Two options to replace city councillor elected as Liberal MP in Windsor-Tecumseh

Windsor city council will need to fill the Ward 7 seat currently occupied by Liberal MP-elect Irek Kusmierczyk.

Kusmiercyzk, who first won his council seat in 2013, received approximately 33.4 per cent of the vote to secure the Windsor-Tecumseh riding for the Liberal Party in Monday's general election.

However, since Canadian citizens can't occupy two seats in two separate levels of government at the same time, Kusmiercyzk will be forced to relinquish his council post to serve as Windsor-Tecumseh's MP. 

According to Steve Vlachodimos, deputy city clerk and senior manager of council services for the City of Windsor, council can either appoint a replacement or hold a by-election to fill Kusmierczyk's vacant seat. 

Though Vlachodimos wouldn't assume which route council will favour, he pointed out that the last time council simply opted to appoint a replacement for an outgoing councillor was in 1984. 

"But keep in mind that back then, the terms were only two-year cycles," Vlachodimos said. 

When Windsor council needed to fill vacant seats in 1999, 2002 and 2013, councillors opted to hold a by-election, rather than appoint a replacement. 

In fact, Kusmierczyk first secured his council seat through the 2013 by-election.

Kusmiercyzk must formally resign council seat

According to Vlachodimos, council will receive a report from his office outlining their options by the next meeting, scheduled for Nov. 4.

Additionally, Kusmierczyk will need to formally resign from his seat before Windsor council can determine how to proceed with finding his replacement. 

If council decides to proceed with a by-election, Windsorites would have up to 60 days to submit their names to be candidates for Kursmierczyk's vacant seat.

"Once that period is over, we must hold the by-election 45 days after that date," said Vlachodimos.

That being said, council will have the decision to delay adopting the by-election motion until later in the year, which could push a formal by-election until March or April 2020.

"And that would still meet the very prescribed timeline set by the province," Vlachodimos said. 

In the meantime, Ward 7 residents can still raise concerns with the remaining members of council, including Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens.

Vlachodimos estimated that holding a by-election could cost the city between $90,000 and $100,000. 

He recommends that Windsor residents read his report once it's published and contact city council "to let your member know what your stand is on that."