There were 17 vacant roles for the province’s upcoming municipal byelection just days before the deadline, including three in Hanwell.
The fall byelection includes 19 vacancies in 12 New Brunswick communities. By the deadline, only one role was left vacant in Campobello Island. The province said the councillor role will be available in the May 2024 byelection.
Hanwell, a rural community just outside of Fredericton, had three of the province’s 19 vacancies, but Mayor Dave Morrison wasn’t worried about residents putting their name forward.
“It would resolve itself. We’ve got good people on council and hopefully we’ll have some good people coming in,” he said.
Hanwell elected a councillor for Ward 5 by acclamation, meaning there was no contest. A councillor for Ward 4 and a councillor-at-large will be decided by election on Oct. 23.
Empty roles leave residents without representation in their community and Morrison thinks it’s great that the community he has been mayor of for three years is properly represented.
“They are elected to office for a reason and they are there to do the best they can for the community. So, it’s important that the communities are represented,” he said.
Morrison said people often wait to put their name forward until they think they have a guaranteed spot and can be elected by acclamation.
“I think people just wait and see who’s running because no one wants to run and lose, right? Everybody wants to run and win,” he said.
The Village of New Maryland, just outside of Fredericton, has no vacant roles and is not taking part in the byelection, but Mayor Judy Wilson-Shee agrees with Morrison on why people wait to run.
“‘If there’s going to be two or three that decide [to run] I don’t stand a chance.’ If nobody puts their name forward then they say, ‘Oh, I must step up to the plate,’” she said.
Wilson-Shee has been the mayor of New Maryland since 2012 and says she hasn’t had any big turnover within her council. People leave council for various reasons, but it is usually due to health or moving out of the community — both have happened in New Maryland.
She also echoes the importance of municipal politics and that having passion for your community should be the reason to run.
“You shouldn’t be there for your own personal gain. You should be there to help the community and see how you can make your community better,” she said.
Morrison follows that same thinking and hopes candidates run for the “right reasons.”
