A former councillor and mayor has registered to run in the byelection to fill the seat that was left vacant by George Darouze in Osgoode ward.
Doug Thompson, former councillor in the City of Ottawa for Osgoode ward, will be running in the byelection that’s scheduled to take place on June 16. He registered on Thursday morning.
“I look forward to a robust campaign, and hopefully I will be able to once more represent the good people of Osgoode at city council,” Thompson told 580 CFRA Saturday.
Thompson initially retired from municipal politics in 2014. He looked to return to Ottawa City Hall in 2022 but finished second in Osgoode ward with 38.5 per cent of the vote.
Darouze resigned earlier this month after being elected the new Progressive Conservative MPP in the riding of Carleton.
There are two options to fill a vacant council seat – a municipal byelection or appointing a new member until the next municipal election in October 2026.
Council approved a plan to hold a byelection to fill the vacant seat, where candidates will be allowed to begin registering to run on Thursday, with the final day to enter or withdraw from the race on May 2.
The other nominated candidates are Colette Lacroix-Velthuis, Dan O’Brien, and Isabelle Skalski.
Thompson says the byelection “is an opportunity for residents to have a say and elect their representative.”
One advance voting day would be held on June 6, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., with the election held on June 16. Polling stations will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day to vote for the new councillor.
Residents would have three options to cast their ballot during the byelection: Voting in person during the one advance voting day and on election day, voting by a special mail-in ballot or by proxy. For voting in-person, the city will use the “anywhere voting” model, allowing electors to cast their ballot at any voting location in the ward on the advance voting day and on byelection day.
The ward of Osgoode has approximately 26,650 eligible electors. Voter turnout in the 2022 election was 46 per cent.
Thompson was also the former mayor of Osgoode Township prior to the amalgamation with the city of Ottawa. He served as the municipal councillor in the township for 14 years before becoming mayor. In 2009, he served as acting mayor of Ottawa for one month, as mayor Larry O’Brien had to take a leave of absence to sort out a criminal investigation.
Thompson holds a degree in History and Political Sciences from Carleton University.
He worked as a teacher for 35 years before entering the field of politics. He has coached minor hockey and baseball.
Since 1967, Thompson has been living in the community of Greely.
With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Josh Pringle
