Here are some of the major races in Halifax. Halifax is somewhat unique in that it has riding names instead of numbered districts like a lot of municipalities.
MayorIncumbent mayor and former Liberal MP for Dartmouth-Cole Harbour Mike Savage faces off against Lil MacPherson, owner of an organic, locavore restaurant. Savage is pretty centrist by Halifax standards and has a well financed campaign with support from both progressives and the business community. MacPherson represents the most progressive, bobo demographics who feel that Savage wasn't progressive enough.
A poll a few weeks ago put the race at Savage 85%, MacPherson 15%. Nothing much has chaned since then and Savage will likely win by Chirac-2002 margins.
Dartmouth CentreThis seat was represented by councilor and former Dartmouth mayor Gloria McCluskey for 25 years. McCluskey is retiring and now there is a big competition for her open seat. McCluskey was on the right of council, but the area is left leaning, so it will likely shift left. However there are many progressive candidates running, so a rightist could sneak in. Major candidates include:
Sam Austin: Runner up to McCluskey in 2012, Austin is running on the centre right, and is relatively pro development.
Gabriel Enxuga: Halifax's first transgender candidate. Enxuga is running a far left campaign. He runs Solidarity Halifax, a self-described 'anti-capitalist collective'. Enxuga's major platform planks include making all city services including rec centres and transit free, requiring all city vendors to pay at least $15/hr, and reserving council seats for racial minoriteis
Tim Risseco: Losing Liberal candidate in the recent Dartmouth South by-election, and executive director of the Downtown Dartmouth Business Commission, Risseco is running as a centre to centre left candidate.
Kate Watson: Watson was an also-ran in 2012, and is best known as an affordable housing advocate. She is running a centre left campaign focusing on affordable housing and transit expansion.
Warren Wesson: This former coke dealer is best known for being testifying against his attempted murderers. He is running on a left win, anti-gentrification platform. Wesson now runs some legitimate small businesses.
Peninsula NorthPeninsula North roughly corresponds to Halifax Needham provincially. It is a microcosm of the NDP, with racial minorities, bobo areas, and traditional working class parts. My favourite left wing councilor Jennifer Watts held the seat since 2008, but is retiring this year
. Major candidates include:
Irvine Carvery: Former African-Nova Scotian school board rep and former Tory candidate Irvine Carvery is running as the sole right wing candidate that I can find.
Patrick Murphy: Murphy was on council from 2004-2008 when he was defeated by popular left winger Jerry Blumenthal. Murphy racked up a middling centrist record in council and now wants to pick up his old seat.
Chris Poole: Poole was school board rep in from 2008-2012 and is best known for nearly defeating NDP stalwart Maureen MacDonald in the last provincial election. He has visibility, but is
Lindell Smith: Is a black activist. I don't know much about him, but he's releasing some joint statements with Enxuga, so it's safe to say he's on the left.
Brendan Sommerhalder: Director of Marketing for Halifax, Sommerhalder is running a left leaning campaign with a focus on housing affordability; a major issue in the rapidly gentrifying north end.
Peninsula South-DowntownSituated in the south end of the city, it has both of Halifax's major universities, but is also the biggest old money neighbourhood. It is often quite polarized. This seat was the biggest shocker of 2012, when left leaning candidate Waye Mason took out Sue Uteck, one of the cities bigger conservative names. Uteck and her late husband before her had represented the area for 20 years. This year is a rematch.
Waye Mason: Mason is a centre leftists. He is best known for attempting to save historic properties in the district and cut council pay.
Sue Uteck: Uteck was one of council's arch-conservatives and is best known for trying to keep property taxes low, and for being a big supporter of development and construction