Last-minute entries takes candidates tally to over 200 for this fall’s election

Ottawa: With the last minute nomination filed by 39-year-old public servant Zainab Alsalihiy as a candidate in Riverside South-Findlay Creek, the entries has pushed candidate list up over 200 for this fall’s election.

She was the last candidate to file the nomination to run for elections in this fall’s municipal poll.

Likewise, Jacob Solomon has signed up to run for mayor and took the total tally of candidates to 14 for the competition.

City Election officials said that the long list of candidates will lead to print ballots legal-length paper for the first time.

Now, 210 people have registered to run in the October 24 election of which 14 for mayor, 106 for councillors and 90 for school board trustee positions. While, eight candidates for both French-language school boards have been acclaimed.

Meanwhile, it will be the first open mayoral race in decade in which Jim Watson is not contesting for election.

In this election, Ottawa voters for the first time can cast a ballot by mail. Voters will have to apply for a special ballot, which they will be able to between September 1 and 16 once the voters’ list is finalized by the city election office.