Greater Sudbury candidates get creative to stand out from crowd

With 54 candidates running for mayor or council in Greater Sudbury, some are finding creative ways to get their faces and messages known in the community.

In New Sudbury, a horse-drawn wagon, covered in campaign signs was an unusual sight this week for residents of the suburban neighbourhood.

Council candidate for Ward 8, Stefano Presenza, was responsible. He rented the animals and wagon from a local farm and rolled through the streets with a megaphone in hand.

"It got a lot of attention," Presenza said. In the 2014 election, he finished second in the ward behind incumbent councillor Al Sizer.

"People were waving, and some people who maybe might not pay as much attention to the election, it definitely raised awareness around the election."

Presenza said the move paid off, giving him a chance to interact with people in the neighbourhood who hadn't met him yet — and it some cases, hadn't even heard of him.

"When we're trying to look for original ideas for the future, it actually pays off to look at the past, and this was the same concept. It was cool to have people come and connect, and that's what I really liked about it," he explained.

Kyle McCall is also a candidate in Ward 8. He spent an important part of his budget producing a sharply designed video, complete with music and aerial drone shots.

He says it's travelled well online and on social media.

"I think it's a great way for people to get a sense of who you are, and what you're all about, what you look and sound like, and if it's someone you think you can trust with the future of the city," McCall said.

But like many of his fellow candidates, McCall says he still makes it a point to go door-to-door every night. He said it remains the most effective way to meet potential constituents and get his messages out.

"You want to be in the conversation," he said. "You want to make sure you have some name recognition, so when I do knock on that door, they go, 'Oh yeah, I've heard of you,' or, 'I watched your video."

In Ward 6, candidate Chris Bentley's pledge to quit his full-time job as an auto parts clerk if elected, has grabbed some attention on social media.

"It shows a commitment to people in the ward that I'm willing to do that," Bentley said.

He adds he's heard plenty of positive reviews — but also some negative — from residents and fellow candidates about his declaration.

"Some of the negative feedback that I've got is: I've been called naive, and crazy. [But] all is fair in love and war, right?"