First day to register and dozens sign up early
Some incumbents back again and challengers line up
By Kris Scheuer
(See update here.)
Today, Toronto’s municipal election race officially started with candidates filing nomination papers at city hall.
FAMILIAR FACES
So far, some incumbents have made it clear they want to be re-elected including: councillors Janet Davis (Ward 31), Glenn De Baeremaeker (Ward 38), Mike Del Grande (Ward 39), Paula Fletcher (Ward 30), Adrian Heaps (Ward 35) Norm Kelly (Ward 40), Joe Mihevc (Ward 21), John Parker (Ward 26), Gord Perks (Ward 14), Bill Saundercook (Ward 13), Cesar Palacio (Ward 17) and so far none of them have any challengers.
HOT RACES Veteran Howard Moscoe (Ward 15) is also early out of the gate and so is Rob Davis (a current Catholic school trustee and former city councillor) who is running against Moscoe in the Eglinton-Lawrence ward.
Current school trustee Josh Matlow has registered today to run for St. Paul’s (Ward 22) in the seat currently held by veteran councillor Michael Walker, who has talked about retiring but has not decided yet.
Here are some other interesting races to watch:
WARD 19
Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone’s Ward 19 as he is stating he plans to run for mayor. He has not registered as a candidate of any kind but so far Karen Sun and Himy Syed have declared themselves in this downtown ward.
WARD 27
Councillor Kyle Rae is not seeking re-election leaving Ward 27 wide open. Enza Anderson told me she’s running but will not register until later in January. Today, Rob Salerno registered in this ward and so far is the sole candidate.
Ward 33
Councillor and budget chief Shelley Carroll has been contemplating a run for mayor for months but doesn’t plan to announce until after the city’s budget passes in March.
WARD 18
Councillor and TTC chair Adam Giambrone wants to run for mayor whether he will or not is the question. No one has registered, including him, in his current Davenport Ward 18.
MAYOR’S RACE
Today the Rocco Rossi was the only big name to register on the first day of a 10-month campaign that ends with Torontonians going to the polls Oct. 25.
On day one, here’s who else is running for the city’s top political job: Rocco Achampong, Douglas Campbell who has run for mayor at least three times before, Stephen Feek, Monowar Hossain, John Letonja who wrote me months ago to say he was running, Ange Maniccia, Mark State and Sarah Thomson.
MPP George Smitherman has resigned his Toronto-Centre provincial seat and is expected to register as a mayoralty candidate in January. John Tory has yet to announce his intentions one way or the other.
Kris Scheuer 
from previous elections I thought I heard 24 hours, but I can’t recall if that was municipal, provincial or Federal
My question is: Candidates are allowed to advertise prior to the election but must stop advertising how many days, weeks etc. before the election.
Earl,
current councillors can’t use their office budget for ads after Labour Day, according to the city’s website (see page 1 of web link)
In terms of how soon before the Oct. 25 election all candidates must stop advertising, I’m not sure.
I browsed through the 102-page candidate guide for the 2010 city election and I don’t see anything that answers your question. Check it for yourself, here.
Or call the city election office M-F at 416-338-1111. Or try calling the city info line 311 anytime (24/7) maybe they can answer your question.