Nominations closed on Friday at 4 p.m. and it appears there is going to be plenty of electioneering in the North Thompson Valley over the next few weeks.
In Barriere, Lower North Thompson (Area O) TNRD director Bill Kershaw is being challenged by Mike Fennell, a former mayor of Barriere. Bill Humphreys, the incumbent mayor of Barriere, is being challenged by Virginia Smith, a longtime councillor.
Ten people are running to be on Barriere’s town council: Harry Eberts, Donna Kibble, Glen Stanley, Amanda Sabyan, Ward Stamer, Mike Fennell, Al Fortin, Shane Quiding, Pat Paula and Christine Janis.
The only incumbent North Thompson politician to avoid an election this time around appears to be Rhonda Kershaw, the school trustee for the Little Fort-Barriere area. She was returned by acclamation.
Further north, incumbent Clearwater mayor John Harwood is being challenged by council member Jon Kreke.
Because he is running to be mayor, Kreke cannot also run for town council. However, all five remaining council members: Barry Banford, Merlin Blackwell, Gord Heisterman, Ken Kjenstad and Shelley Sim, are running again.
They face two challengers: Dennis Greffard and Melanie Harwood.
Incumbent Wells Gray Country (Area A) director Tim Pennell is being challenged by former director Carol Schaffer for a seat at the Thompson-Nicola Regional District table.
In the Blue River-Avola area, incumbent Thompson Rivers Headwaters (Area B) TNRD director Willow MacDonald is facing off against former director Max Lentz of Kamloops.
MacDonald is also running to be the School District 73 trustee for the Clearwater-Blue River area. She is competing against Clearwater councillor Shelley Sim.
In Kamloops, four are running for mayor, 28 for council, and 15 for school board. The list of school board candidates includes former Clearwater resident Bowen Cooluris.
Election day for local governments and school boards will be on Saturday, Nov. 15.