This Ontario town's entire council has been acclaimed for this fall's municipal election

People in one southern Ontario municipality already know who will represent them after this fall's municipal election because the entire town council has been acclaimed.

The Town of Minto is within Wellington County and located approximately 50 km north of Waterloo.

Those who won their seats because no one ran against them:

• Dave Turton, who was deputy mayor, will become the mayor. 
• Jean Anderson is currently a councillor and will be deputy mayor.
• Coun. Judy Dirksen, Ron Elliott and Geoff Gunson retained their seats.
• Ed Podniewicz and Paul Zimmerman will be new councillors.

Annilene McRobb, Minto's clerk, said they've never seen all members of council acclaimed to their positions since the township was incorporated in 1999.

And while the municipality doesn't need to hold an election for council, voters do still need to choose a county councillor and school board trustees.

"A full election is still required so there is little to no savings to be had. The election still runs as usual with all the same procedures in place," McRobb said in an email.

She noted Minto has "always run successful elections with over 50 per cent voter turnout each time."

"My hope is that the residents of Minto still participate fully in this election, as the positions they are voting on are important," McRobb said.

Turton says he was acclaimed four years ago as deputy mayor and he wouldn't have minded having to campaign for the job.

"I believe, and have said many times, that all positions should have an election," he said in an email.

"It is much healthier for the community. This gets candidates out into the community. You get the opportunity to have serious discussions on the current issues."

That said, Turton said the new council is "full of capable, experienced people."

Once the new council is sworn in, they have a few items to focus on, Turton said, including recruiting a new chief administrative officer for the township, working the 2023 budget and focusing on capital projects.

Other Wellington candidates acclaimed

Four Wellington County councillors have also been acclaimed:

• Campbell Cork for Ward 3.
• Stephen O'Neill for Ward 4.
• Matthew Robert Bulmer for Ward 7.
• Jeff Duncan for Ward 9.

Cork, O'Neill and Duncan are the current councillors for those wards.

Elsewhere in Wellington County, the following people have been acclaimed:

• Lisa Hern as Ward 3 councillor in Wellington North.
• Steven McCabe as Ward 4 councillor in Wellington North.
• Chris White as mayor in Guelph/Eramosa Township.
• Mark Bouwmeester as Ward 4 councillor in Guelph/Eramosa Township.
• James Seeley as mayor in Puslinch.
• Greg Davidson as mayor in Mapleton Township.
• Andrew Finoro as the Wellington Catholic District School Board trustee.

All of the above acclaimed candidates were already serving in those same positions.