**Leanne Caron leads the open mayoral race in Guelph’s October 26 municipal election following incumbent Cam Guthrie’s decision not to seek a fourth term.** As a longtime Ward 5 councillor with extensive municipal experience, Caron benefits from higher name recognition and established community ties compared with the field. Fellow Ward 6 councillor Ken Yee Chew, who entered citing a leadership vacuum, trails as the other main contender with comparable council background. The remaining candidates—John Edward Krusky, Ryan Meunier, Evaristo Ramos Jr., and Rajee Sinha—are political newcomers or lower-profile entrants whose support appears limited in early positioning. With nominations closed in August and advance voting set for mid-October, trader consensus reflects the two councillors’ structural advantages while the absence of public polling keeps the contest fluid until clearer signals emerge from the campaign.