The 2010 Hamilton municipal election was held on October 25, 2010, to select one mayor, fifteen members of the Hamilton, Ontario City Council and members of both English and French public and Catholic school boards. Nominations opened January 4, 2010, and ran until September 10, 2010. Hamiltonians elected their third mayor in as many elections, choosing former Ward 2 Councillor Bob Bratina over Larry Di Ianni (Mayor 2003–2006) and incumbent mayor Fred Eisenberger, who had served in the role since 2006. The council election to succeed Bratina in Ward 2 drew 20 candidates, while Ward 14 Councillor Robert Patsuta was acclaimed. Only one incumbent councillor was defeated: Brenda Johnstone defeated long-time councillor Dave Mitchell in Ward 11. Many Catholic School Board trustees were defeated by first-time candidates.

New measures

Council backed a measure to elect the boards of Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs), a move that was in response to the LHIN affair, though this did not occur in time for the 2010 Election. There was speculation that this election was to include a new 16th Council seat, that would encompass southern portions of Wards 6,7 and 8 and the northern portion of Ward 11. The new ward would have included the area to be developed as part of the controversial "Aerotropolis" industrial development plan, though that plan was abandoned in favour of a study of all ward boundaries following the election. Bill 212, passed by the Ontario Legislature moved municipal elections from the first Monday in November to the fourth Monday in October, shortening the campaign period by two weeks and moving close of nominations to September 10, 2010.

Mayoral election

Eisenberger's upset victory in 2006, his perceived 'weak governing' style in dealing with council and the Pan Am Games Stadium Debate sparked vigorous debate over challengers and led to the largest number of candidates filing to run for the office of mayor in the city's post-amalgamation history.

Candidates

Campaign

Michael Baldasaro was the first candidate to file in early January and was later joined by self-proclaimed marijuana advocate Andrew Haines. Mahesh P. Butani filed his nomination in mid-April and Mayor Fred Eisenberger, having already confirmed he would be seeking a second term in mid-2008, filed on May 31. Following months of speculation, former Mayor Larry Di Ianni announced he would be standing in the mayoral election in an interview with the Hamilton Spectator on July 26. Perennial joke candidate Marty Zulinak filed soon after, claiming that he would finance his campaign with money from returning used beer bottles. He would later drop out and run for Ward 13 (Dundas) City Councillor. The Pan Am Games Stadium controversy developed in August. Mayor Eisenberger took the side of the proposed West Harbour location on Hamilton's Waterfront. The ensuing local debate became so passionately heated, Eisenberger began receiving death threats and council, after affirming their support for the West Harbour, reversed their decision and initiated a reevaluation of potential sites. Though the mayor was commended by Toronto's Mayor David Miller and lauded as the week's boldest leader in The Globe and Mail, his handling of the situation caused former New Democratic MP and MPP Ian Deans and Ward 2 (Downtown) Councillor Bob Bratina to announce they would be contesting the election. Though Deans withdrew from the mayoral race on Thursday, September 9 to run for Ward 2 Councillor, Eisenberger faced fourteen opposing candidates after the close of nominations on September 10, 2010. On Thursday, October 7, following a debate at Sir John A. Macdonald High School, Edward Graydon unofficially dropped out of the race after fellow contender Andrew Haines told him to "smoke a joint". Graydon was outraged at the comments, and decided to withdraw from the race to support Larry Di Ianni, who came to his defence following Haines' comments. Di Ianni then asserted marijuana advocates should not be attending debates at high schools and school board officials announced they would be reiterating the school's official anti-drug policies the following day. Graydon continued to attend the mayoralty debates, and his name remained on the ballot, as the official withdrawal date had passed by the time he 'withdrew'.

Results

!rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates.

City Council election

Ward One (Chedoke-Cootes)

The campaign for councillor in Ward One focused heavily on the Pan Am Stadium. The West Hamilton Ward was a potential host site for the venue, a fact that incumbent Councillor Brian McHattie passionately opposed. During the election, McHattie ran on a campaign of continuing a push for Light Rail Transit, expanded HSR bus service and improved environmental and anti-poverty projects. Challenger Raymond Paquette campaigned on a similar platform, with the exception of supporting an increased number of liquor licenses granted to restaurants in Westdale Village, an area popular with McMaster University students. All three candidates vocally opposed the Pam Am Stadium being placed in Ward One. Each candidate was concerned about the strain such a venue would have on the community surrounding the proposed site, a working CP Rail Yard. !rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates.

Ward Two (Downtown)

!rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates.

Ward Three (East Hamilton)

!rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates. 2006 City of Hamilton Municipal Election Site, 2010 City of Hamilton Municipal Election Site

Ward Four (East Hamilton)

!rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates.

Ward Five (Redhill)

!rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates.

Ward Six (East Mountain)

!rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates.

Ward Seven (Central Mountain)

!rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% |- Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates.

Ward Eight (West Mountain)

Ward Eight's council race was marked by the unofficial withdrawal of two candidates, namely Jeff Bonner for personal reasons and Bruce Whitelaw in support of incumbent Councillor Terry Whitehead's campaign. Whitehead's last campaigning opponent, Kim Jenkinson, wrote a post-election reflection for The Hamilton Spectator, where she outlined her reasons for running and the process by which she campaigned. In the article, she noted, "I've had my say, I've played fair, and I have met some interesting people, and had my family and friends at my back the whole way." !rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates.

Ward Nine (Heritage Stoney Creek)

!rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates.

Ward Ten (Stoney Creek)

!rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates.

Ward Eleven (Glanbrook-Winona)

!rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates.

Ward Twelve (Ancaster)

!rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates.

Ward Thirteen (Dundas)

Russ Powers, the incumbent councillor and former Liberal MP for Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, sought another term on council. Aside from a two-year period, Powers had served in local elected office since 1982. Powers' message during the campaign and to local media was simple, though light on policy specifics. When asked about his platform, Powers indicated he was running "To continue to represent the citizens of the community of Dundas to the best of my ability." Danya Scime, a vocal opponent of the West Harbour Pan Am Games Stadium site, filed to run against Powers on September 8. Scime's campaign focused on growing Dundas' commercial tax base through redeveloping brownfields, protecting greenspace, and improving the city's regulatory process to make by-laws and permits more simple. Ron Tammer was a member of the community active with Dundas Minor Hockey Association and Dundas Minor Baseball Association, as well as working with advocacy groups like the Hamilton Youth Justice Committee and Friends of the Red Hill Valley. Tammer's campaign focused on addressing issues of poverty and more responsible development to protect ecologically-sensitive areas. Glenn Robinson, a life-long Dundas resident, campaigned on broadening the scope of community consultation. Perennial candidate Marty Zulniak dropped out of the mayoral contest to run against Powers in Ward 13. Zulniak, a Dundas native and local "colourful character", campaigned on a localist platform of supporting the community, telling The Spectator "infrastructure in this community isn't what it was in the good ole days," and pushing to clean up Spencer Creek. !rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates.

Ward Fourteen (Jerseyville-Rockton)

!rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% !colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | Acclaimed Councillor and Public School Board Trustee were acclaimed. Note: All Hamilton Municipal Elections are officially non-partisan. Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates.

Ward Fifteen (Flamborough)

!rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates.

Public School Board election

!rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% !colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | Acclaimed !colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |n/a !colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |n/a Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates. !rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates. !rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates. !rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates. !rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates. !rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates. !rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates. !rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates. !rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates. !rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates. !rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% !colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | Acclaimed !colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |n/a !colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |n/a Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates.

Catholic School Board election

!rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates. !rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates. !rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates. !rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: All Hamilton Municipal Elections are officially non-partisan. Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates. !rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% !colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | Acclaimed !colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |n/a !colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |n/a Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates. !rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: All Hamilton Municipal Elections are officially non-partisan. Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates. !rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: All Hamilton Municipal Elections are officially non-partisan. Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates. !rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates.

French Public School Board election

!rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% !colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | Acclaimed !colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |n/a !colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |n/a Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates.

French Catholic School Board election

!rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="3" |Popular vote ! Votes ! % ! ±% !colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | Acclaimed !colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |n/a !colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" |n/a Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.) and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates.

Endorsements

!rowspan="2" colspan="1"|Publication !rowspan="2" colspan="2" |Candidate !colspan="2" |Elected ! Yes ! No !rowspan="2" colspan="3"|Candidate !rowspan="2" colspan="1"|Seat Contested !rowspan="2" colspan="1"|Endorsement !colspan="2"|Elected ! Yes ! No !rowspan="2" colspan="3"|Candidate !rowspan="2" colspan="1"|Seat Contested !colspan="2"|Elected ! Yes ! No

Incumbents not seeking election

The only incumbent councillor to not seek re-election was Ward 15 representative Margaret McCarthy, who decided not to stand for re-election after serving on regional and Hamilton councils since 1994. She has cited family commitment as her reasoning for leaving politics after 16 years. Wards 11 and 12 Public School Board Trustee Shirley Glauser announced she would not be seeking re-election following the completion of her first term in office. Glauser was the only public trustee to not seek another mandate in 2010.

Withdrawn candidates

Despite placing second in the 2006 Election and filing early in 2010 to run against Councillor Russ Powers in Ward 13, Julia Kollek withdrew her candidacy on June 3, 2010, stating that she wanted to help her community in ways other than as an elected representative. During an interview with the Dundas Star, she commented that "You can't take the activist out of me!" Ward Three candidate and member of the Mohawk College faculty, Frank Bedek pulled out of the 5 person race on July 20, 2010. Public School Board Trustee candidate for Ward 4, Ryan Sparrow, withdrew from that race in June. Sparrow had been a School Board candidate in Ward 3 during the 2006 Election, taking 17% of the vote, and was a candidate in the 2008 Federal Election for Hamilton Centre.

Timeline