Two-term councillor calls City Hall news conference
Former bus driver Sohi may announce run for the top job
Edmonton’s mayoral race might be about to heat up Tuesday as Coun. Amarjeet Sohi prepares to reveal his plans for October’s civic election.
The two-term Ward 12 councillor has been considering whether to run for mayor or stick with his council seat for several months, promising last week to make up his mind by late May or early June.
“It’s a big decision. You have to have a proper team in place, you have to assess the situation about what you’re going to put forward, the ideas you’re going to explore,” he said at the time.
Sohi, 49, raised $115,000 in the 2010 election, far more than any other councillor.
When asked last week whether he had started fundraising for a potential mayoral challenge, he smiled and said “Maybe.”
“These campaigns require tons of money, you need tons of volunteers … I have very strong support because of my reach out to communities, attending meetings on their behalf.”
The former Mill Woods bus driver, who will hold a news conference in front of City Hall at 11 a.m., has pushed strongly for improved public transit service and expanding the LRT system.
He has also worked to develop an action plan to fight racism and discrimination, and served on the Mayor’s Task Force on Community Safety to develop a long-term strategy for crime prevention.
The mayor’s race began later than usual this year as potential candidates waited for word on the political future of Mayor Stephen Mandel, who announced his retirement last week.
Sohi has said this late start wasn’t affecting his decision because there are still about five months until the Oct. 21 vote.
“I don’t think people start paying attention to the election until they come back from their summer break.”
If he decides to seek the mayor’s chair, Sohi will be taking on Coun. Kerry Diotte, who announced he wants the city’s top job 10 days ago.
Two of their colleagues, Coun. Don Iveson and Coun. Karen Leibovici, are also widely expected to enter the race.
Leibovici promised to outline her plans once she completes her term this weekend as president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, while Iveson won’t say when he’ll make an announcement.
Only two non-councillors have become mayor since 1921 — former provincial politician Elmer Roper in 1959 and Bill Smith in 1995 — and at this point observers consider it unlikely that feat will be repeated.