Invitation 1
With the aim of increasing voter turnout in the upcoming municipal election, candidates for Mayor and Ward Councilor in Prince Edward County are being invited to share their thoughts on a wide range of issues once a week.
Candidates received Invitation 1 on August 24, 2022 and were asked to share their thoughts by August 29, 2022. Candidate responses were published here and on Facebook on August 31, 2022.
Candidate Responses 1
The County’s official list of certified candidates includes 4 candidates for Mayor (1 office) and 29 candidates for Ward Councilor (13 offices in 9 Wards). Eight incumbents are seeking re-election, including the Mayor and 7 Councilors.
Responses to Invitation 1 were received from 18 candidates overall (54.5%), including 2 candidates for Mayor (50%) and 16 candidates for Councilor (55.2%). Five incumbents (62.5%), including the Mayor and 4 Councilors (57.1%), responded. Other candidates showed an interest in the process and may join later.
See also the candidates’ unredacted responses.
Summary 1
County residency
Candidates were asked, “For how many years have you resided in the County?” Their responses are summarized in Table 1:
| County residency | Respondents | Percent |
| Under 10 yrs | 3 | 16.7% |
| 10 to 19 yrs | 3 | 16.7% |
| 20 to 29 yrs | 4 | 22.2% |
| 30+ yrs | 8 | 44.4% |
| Total | 18 | 100.0% |
Membership on municipal bodies
Candidates were asked to identify their memberships on any body associated with the municipal government in the County during the previous and current terms of Council. We have grouped memberships into broader, related areas of responsibility and collapsed across previous and current terms of Council. Candidates’ memberships in these groups over this period are summarized in Table 2:
| Membership on municipal bodies | Respondents | Percent |
| Environment 1 | 5 | 27.8% |
| Heritage 2 | 5 | 27.8% |
| Agriculture | 4 | 22.2% |
| Audit | 4 | 22.2% |
| Community & economic development 3 | 4 | 22.2% |
| Recreation | 4 | 22.2% |
| Nominating | 2 | 11.1% |
| Traffic | 2 | 11.1% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 5.6% |
| Police | 1 | 5.6% |
| Social services | 1 | 5.6% |
Volunteering in the County
Candidates were asked to identify their memberships in not-for-profit, non-governmental organizations associated with the County during the current term of Council. Areas of volunteering most frequently identified by candidates are summarized in Table 3:
| Areas of volunteering | Respondents | Percent |
| Children & families | 4 | 22.2% |
| Agriculture | 3 | 16.7% |
| Food insecurity | 3 | 16.7% |
| Arts | 2 | 11.1% |
| Women | 2 | 11.1% |
| None | 10 | 55.6% |
Tension between “old” and “new” residents
Candidates were asked “How do you understand talk of tension between ‘old’ and ‘new’ residents in the County?” Four candidates (22.2%) found the question to be potentially divisive, a mere distraction, or had no comment. Four candidates (22.2%) hadn’t experienced this sort of tension in the County. Ten candidates (55.5%) shared their experiences and thoughts about it.
Regardless of their responses to this question, candidates expressed nearly no concern that tension between ‘old’ and ‘new’ residents in the County influences Council’s agenda or decisions (Table 4).
| Tension influences Council’s agenda | Respondents | Percent |
| Strongly disagree/disagree | 7 | 38.9% |
| Neither disagree or agree | 8 | 44.4% |
| Agree/strongly agree | 1 | 5.6% |
| NA | 2 | 11.1% |
| Tension influences Council’s decisions | Respondents | Percent |
| Strongly disagree/disagree | 8 | 44.4% |
| Neither disagree or agree | 7 | 38.9% |
| Agree/strongly agree | 1 | 5.6% |
| NA | 2 | 11.1% |
Many candidates had thoughts about the role they saw for themselves in addressing any tension between “old” and “new” residents in the County.