Owen Sound Will Have a Council Race After All as Eighth Candidate Files
Owen Sound voters should get a council choice after all. See where the mayor, deputy mayor, council and trustee races stand 12 days before nominations close.
An eighth candidate has registered for Owen Sound’s seven council seats, ending the prospect of an acclaimed council that stood a week ago.
David Adams filed for council since the Current last reported the field on August 3, when seven candidates held exactly seven seats. Under the Municipal Elections Act, a clerk declares candidates elected where their number does not exceed the number of seats. With eight registered, voters will now have a choice.
A ninth may be coming. Jaret Koop, a local musician and operations manager for the Summerfolk Festival, held a nomination event at The Goods Kitchen Pastry Coffee in downtown Owen Sound on Saturday morning.
Koop confirmed to the Current that he has gathered the required signatures and will file his nomination papers with the City shortly. He was not on the City's list as of August 9.
Nominations close Friday, August 21 at 2 p.m. — 12 days out. Candidates may also withdraw up to that deadline, so the field can shrink as well as grow.
A Look at the Council Field
Eight candidates are registered for council, according to the City’s candidates list: incumbents Brock Hamley and Suneet Kukreja, former candidate Meghan Robertson, and newcomers David Adams, Thomas Arakal, Tamara Sargent, David William Schinbein and Angela Stow.
Jacob Morris-Wheeler, who filed earlier in the cycle, remains listed as withdrawn.
Adams and Arakal have posted campaign websites to the City’s list. Robertson and Sargent have as well. Hamley, Kukreja, Schinbein and Stow list contact information only.
Hamley and Kukreja are the two sitting councillors seeking re-election. Both were elected in 2022 — Hamley with 3,201 votes, fifth among 13 council candidates, and Kukreja with 2,916, taking the seventh and final seat.
Robertson finished eighth that year with 2,723 votes, 193 behind Kukreja.
Mayor and Deputy Mayor Races Remain Unchanged
Five candidates remain registered for mayor: Ray Botten, Jodi King, Carol Merton, Richard Thomas and Andrii Zvorygin. The field has not changed since May. Mayor Ian Boddy is not seeking re-election.
Deputy Mayor Scott Greig remains the only candidate for his seat. If no one files against him by August 21, he is acclaimed.
The City of Owen Sound has said the final list of certified candidates will be available September 1.
Only One Trustee Candidate Across Four Boards
Eric Lapointe remains the only school board candidate on the City of Owen Sound’s list, running for the French-language public board, Conseil scolaire Viamonde.
Lapointe appears on candidate lists across the region, including in Meaford, Southgate, Grey Highlands, The Blue Mountains, Chatsworth, West Grey, Kincardine, Brockton, Arran-Elderslie, South Bruce Peninsula, Northern Bruce Peninsula, Huron-Kinloss and South Bruce. Viamonde trustee seats cover large multi-municipality areas.
No one has registered to represent Owen Sound for the Bluewater District School Board, the Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board, or Conseil scolaire catholique Providence.
Check Your Registration on the Voters List
Owen Sound’s voting period runs from 10 a.m. on Friday, October 16 to 8 p.m. on Monday, October 26 — internet and telephone only, with no paper ballots. You’ll need a Voter Information Letter, mailed in October, containing the PIN you use to log in.
Residents can check, update, add or remove their information from the Voters’ List on the Elections Ontario website RegisterToVoteON.ca until August 12, 2026.
Missing that cutoff doesn’t cost you your vote; you can register at an Election Centre during the voting period, or go to City Hall with ID to confirm your status and get your letter.
Election Centres for City of Owen Sound voters will be at City Hall and Heritage Place Mall through the voting period, and at retirement and long-term care homes on dates posted at each location.
Subscribe and keep an eye on Owen Sound Current’s Municipal Election Guide for more updates as they happen.
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