This London election may seem a little 'meh,' but serious issues are at stake

Monday brings to an end a municipal mayoral race that two political watchers say will not be remembered as edge-of-your-seat viewing. 

"I would say it's pretty 'meh'," said Jacquie Newman, a political science professor at King's University College. "There hasn't been a great deal of passion or controversy in this campaign." 

Martin Horak, an assistant professor in the political science department at Western University, agrees. 

"I think it's been kind of lop-sided and kind of sleepy," he said. 

As reasons for the perceived lack of interest in this race, Horak points to the perception that in the mayor's race, Josh Morgan came out swinging early, filing his nomination papers just two days after Mayor Ed Holder announced he wouldn't seek re-election. 

The only mayoral runner with significant experience in elected office is Khalil Ramal, a former MPP who faces a big challenge against a two-term councillor with the name recognition that comes with having served as the city's deputy mayor and budget chair. 

And while Morgan has portrayed himself as the experienced option, Horak says Ramal got better as the campaign wore on, challenging Morgan's voting record and questioning why more didn't get done during his eight years on council. Ramal pointed out what he characterized as inaction on longstanding London issues, such as the state of downtown, homelessness and housing and managing the city's rapid growth. 

To get a sense of how Morgan and Ramal differ on some of the key issues, watch this video of their appearance on London Morning.

There are 10 candidates running for mayor. You can read about them and their platforms here. 

Both Horak and Newman worry that voter turnout will be low. A record low number of voters cast ballots in the spring provincial election. Only 39 per cent of eligible voters in London cast a vote in 2018. Horak believes that number could be in the low thirties this time around. 

At the same time, both Horak and Newman said this is a crucial election for a city facing significant challenges. 

Whether it's managing the rapid growth, helping those who sleep rough get off the streets or stick-handling city budgets as the country lurches toward a likely recession, the next mayor and council's performance will be crucial for the Forest City. 

"London is really at a crossroads," said Horak. "There is a lot going on, and there's a lot at stake. We've become a high-growth city, which comes with all kinds of challenges like high housing prices. We have a housing crisis. We have a moving transportation crisis because we're growing quickly. And you know, council has been dragging its heels in recent years on rapid transit."

Nine incumbents are running for the 14 council seats, with five seats set to get new faces. Four of the five councillors who opted not to run for council again (Mo Salih, Jesse Helmer, Maureen Cassidy and Stephen Turner) can be safely described as left-of-centre. Whoever gets elected on Monday, the new blood will go a long way in shaping the city for years to come.