Some voters came to town hall Wednesday morning convinced Niagara-on-the-Lake needs to change course.
Others came because voting early was simply easier.
And some came away thinking there is not much to fix at all.
That mix was on display during the first hour of in-person advance voting Oct. 7, as residents steadily moved through council chambers to cast ballots in a municipal election shaped by concerns about development, the environment, accessibility and how town rules are enforced.
Town representatives were not formally counting turnout during the opening hour, but roughly estimated between 50 and 100 people had come through by about 11 a.m. One staff member described the morning simply as “quite a lot.”
Kads Bohra and her husband, Pran, said they always vote, but this time the campaign debates helped turn their concerns into a decision.
Several issues had been weighing on the Old Town couple, but the debates helped clarify which candidates best matched the direction they want for NOTL.
“It cleared our head a little better as to which candidate we think represents how we want to see our town moving forward,” Kads said.
Their biggest concern was how town rules are applied, an issue they said has affected them directly and could have wider consequences for the town.
Pran described it as “selective enforcement” and said they struggle to understand why some people appear able to break rules others are expected to follow.
“Our vote was more for correcting the path,” Kads said.
For some voters, though, getting to the ballot box early had little to do with political urgency.
Melody and Don Legere came out early because advance voting usually means avoiding a long lineup.
Wednesday was busier than they expected.
Asked whether NOTL residents seemed more anxious to vote this year, Don said, “I think so.”
For the couple, voting early did not mean they were desperate for change. They have lived in town for decades, once operated a bed and breakfast in Old Town and now live in Virgil.
Unlike voters looking for a major shakeup at town hall, the couple said they are largely happy with life in NOTL.
Melody said perspective matters.
“You have to look at the rest of the world when you compare something,” Melody said. “And when you look at the rest of the world and how some countries are and how their people are treated, we are living in a dream here.”
That did not mean the couple had no concerns. Development remains one of them, particularly large hotel projects in a tourism economy they know from experience can be deeply seasonal.
For Reid Maltby, the election also carried some urgency.
“Development is a big issue, and the environment,” he said.
Maltby and Christine McGrath, who live on Lakeshore Road, also pointed to this summer’s widespread flooding — though they were not directly affected — and the divide between the needs of different parts of NOTL.
McGrath said council needs people who understand those differences instead of deepening them.
“We’re surrounded by the farmers and the grape growers and everything,” she said. “There seems to be very different needs, in town and country, and it just creates division, which is unfortunate.”
She said she wants someone who can “bridge that divide a little bit better.”
For another voter, the priority was far more personal and practical.
Tony S., 72, said he looks at candidates based on what will do the most good for everyone. For him, that starts with seniors and people with disabilities.
He pointed to doors with accessibility buttons that do not work, high curbs, poorly placed ramps and too few accessible parking spaces.
Tony also gave the town high marks for the voting process itself, calling it fast and efficient.
“I’m 72, so I appreciate how quickly we can get through this,” he said, giving the process an “11 out of 10.”
Carole Tremblay also came out early in part because she thought advance voting would be less busy.
It wasn’t.
She said the turnout was bigger than she expected and spoke positively about Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa, who is not seeking another term.
“I’d still like to keep Gary Zalepa in, but he’s going regional,” she said.
Zalepa has instead applied to become Niagara’s next regional chair. The province will appoint the chair after the Oct. 26 election under governance changes approved earlier this year.
Internet voting remains open until Oct. 25 at 8 p.m. Another in-person advance poll will be held Oct. 17 at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Community Centre, before election day on Oct. 26.
