Politics: And they're off

Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet

Mayoralty candidate, Kelly Row gets set to file his nomination papers for the Nov. 15 municipal election.

Call it what you will – a political sprint, a horse race or a necessary evil in the democratic process.

The municipal election campaign officially kicked off at 9 a.m. Tuesday morning with the opening of the nomination process.

Candidates who wish to run for a position on City Council, the Board of Education or Regional District have until Friday, Oct. 10 at 4 p.m. to file nomination papers.

Mayoralty candidate Kelly Row was first to file his papers in Kelowna Tuesday morning.

"I'm excited to get going and rolling. I've been kind of chomping at the bit since July," Row stated on the steps of City Hall prior to filing his papers.

"It surprised me a bit how long the process took just to get the names in. I was expecting all the candidates to be settled by now and we would all kind of know who was out there."

Row has made no secret of his religious beliefs, stating in his platform, "I believe our city needs to surrender to the hand of God."

As for the idea of separation of church and state...

"I believe that was man's idea that we wanted to separate that. I don't believe God ever wanted to be separate from his people. I believe he wants to be the center of all things."

Row has been campaigning since he announced his candidacy earlier this summer.

He says his beliefs have been both a positive and a negative.

"I've had a few comments from people who said they like what I'm about but they don't believe that the church and the state should mix, but from where I'm coming from, I believe I need to put that out there," says Row.

His platform can be viewed here.

Election day is Nov 15.