Sylvia Bishop is first out of the gate.
The next municipal election may be seven months away, but the two-term Delta city councillor made her candidacy for the mayor’s seat official tonight (Friday) at a campaign fundraising announcement in North Delta.
In an interview with the Optimist at the New Era Banquet Hall, Bishop said she’s thankful for Mayor Lois Jackson’s years of service and looks forward to the opportunity to serve in the same capacity.
“I’ve been fortunate to have the support of Delta voters to serve two terms on council. My commitment to my community, and I’ve lived here since 1966, is I’m ready to serve as mayor if people are confident in my ability to do so,” she said.
“It’s me saying thank you…I’ve grown up here in Delta, worked in Delta, raised my family in Delta and this is me saying thank you.”
Bishop is the first for what’s expected to be several so-called “name” candidates who will be vying for the mayor’s job that will be vacated by Jackson, who has been Delta’s mayor since 1999 but won’t seek re-election for the job this year.
Bishop also announced her slate of candidates that will be running under her Team Delta banner.
Formerly of Jackson’s Independent Voters’ Association, Robert Campbell will be seeking re-election.
Seeking election for the first time are Joan Hansen, Kim Kendall and Simran Walia.
Noting she intends to continue following the policy of no new debt, Bishop said some of the big issues are affordable housing and traffic and congestion.
She added Delta is at “a tipping point” and has a prime opportunity to do even more.
Bishop has been a councillor since 2011, when she garnered the second highest popular vote in that election. She also ran in the 2010 by-election for a vacant seat won by Ian Paton.
She first entered politics back in 1986 as a candidate for the NDP in Delta's dual provincial riding. Bishop and then-alderman Karl Moser took on the successful Social Credit team of Walter Davidson and John Savage.
She then ran in the 1987 municipal election under the Cit-A-Del banner but was edged out for the sixth and final council seat. The following year she carried the NDP banner in the federal election won by Conservative candidate Stan Wilbee.
While on Delta council she also ran in Delta North in the 2013 provincial election for the NDP, ultimately losing to Scott Hamilton and the B.C. Liberals.
In the 2014 municipal election she topped the polls.
That 2014 election saw just one change on council with Heather King returning.
The last big turnover occurred in 1999 when Jackson was first elected mayor. Since then, change has been on a gradual basis.
However, big changes are coming this year, highlighted by the race to replace Jackson.
In addition to a vacant mayor's chair, Paton's seat will be empty, as he'll focus solely on being MLA for Delta South, while Bishop vacates her seat to run for mayor. Additional council seats are also expected to be up for grabs as more incumbents decide to run for the mayor’s job or not seek re-election.
The municipal election is set for Saturday, Oct. 20.
