With only two days until Nomination Day, the list of candidates Grimsby voters will get to choose from in October is starting to take its final shape. The seemingly long nomination period has seen candidates trickle into Town Hall to file their paperwork, but over the past week or two, the pace has certainly picked up.
Based on information from the Town’s page for Registered Candidates as of 2 p.m. on August 19, here is how the various races are shaping up:
| Mayor | Ward 1 | Ward 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Jeff Jordan (Incumbent) | George Bodnar | Don Howe (Incumbent) |
| Veronica Charrois | Kevin Ritchie | Lianne Vardy (Incumbent) |
| Simon Duong | Margot Smeenk | Ben Purkiss |
| Michelle Seaborn | Dave Sharpe | |
| Ward 3 | Ward 4 | District School Board Of Niagara |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Korstanje (Incumbent) | Nick DiFlavio (Incumbent) | Duncan Storey |
| Jacob Baradziej | Wayne Fertich | |
| Ryan Day | Reg Freake | |
| John Dunstall | ||
| Joanne Johnston |
| Niagara District Catholic School Board | Conseil Scolaire Viamonde | Conseil Scolaire Catholique Monavenir |
|---|---|---|
| Lynn Dudok | Sonia Macaluso | Melinda Chartrand (Incumbent) |
| Leanne Prince | ||
| Matthew Simatovic | ||
Observations
The list of Registered Candidates so far offers a few interesting observations:
- Of the nine members of the current Council, eight have filed nominations for the 2026 election. The only sitting member who has not yet filed is Ward 1 Councillor Delight Davoli.
- Three sitting Councillors are seeking different seats in 2026. Ward 1 Councillor Reg Freake is moving to Ward 4, Ward 4 Councillor Jacob Baradziej is moving to Ward 3, while Ward 3 Councillor Veronica Charrois is seeking the Mayor’s chair.
- Three members of the 2018-2022 Council’s “G5” are looking for another chance: Kevin Ritchie and Dave Sharpe, both defeated in their bids for re-election to Council in 2022, and John Dunstall, who was defeated in the 2022 mayoral race. Grimsby voters will have to decide how much they remember from that term.
- John Dunstall initially filed in Ward 2, but withdrew his nomination and subsequently re-filed in Ward 3.
- Former Councillors Joanne Johnston and Michelle Seaborn are both seeking a return to Grimsby Council. Johnston, who was defeated in both 2018 and 2022, is seeking a Ward 3 seat, while Seaborn, who was defeated in 2018 before winning Grimsby’s Regional Councillor seat in 2022, is seeking the Mayor’s chair following the elimination of that separately elected Regional Council position for 2026.
- Wayne Fertich, a former Council Member and Regional Councillor who was defeated for the latter in 2022, is also back, seeking a seat in Ward 4.
- There are a few possible acclamations if no new candidates come forward:
DSBN Public School Board (English): Duncan Storey
Conseil Scolaire Viamonde: Sonia Macaluso
Conseil Scolaire Catholique Monavenir: Melinda Chartrand
While both French-language school board positions were acclaimed in the 2022 election, the DSBN trustee race has been contested in each of the past two municipal elections. It would be encouraging to see additional candidates come forward for that position, giving Grimsby and Lincoln voters a choice at the ballot box.
Still Thinking of Throwing Your Name Into The Hat?
If you have thought about running for public office and serving the community, there is still time to file your nomination for the 2026 Municipal Election.
Nominations close on Friday, August 21, 2026, at 2 p.m. Nominations or withdrawals will not be accepted after that time.
You can find a wealth of information on the Town’s Candidate Information page here: https://www.grimsby.ca/town-hall/elections/candidate-information/
Key Election Dates: https://www.grimsby.ca/town-hall/elections/key-election-dates/
If you have questions about the election, you can contact the Town via email at elections@grimsby.ca or via telephone at 905-945-9634 Ext 2003.
Stay tuned for an updated list of Registered Candidates after nominations close at the end of the week.