The entry time has run out and candidates are set to potentially make it past the polls.
There are a plenty of familiar faces in this year’s running, many of which have either served or ran in 2014’s election.
Candidates for office are incumbent Mayor Ron Toyota and, challenging for the position once again, is former town administrator Bill Hutchinson.
Toyota’s reign of mayor began after defeating former Mayor Joe Snopek with over 70% of the vote in 2008. He held onto the position after Snopek ran again in 2011, but lost some ground with only 59% of the vote.
It wasn’t until 2014, when competition became more fierce with five candidates running for office, that Toyota fell below the 50% threshold. It was in this election, however, where Bill Hutchinson first ran for mayor and came in second with over 22% of the vote.
2018 is a whole new beast. Toyota, Hutchinson and Mary Jayne Blackmore are the three running for mayor.
There are a dozen candidates for council, a mix of incumbents and newcomers. A key departure from Town Council is Joe Snopek who had served as mayor from 2002-2004 before taking a councilor’s role in 2014.
(x) denotes incumbent
Cherkas, Debbie
Comer, Jen (x)
DeBoon, Arnold
Drinkle, Trish
Elford, Jim (x)
Goforth, Karen
Karountzos, Jim
Magrum, Dallas
Tzakis, Ellen
Unruh, Karen (x)
Vigne, Brandon
Wilson, Joanna (x)
Candidates have until September 21 to withdraw from the race.
Election Fun Facts!
- The longest reigning mayor was Lela Irvine, who held office for 13 years between 1986 to 1999.
- Creston incorporated as a Town in 1972, thus upgrading the title of ‘Reeve” to ‘Mayor.’
- Mayor Ron Toyota’s father, Tak Toyota served as Reeve in Creston in 1959 and opened Taks Home Furnishers in Cranbrook, Fernie, Golden and Creston.