The wreck of the current North Bay council? (Updated)

The winds of change in North Bay politically may end up feeling more like a hurricane this election day, and by tonight voters will have elected a new mayor and possibly 10 new city councillors.

And, like the Edmund Fitzgerald 28 years ago today, the election could result in some local political careers being sunk.

City voters have their work cut out for them. There are 24 people running to fill 10 council seats, and four candidates seeking the mayor’s job.

About 41,000 city residents are eligible to vote in the election, and, if early indications mean anything, turn-out will be very high.

"We had 3,100 people vote at the advance polls, which was about 10 per cent higher than 2000," said Terry Ringler, manager of corporate support for the city.

And John XXIII and ET Carmichael schools were doing brisk business when the polling stations there opened just after 10 a.m.

Among the voters at John XXIII was mayoral candidate Jeff Marceau, who had to wait almost an hour before he could get his name put on the voting list.

Mayoral candidate Tim Wright voted at ET Carmichael.

Vic Fedeli and Lynne Bennett, the remaining mayoral candidates both voted at advance polls, they told baytoday.ca

Nowhere to go but up
While many are expecting Fedeli to be coronated king of the council, Wright said he’s feeling “encouraged” by pick-up in support he believes he’s received over the last two or three days.

And he says his campaign ended up reflecting things heard while campaigning.

“I’ve been using the term ‘more jobs, more people’ and that’s something a person on King Street told me when I asked him what he wanted to see for the city,” Wright said.

While he admits he’d been far behind in earlier polls, “I have nowhere to go but up from here,” Wright said.
Whatever happens, Wright hopes people will exercise their “democratic right to vote” and come out to the polls.

Too innovative
Marceau said he’s never had as much fun as he’s had campaigning.

“Win or lose I’ve had the time of my life and have no regrets.”

At 34, Marceau is the youngest candidate in the four-person mayoral race.

And he concedes his youthful outlook may have been a disadvantage.

“People have told me I’m too fresh and too innovative and that the city wasn’t ready for me yet,” Marceau said.

Wasn't bothered by attacks
Despite predictions, Fedeli isn’t taking any chances and will continue campaigning today until the polls close.

“I feel fabulous about the campaign, and I’ve received so much positive feedback going door to door,” Fedeli said.

The retired marketing company executive also said he wasn’t bothered by attacks to his 2020 Vision plan by his opponents.

“To be honest, I never paid attention to it and decided I would have message discipline, that I would focus on my message, so I didn’t pay attention to any of the detractors,” Fedeli said.

Lynne Bennett, the fourth mayor candidate, did not respond to a request for an interview Sunday.

Baytoday.ca will be offering complete coverage of the election results, including interviews and photos, after returns start coming in later on tonight.