By Scott Neufeld - North Shore Outlook Published: October 17, 2008
There won't be a mayor's race after all in the District of North Vancouver. Two challengers filed their nomination papers just before last Friday's deadline, but in the week since, both have dropped out. Wendy Qureshi, a council candidate in 2005, filed her papers just 20 minutes before the deadline. But when she found there was another serious contender for mayor in Paolo Pucci she decided to step aside. "I should have stayed in until the last minute," said Qureshi who lamented the fact Richard Walton will be named mayor by acclamation. "I found out yesterday that (Pucci) has pulled out as well." Qureshi said she didn't expect to win, but felt it was necessary that Walton face a challenger. She dropped out after talking to Pucci because she didn't want to pay the costs of running a campaign. "I talked to him for 15 minutes last Saturday," she said. "He seemed genuinely serious (about running)."
With both North Van mayors now spared an election campaign, Qureshi said it is a tragedy for the civic election. She said it's likely fewer people will cast a ballot. "We now have two mayors on the North Shore who will win be acclimation," she said referring to CNV Mayor Darrell Mussatto who is also running unopposed. "Doesn't that say something in light of the results of the federal election ... voter apathy, candidate apathy." Paolo Pucci did not respond to The Outlook's request for an interview. Two council candidates have also decided to watch the election from the sidelines. Former councillor Jim Cuthbert pulled out earlier this week and John Sharpe, who ran in 2005, withdrew on Friday. The deadline to withdraw was Friday.
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