'Significant' number of acclamations not good for democracy: poli-sci prof

Nearly half of Cape Breton Regional Municipality's next council is already decided, along with a number of candidates in other municipalities on the island.

General elections are scheduled across Nova Scotia next month, but a large number of the positions on Cape Breton Island have been filled where candidates are running unchallenged.

In CBRM, five of 12 council seats will be represented by the incumbent councillors who ran unopposed.

Cape Breton University political scientist Tom Urbaniak said in one sense, that's not a surprise.

"It's very hard to challenge an incumbent in a large municipal district and we have large municipal districts in the CBRM," he said. "A sitting councillor can in effect campaign for four years simply by serving constituents … and this is true generally across the country, there's been research on this, the incumbency factor in municipal elections is very strong."

But Urbaniak said acclamations are likely not because people in CBRM are happy with the previous council.

"I don't hear that sentiment very often and in very many places, but it does suggest a kind of level of resignation, either that things won't change or maybe the particular councillor is doing a good job but has to operate in a system that doesn't function well, or if I try to run I would likely not be successful because the incumbent representing this large area has the name recognition."

He said the number of acclamations across the island might signal a problem for turnout in the Oct. 19 elections.

"It is a significant number and if that pattern continues, you have to be worried about voter animation."

Elsewhere on Cape Breton Island, three of six councillors are being returned unopposed in Inverness County and two of five went unchallenged in Richmond.

One candidate has been acclaimed in Victoria County.

Returning officer Blair Gallop said the lower number there is likely in part because the municipality ran a series of videos on its website urging people to run for office. They included the warden and deputy warden, who are not reoffering, and Gallop.

"We think they were seen out in the community and other messaging that we sent out helped push additional candidates here to run this time," he said.

Gallop said it also helped that five councillors were not reoffering.