by Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Sep 03/97) - No candidates for city council had filed their nomination papers by press time, but the mayoralty race, at least, promises to be a heated battle.

So far, two people, both members of council, have said they are seeking the top seat in the city.

Ald. Vi Beck announced at the last meeting of council that she would be running for mayor. Lovell has said he would be seeking re-election.

"I don't know who else is running," said Lovell. "So, I can't project how it's going to go. There could always be a candidate that just goes in to throw mud ... but so far it looks like a clean campaign coming up, fought on the issues.

"If it was just between myself and Vi, I think it would be really clean," added the mayor. "Two weeks later we would be able to have a coffee together regardless of what happens."

Lovell said he won't be filing nomination papers until next week, to avoid getting into the campaign while the board of the Canadian Federation of Municipalities is meeting in town.

When it does start, said Lovell, campaigns will likely be won and lost on voters' personal knowledge of the candidates.

"You tend to run on reputation as opposed to ideology," he said.

In the 1994 election, in which Lovell topped his nearest rival in a five-candidate race by more than 200 votes, community roots proved candidates' most valuable asset.

Lovell and seven of the eight aldermen elected were all long-time, if not life-long residents of the city.

Though Beck and Lovell are the only two to declare their intentions for this year's campaign, there seems little chance that it will be just a two-way race.

Since departing city council over an outstanding debt with the city, former alderman John Dalton has made little secret of his interest in taking over Lovell's seat.

Yellowknife Property Owner's Association member and long-time city hall critic Robin Beaumont has also hinted he may run for mayor. Beaumont finished second in the last two mayoralty races.

Others said to be considering taking the leap are Gabrielle Decorby and businessman and former mayoralty candidate Alex Debogorski. The deadline for nominations is 3 pm, September 15.