Candidate shortages that appeared widespread across Midwestern Ontario earlier this month are continuing to disappear, with several municipalities that had major gaps now filling nearly every position just days before the nomination deadline.
A CKNXNewsToday.ca review on August 11, 2026 found 19 of 35 municipalities across Bruce, Grey, Huron, and Perth counties and northern Wellington still had at least one office or ward with too few candidates. Roughly 44 positions lacked a corresponding candidate at the time, down from 67 at the beginning of August.
Candidate lists have moved significantly since then, including in several municipalities that previously stood out for their lack of participation.
Northern Bruce Peninsula had just one mayoral candidate last week, with nobody running for deputy mayor and no candidates for its three councillor positions.
That has changed dramatically.
Milt McIver filed for mayor on August 12, creating a two-way race with Brad Gesinghaus. Rod Anderson entered the deputy mayor race the following day, while Todd Dowd and Paul Davidson have filed for council.
That leaves Northern Bruce Peninsula just one councillor candidate short of filling its council slate.
Georgian Bluffs has seen an even larger turnaround.
Last week's review found candidates for mayor and deputy mayor but nobody seeking any of the township's five councillor positions. The township's latest list now includes Ejaye McComb, Brad McRoberts, Rick Winters, Isaac Shouldice and Gary McMillan, giving Georgian Bluffs five candidates for five councillor seats.
Perth East has also gone from four council wards without candidates to just one.
Matthew Livingstone filed Tuesday in Ellice Ward, Jeremy Matheson entered the Milverton race on August 13 and Tim Dowd filed in Mornington on Monday.
South Easthope has gone a step further and now has a contested race, after Daryl Herlick joined G. Bruce Holst on August 17.
North Easthope remains the only Perth East ward without a candidate.
Other areas that previously had thin candidate lists are beginning to produce competitive races.
Saugeen Shores, which had only one candidate for two Port Elgin ward positions last week, now has two after Tamara McDonald filed on August 14.
The municipality has also developed three-way contests for both of its top positions. Brian Putman, Jeff James and Luke Charbonneau are running for mayor, while Diane Huber, Odette Bartnicki and Peter Stanley are seeking the deputy mayor position.
There are also five candidates seeking two Southampton ward positions and three running for two seats in the Saugeen ward.
West Perth has similarly moved from shortages to competition in two wards.
Three candidates are now seeking two Logan Ward seats, while the Mitchell field has grown to five candidates for three positions. Ben Davey became the latest Mitchell candidate when he filed on August 17.
In Wellington North, every township ward is now contested.
Ward 1 has three candidates, while wards 2, 3 and 4 each have two. Lisa Hern's August 11 filing created the Ward 3 race, while the township's latest list also shows Dan Yake filing Monday to challenge Campbell Cork for Wellington County Ward 3.
Some of the region's already-busy races have also continued to draw interest.
Owen Sound remains the standout mayoral contest, with Ray Botten, Jodi King, Carol Merton, Mike Seiler, Richard Thomas and Andrii Zvorygin all seeking the city's top job.
Grey Highlands continues to feature a three-way mayoral race between Dane Nielsen, incumbent Paul McQueen and Mark Brown. Nine people have now filed for councillor, including three additions since August 11.
Howick has undergone one of the more dramatic transformations of the nomination period.
The township had no reeve candidate when CKNXNewsToday.ca first reviewed the region in early August. It now has a candidate for reeve, a contested deputy reeve race and eight active candidates seeking three councillor positions.
Shelley Miller-Cameron withdrew from the councillor race Monday and entered the deputy reeve contest against Marvin Grimes. Michel Starenky filed for councillor on August 14 and Mike Nichols became the eighth active council candidate on Tuesday.
Despite the late surge, some shortages remain.
Huron East's latest list still shows no candidates for the two Brussels Ward positions and only one candidate for two Grey Ward seats. Perth East remains without a North Easthope candidate, while Northern Bruce Peninsula is still one councillor short.
North Perth has also improved but has not completely closed its Elma Ward gap. The ward had one candidate for three positions last week and now has two, while the Listowel council race has grown to six candidates seeking three seats.
The final opportunity for candidates to enter, or withdraw from, municipal races is approaching quickly.
Nominations close at 2 p.m. Friday, August 21. Municipal clerks then have until 4 p.m. Monday, August 24 to certify nominations and declare any candidates elected by acclamation.
Candidate lists remain unofficial and could continue to change significantly before Friday afternoon.
