Three person race in South Bruce Peninsula includes former mayor

There are three candidates in the running for South Bruce Peninsula mayor. As of July 6, Bill Klingenberg and John David Close are running to unseat Jay Kirkland in the race for mayor. Klingenberg ran for South Bruce Peninsula councillor in the 2022 election and finished in fourth with 1,652 votes (11.4 per cent). According [...]

Article content There are three candidates in the running for South Bruce Peninsula mayor. As of July 6, Bill Klingenberg and John David Close are running to unseat Jay Kirkland in the race for mayor. Recommended Videos Klingenberg ran for South Bruce Peninsula councillor in the 2022 election and finished in fourth with 1,652 votes (11.4 per cent).

According to his website, he’s the owner of Klingsberg Design and serves on the boards of the Bruce Peninsula Hospice and the Wiarton and District Chamber of Commerce. John Close served as South Bruce Peninsula’s mayor from 2010 to 2014. He lost his bid for re-election in 2014 to Janice Jackson, and is throwing his hat back into the race this year.

Kirkland has spent over two decades at South Bruce Peninsula’s council table, including three terms as the deputy mayor. He ascended to the mayor’s chair after the winner of the 2022 mayoral race, Garry Michi, resigned in 2023. Kirkland was appointed by the council in October 2023 to assume the office of mayor.

Coun. Caleb Hull is running for deputy mayor, a position he was appointed to in November 2023 after Kirkland became mayor. Incumbents Kathy Durst and Paul Deacon are running for seats on the council, along with Kevin Holgate and Betty Hall.

The nomination period for the 2026 municipal and school board elections opened on May 1 and runs until Aug. 21 at 2 p.m. The elections will be held on Oct. 26.