The deadline has passed, the papers are in and on Nov. 15 voters will have three more names to sort through than they did in the 2011 election.
A total of five people want to be mayor.
And no less than 26 people want one of six councillor positions, which are now for four years instead of three.
Seeking the job of mayor of Maple Ridge is Ernie Daykin, who’s trying to earn a third straight term. He’s being challenged by his colleague on council, Michael Morden, and by council watcher and former candidate Graham Mowatt.
Completing the candidate list for mayor are Gary Cleave, a former Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows school district employee, and Nicole Read, a Silver Valley resident who wants a school built in the area, as originally planned.
The five candidates contrast with the 2011 election, when only Daykin and Craig Ruthven competed.
Ruthven, a rookie politician, took 4,953 compared to Daykin’s 7,394.
For council, the race is almost as crowded as 2011, when 28 people were running, two more than this time.
Three current and two past Maple Ridge councillors are seeking re-election. Current councillors Corisa Bell and Bob Masse are trying to win a second term while colleague Al Hogarth is seeking a fifth term, which includes a stint from 2000 to 2002 when he was mayor.
Former mayor Gordy Robson and former councillors Craig Speirs and Faye Isaac are reappearing from absences and are seeking election.
The other candidates, in reverse alphabetical order: Grover Telford, Tyler Shymkiw, Brian Savage, Grant Sanderson, Craig Ruthven, Craig Rudd, James Buddy Rogers, Alex Pope, Todd Oliver, Mike Norden, Don Mitchell, Chelsa Meadus, Bruce McWilliam, Morgan Jensen, Ken Holland, Kirsten Duncan, Kristina Brown, Douglas Blamey, Sara Dawn Beckett and Dean Barbour.
Election hours on Nov. 15 are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. with advance polls also available by going to the district’s website at: http://www.mapleridge.ca/870/How-and-Where-to-Vote.
All candidates’ meetings will give voters a chance to see at least their council candidates.
• On Oct. 23, an all candidates’ meeting takes place at Hammond elementary, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
• Votemapleridge.org, set up by one of the candidates for council, Morgan Jensen, has organized an all candidates’ meeting on Oct. 25 at the Ridge Meadows Seniors Activity Centre on 224th Street from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The format’s still being determined.
• Those are in addition to previously announced get-togethers for politicians and the people. Jensen has organized two informal meet-and-greet event for council candidates at St. John the Divine Anglican Church on River Road and Laity Street. Those take place on two Sundays, Oct. 19 and 26, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Maple Ridge mayoralty candidates will debate Monday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. at The Caring Place on 222nd Street and Lougheed Highway.
• On Tuesday, Nov. 4, the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Chamber of Commerce hosts a midday meeting for Maple Ridge mayoralty candidates only. However, that’s a luncheon event and will cost $25. Location is at the Arts Centre Theatre in downtown Maple Ridge.
