Tune in on CBC Gem or on our website, cbc.ca/windsor.

With files from Peter Duck