Campaigning for the sixth council seat has already begun now that 11 candidates have officially opted to give it another shot.
In the running for the empty seat are: Rick André, Shane Bennett, Ralph Forsyth, Dave Kirk, Ted Milner, Tyler Mosher, Shelley Phelan, Christopher Quinlan, Mitch Rhodes, Amar Varma and Marianne Wade.
Bob Calladine and Stephanie Sloan have pulled out of the race.
The runoff election will take place on Saturday Jan. 11 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Myrtle Philip School with advanced polls on Jan. 2 and 4 in Whistler and on Jan. 2 in West Vancouver.
Until that time the sixth seat on council will remain empty.
The runoff election was necessitated by a tie. Dave Kirk and Marianne Wade each received 1,057 votes, the sixth highest total, in the Nov. 16 municipal election.
Meanwhile Ralph Forsyth has kicked off his second campaign with a pledge to ski with voters in the next month, just as he ran with voters during the last campaign.
He says this is an innovative way of actually hearing what people have to say about some of the issues facing council.
"If what people are looking for is a meaningful consultation process, then what better way than to go for a ski with a future councillor," he said.
Forsyth plans to meet with voters at 9 a.m. on Dec. 18 and Jan. 8 at the light board on Whistler Mountain.
Meanwhile, Tyler Mosher announced this week he has donated his $300 advertising budget to the Whistler food bank, rather than spending it on campaign advertising. "We as employers and community members must remember to foster the health and safety of those less fortunate," Mosher said.
