A familiar face is running to be the next mayor of Chatham-Kent (CK).
Randy Hope, who served as the municipality's mayor from 2006 to 2018, has officially put his name forward.
He joins current mayor Darrin Canniff, current councillors Lauren Anderson and Michael Bondy, Wallaceburg farmer Nelson Burm, and supply chain professional Ryan Gow on the ballot.
Hope ran for a fourth term in 2018 but came third behind Canniff and current councillor Alysson Storey.
He told CK News Today he decided to run after receiving numerous messages from people across CK.
"I take the comments quite seriously; it generated a conversation amongst my own family, and once we discussed it as a family and the calls kept coming in, we just decided it was time," he said.
For Hope, it's too early in the campaign to confidently say which issues will be discussed during the election. He did say he's aware of the more pressing topics, but wants to have more conversations with the public to truly understand what needs to be properly addressed.
"I'll start to lay out clear initiatives of where I believe we need to go and hopefully work with the elected council to make those things a reality," added Hope.
When asked why he believes he's the best person for the job, Hope was quick to mention his political experience as both a mayor and a Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP).
"I understand everything that's going on and how a government functions. It's not somebody new coming in, and the wheels turn slower," he explained.
CK's election will be on October 26, 2026.
