Andrea Horwath has officially entered the race for Hamilton mayor in the upcoming municipal election on Oct. 26. While previously declaring her intention to seek reelection, Horwath had not submitted the necessary paperwork to be listed as an official candidate until Friday afternoon, when she was formally added to the city’s website.
In a news release, Horwath acknowledged the significant challenges faced by the city over the past four years, including issues such as housing shortages, rising living costs, and neglected infrastructure. She emphasized that while not all problems have been resolved, progress has been made by confronting these challenges head-on.
During a news conference on Friday afternoon, Horwath highlighted her achievements in advancing key projects that were previously stagnant, such as the Hamilton LRT, the Jamesville affordable housing redevelopment, and the TD Coliseum. Looking ahead, she expressed a commitment to sharing more details about her campaign in the near future.
Addressing areas for improvement if reelected, Horwath specifically mentioned cybersecurity, noting the significant impact of the 2024 cyberattack on city systems. She stated that while progress has been made in enhancing digital tools following the incident, further efforts are needed to enhance online public services for residents.
The last mayoral race in Hamilton was a closely contested one, with Horwath narrowly securing victory in October 2022 over Keanin Loomis by a margin of approximately 1,600 votes. This fall, she will face Loomis once again, alongside other challengers vying for the mayoral position.
Since the city’s amalgamation in 2000, only one mayor, Fred Eisenberger, has been reelected for consecutive terms in 2014 and 2018. A list of the current mayoral candidates in Hamilton, arranged alphabetically by last name, includes individuals like Sasha Austin, Ejaz Butt, Rob Cooper, Paul Fromm, Scarlett Gillespie, Keanin Loomis, Pamela Mitchell, Kevin Walker, and Nathalie Xian Yi Yan. Nomination forms for additional candidates are due by 2 p.m. on Aug. 21.