The race to become Owen Sound’s next mayor got more crowded this week as Mike Seiler officially joined the ballot, becoming the sixth candidate in the 2026 municipal election.
The City of Owen Sound announced Seiler’s registration on Monday, August 10, 2026. He is a local entrepreneur and owner/Broker of Record of Century 21 In-Studio Realty, and founder of the Map.ca community-mapping initiative.
Seiler joins five other candidates who had already filed: Ray Botten, Jodi King, Carol Merton, Richard Thomas, and Andrii Zvorygin. The open seat comes as current Mayor Ian Boddy retires after 16 years on council, 12 of them as mayor.
Residents have until August 21, 2026 at 2 p.m. to register as candidates, and the election itself takes place on October 26, 2026. Voters who need to update their information online at RegisterToVoteON.ca have until August 12, 2026 to do so.
Meanwhile, the rest of the council races are shaping up. Scott Greig is the only candidate for Deputy Mayor, and seven people have registered for seven council seats, meaning both could be acclaimed if no one else files before the deadline.
With Boddy stepping down, the six-way mayoral contest marks the first open race for the city’s top job in over a decade.
