Forget about Toronto's mayoral circus and give council candidates some attention

You wouldn’t know it from the way Toronto tends to obsess over the twists and turns of the mayoral race, but we won’t just be voting for the one position at city hall on Oct. 27. There are 44 other important city hall jobs up for grabs in the form of council seats.

And because the mayor gets only the one lonesome vote at city council, it’s really these other elections that will determine the shape of our city going forward.

But, hey, I’ve got some good news. As we’ve been distracted by the ever-surprising mayoral show on the main stage, a bunch of very promising Torontonians have signed nomination forms for council seats.

I’m talking about contenders such as Andray Domise, who suddenly finds himself in the most high-profile council race, running against Rob Ford in Etobicoke North’s Ward 2. He’s got a huge mountain to climb, but Domise seems like the perfect guy to do it. He’s ridiculously smart, daringly blunt and has ties to the community he wants to represent, ties that feel sincere instead of exploitative.

But Domise isn’t the only worthwhile new name you might see on your ballot next month.

Jane Farrow, running in Ward 30 in Toronto-Danforth, is the founding executive director of Jane’s Walk. That experience counts for a whole lot, demonstrating some real urbanist credibility and a willingness to take on big projects.

Meanwhile, up in Davenport’s Ward 18, candidate Alex Mazer is a budget nerd after my own heart. The guy’s got PowerPoint presentations. He’s even got pie charts. And he wants a more honest conversation about city revenues and spending ­— something we could use after four years of bad math.

But wait, there’s more. Idil Burale is waging an important campaign in Ward 1, fighting the good fight for the shovel-ready Finch LRT project. And Dan Fox in Willowdale’s Ward 24 is offering voters a fresh choice in an area that desperately needs some new blood.

Then there’s Mary Hynes in Ward 34, most famous for her blunt and satirical slams at city hall during budget debates. She’s a force to be reckoned with, even going up against a tough incumbent. And over in Ward 17, Alejandra Bravo is taking another crack at a council seat. It’s an area would sure benefit from a new approach.

Together these candidates — and others I just don’t have room to mention — could represent a bright future for Toronto. The first step, though, is for voters to take their eyes off the Ford saga and the mayoral race for a second and get to know who’s running.

It’ll be worth your time, I promise. The mayor may set the direction, but it’s your city councillor who’ll get things done. Choose wisely.