In the city of Lloydminster, straddling the Alberta-Saskatchewan border, the community will have a choice to make on February 13th, as 8 candidates have raised their hands to fill the vacant council seat left by former Councillor Aaron Buckingham.
The unexpected need for this by-election arose when Buckingham made the decision to step down from his council seat, taking on the role of the city's Fire Chief. As a result, the city finds itself at a crossroads, seeking a new representative to address the needs and concerns of its residents.
The list of candidates includes a diverse array of individuals, all eager to contribute to the betterment of Lloydminster. Leo Aguinaldo, Stan Bugiera, Darrell Dunn, Ben Harrison, David Lopez, Corey McKee, Hamid Rahmanian, and Fred Sirett make up the unofficial field of contenders.
Residents are keenly observing the candidates' campaigns as they unfold, - with one resident asking on social media "Will there be a chance for these candidates to answer questions about the city?".
The local Chamber of Commerce, often holds a candidates debate/forum - at the time of publication no word from the organization if such a forum would be held.
The new councillor will face a short but intensive period to familiarize themselves with the responsibilities of the role. With the next general election for Municipalities in Saskatchewan - which Lloydminster is mandated under - slated for November of this year, the successful candidate will have a limited window to make a significant impact on the community before seeking re-election.
Editors note: This is one by-election that this show will be watching closely. We are pleased to announce that on Friday, February 2nd, and Saturday, February 3rd - We will be in Lloydminster to speak with residents and see what issues the new councillor will need to address moving forward.
Correction: Any earlier version of this story identified Fred Sirett in photo as the wrong Fred Sirett. We regret the error.