As the Sept. 19 nomination deadline approaches, several more candidates have come forward in the races for councillor on both sides of the river.
In North Battleford, three more familiar local names have stepped forward to run. One is former Saskatchewan Liberal leader Ryan Bater, who announced Tuesday he is officially joining the council race.
A former General Manager of the Battlefords REDA, Bater currently operates his own consulting business and is the Tourism Development Managerat Battlefords Tourism and Convention Association. He is no stranger to elections, running twice for the provincial Liberals in the Battlefords and having led the party before resigning the post earlier this year.
In a statement released Tuesday afternoon, Bater pointed to his experience in economic and business development as making him an ideal candidate for council. He said his focus will be on fiscal responsibility and ensuring taxpayers are a priority in every decision that is made.
"I am pleasedto announce my candidacy for City Council," said Bater. "My decision to run is based on my continued commitment to public service and a desire to be a newvoice for responsible andmanaged growth of North Battleford."
Two more candidates filed their nomination papers later on Tuesday afternoon, including Roxanne Kennedy, who recently ran unsuccessfully for Secretary in the Metis Nation of Saskatchewan election held on Sept. 8.
The other nominated candidate is two-term council incumbent Grace Lang. That brings to four the number of incumbent councillors seeking re-election in North Battleford.
As of late Tuesday, a total of seven candidates were officially nominated to seek the six seats on city council. Also officially in the race are incumbents Ron Crush, Ray Fox and Don Buglas and challenger Steven Cormons.
There was still no challenger to incumbent Mayor Ian Hamilton in the North Battleford mayor's race with just one day left before the nomination deadline of 4pm on Sept. 19.
In Battleford, the town was also officially assured of an election race as two more candidates were officially nominated in the council race: Christopher Bajak and Doug Laing.
That brings to seven the number of officially nominated candidates in the race for the six council positions in Battleford. The others are incumbent Susan McLean-Tady, Amber Nelson, Albert Blais, Gordon Yarde and Ames Leslie.
As of noon, coun. Derek Mahon was still the only candidate in the mayor's race in Battleford. Mayor Chris Odishaw and three incumbent councillors - Bill Halewich, Garth Walls and Cameron Duncan - have announced they are not running again.
The municipal election is to be held October 24.
