[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Reserved seating: commitment-phobes only?"][/caption] Ottawa is a change-averse city. Or is it our elected leaders who are holding back change? Our current city council has been dragging their heals on fundamental debates and decisions about transit, infrastructure, and urban development for over a decade. This on-again, off-again relationship with decision making has turned city council into the cliched commitment-phobic boyfriend. Just as you’re sure council is about to propose a great solution, one of them steps in to break up the near-deal and send debate careening off into committee hell for another six months. When asked if we want change, citizens in Ottawa respond with a resounding “yes!” Until, that is, it’s time to actually vote. Then we return our incumbents to their squabbling and bickering.

Editor's note: Voting day is still eight months away, but with candidates such as Jim Watson and Alex Cullen already in the running for the mayor's chair and several long-time councilors announcing plans to leave office at the end of this term, interest in October's civic election has already started to build. Spacing Ottawa is launching our commentary on the 2010 municipal election with this post from veteran blogger -- and former candidate for Kitchissippi Ward -- Vicky Smallman. Vicky will share our CityVote column with commentator and media consultant Ian Capstick. What is it about a municipal election that makes the campaign seem so long? Well, it's not just a feeling; municipal elections are a drawn-out process. Candidates can register starting in early January, but nominations don't close until September 10. From a candidate's point of view, the jockeying for attention starts from the moment of their announcement, but most of the action (debates, canvassing, and media attention) occurs between the close of nominations and election day, which is October 25. But that doesn't mean there's nothing to write about right now. Take the mayoral campaign. Nine candidates have registered so far, including veteran councilor Alex Cullen and former mayor Jim Watson, who resigned his position as Municipal Affairs minister and Member of Provincial Parliament to seek the mayoralty. Incumbent Larry O'Brien says he'll make up his mind in June. Homelessness advocate and 2006 candidate Jane Scharf is also running. As for the others, there is not a lot of information about them at this point in the campaign.