Toronto has 102 candidates running for mayor as nominations close

Toronto voters will not be short on options when they head to the polls to pick a new mayor on June 26.

Nominations for the special byelection to pick a new mayor officially closed at 2 p.m. today and according to the city’s website, there are 102 registered candidates.

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Among those 102 candidates are multiple current and former city councillors, as well as former MPs and MPP’s, civic activists, school trustees and at least one teen.

Today is also the deadline to withdraw, but few registered candidates have done so, with a notable exception being urbanist Gil Penalosa, who bowed out several weeks ago to support Olivia Chow.

With six weeks to go, polling has consistently shown former MP Olivia Chow in the lead.

That includes the latest poll released Friday by Mainstreet Research.

The poll, which surveyed 1,205 Toronto voters May 10-11, found 31 per cent of decided voters plan to cast a ballot for Chow. That was followed by 15 per cent for Ana Bailão, 12 per cent for Mark Saunders, 10 per cent for Josh Matlow, nine per cent for Mitzie Hunter, seven per cent for Anthony Furey, six per cent for Brad Bradford, and five per cent for Chloe Brown.

“It looks like it's becoming a two, three horse race,” Mainstreet Research President Quito Maggi told CP24 in an interview Friday morning.

He said that with weeks left in the election, it could be difficult for those trailing to make up ground.

“If you're in fourth or fifth place, and it's Sunday, you have to hope that three or four people ahead of you all go cold,” he said, using a golf analogy.

Top (left to right): Ana Bailao, Olivia Chow, and Josh Matlow. Bottom (left to right): Mark Saunders, Mitzie Hunter and Brad Bradford.

The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

However there have been few debates so far and some political observers have suggested that seeing the candidates sound off against one another could be an opportunity for others to gain some momentum.

Some observers have also suggested that the gloves have yet to truly come off, with some candidates banking stronger lines of attack for the final days of the campaign.

Affordability, housing and transit safety have been some of the dominant themes of the race so far.

A debate which is expected to feature most of the leading candidates is slated for Monday night.