Despite a recent decision to reduce the size of council, Chatham-Kent (CK) already has a record number of candidates vying for a spot on the next one.
CK Council will go from the current composition of 18 members down to 15 members in October.
Currently, 64 candidates are running for a seat. Of those candidates, 59 are running for councillor positions and five are hoping to become CK's next mayor.
The nomination period for candidates doesn't close until August 21, so the number could continue to grow.
Councillors Conor Allin, Anthony Ceccacci, Marjorie Crew, Ryan Doyle, Morena McDonald, and Brock McGregor have yet to announce whether they'll throw their hat back in the ring. Should they all decide to run again the number of nominees will balloon to 70.
Sixty-four is the largest number of contenders the area has seen in the last five elections.
The last election in 2022 saw 43 candidates - 40 for council and three for mayor.
In 2018, there was 51 candidates - 45 for council and six for mayor.
2014 is the runner up with 53 candidates - 46 for council and seven for mayor.
In 2010, CK had 50 candidates - 44 for council and six for mayor.
The municipality was unable to access any election records before 2010, so there could have been a larger pool of candidates sometime between amalgamation in 1998 and the election in 2006.
