As the 2018 municipal election enters the home stretch, it's time to decide who you plan to vote for.

In Innes Ward 2, where there are four highly qualified candidates on the ballot, the choice is more difficult than at first blush, but at least you only have four candidates you have to research.

In Orléans Ward 1, where there are no fewer than 15 candidates on the ballot, trying to decide who to place your check mark beside is exponentially more difficult.

In the Innes Ward race two of the candidates � Laura Dudas and Fran�ois Tr�panier � have run in the past, finishing second and third respectively to Jody Mitic in the 2014 election.

Three of the four candidates either work at City Hall, or have worked for a city councillor in the past. Dudas works in the communications department; Tammy Lynch worked as an assistant to Mitic; and Donna Leith-Gudbranson worked as an assistant to former Innes Ward councillor Rainer Bloess. And while Tr�panier never worked at City Hall, he is well versed in how muni- cipal politics works.

The same cannot be said for most of the candidates in Orléans Ward. None of the candidates in the Ward race have any real experience in municipal government except for maybe Catherine Kitts who covered City Hall as a former editor of the Orléans Star.

Of the 14 remaining candidates, two of them describe themselves as entrepreneurs � Qamar Masood and Jerrod Goldsmith: three are self-employed � Diego Elizondo, Guy Deroches and Geoffrey Griplas; two are civil servants � Miranda Gray and Shannon Kramer; three are professional consultants � Dina Epale, Matthew Luloff and Kevin Tetrault; one is a supervisor at Tim Hortons (Toby Bossert); one is a retired Canada Post director (Don Yetman); one is a social activist (Mireille Brownhill); and one is a former IT specialist who is also the owner of the Cumberland Bandits hockey team (Rick B�dard)

It's a long list to choose from. Thankfully most of them have either a website, or a Facebook page, to help make the decision a little easier. You can also try e-mailing the candidates to ascertain their position on a given issue. Whether they e-mail you back is another issue.

The same is true for the two candidates running for the city council seat in Cumberland Ward 19 � incumbent Stephen Blais and challenger Cameron Rose Jette,

Voters who have already made up their mind can cast their ballot in the Advance Poll on Oct. 12. The location of the Advance Poll varies depending on where you live in the ward. It should be indicated on the voter registration card you received in the mail.

Besides the local councillor, voters must also choose a mayoralty candidate and a school board trustee.

The candidates for mayor include the incumbent Jim Watson, former Centretown councillor Clive Doucet, Vanier businessman Bruce McConville and a host of others. There are 12 candidates in all, running for the top job in the city.

Who you elect for your school trustee depends on which board you support. Supporters of the Ottawa District School Board leaving in Orléans Ward 1 and Cumberland Ward 19 must choose between the incumbent Keith Penny and challenger John Hewitt, while voters in Innes Ward 2 must choose between incumbent Sandra Schwartz and her challenger Rowlson King.

Area Ottawa Catholic School Board supporters are off the hook thanks to the fact that the incumbent Brian Coburn has no challengers for his position and will be acclaimed. Election Day polls will open at 10 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

(This story was made possible thanks to the generous support of our local business partners.)