Andrea Horwath has officially entered the race for Hamilton mayor in the upcoming municipal election on Oct. 26. Despite previously announcing her reelection bid, she had not completed the necessary paperwork to be listed as an official candidate. However, on Friday afternoon, her candidacy was officially confirmed on the city’s website.
In a news release, Horwath reflected on the challenges the city has faced over the past four years, including a housing crisis, increased living costs, and infrastructure underinvestment. While acknowledging that not every issue has been resolved, she emphasized the progress made in addressing these issues.
Horwath mentioned that more details about her campaign will be shared in the future. During a news conference on Friday, she highlighted her accomplishments in advancing major projects such as the Hamilton LRT, Jamesville affordable housing redevelopment, and TD Coliseum.
Regarding cybersecurity, Horwath expressed a desire to enhance the city’s cyber capabilities if re-elected. She referenced the 2024 cyberattack on city systems as a significant challenge that required substantial resources, leading to improvements in digital tools. However, she stressed the need for further enhancements to ensure public services are easily accessible online.
In the previous mayoral race, Horwath narrowly secured victory over Keanin Loomis by approximately 1,600 votes. She will once again compete against Loomis and several other challengers in the upcoming elections. Notably, only one mayor, Fred Eisenberger, has been reelected in consecutive terms since the city’s amalgamation in 2000.
A list of mayoral candidates in Hamilton includes Sasha Austin, Ejaz Butt, Rob Cooper, Paul Fromm, Scarlett Gillespie, Andrea Horwath, Keanin Loomis, Pamela Mitchell, Kevin Walker, and Nathalie Xian Yi Yan. Each candidate brings a unique background and platform to the election, offering diverse perspectives on issues impacting Hamilton residents.