Melancthon Township might be the only municipality in history to have had both an acting mayor and an acting deputy mayor at the same time, and one temporarily vacant seat on the council.

And now it has a fourway race for the mayor's chair. After the May 28 election, the present acting mayor will resume his duties as deputy, and the present acting deputy will return to his elected council seat.

How did all of this happen?

Following the death of former mayor Ron Dillman, Deputy Mayor D. C. Broderick was appointed as acting mayor. Then, as Melancthon has two seats and two votes at Dufferin County Council, Councillor John Crowe was appointed to act as deputy.

Mr. Crowe, along with Mr. Broderick, represented the township at the April meeting of county council, and will do so for the May meeting.

In the November 2006 municipal election, former deputy mayor Debbie Fawcett faced only Mr. Dillman as mayoral candidate. She lost by a scant seven votes.

For the May 28 byelection, she was first off the mark, and wasn't challenged until the dying days of the nomination period, when newcomer Rick Riddall joined the fray.

Then, at the 11th hour last Friday, two more contenders raised their colours.

One of those, Richard Anderson, has been active in the political scene for a number of years. The other, Floyd Collins, might not be as well known.

As a result, on May 28, the four names on the Melancthon ballot will be: Richard Anderson, Floyd Collins, Debbie Fawcett, and Rick Riddall.