Mike Harris – Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
Harris, 37, is the incumbent, having won the Kitchener-Conestoga seat in 2018. The Kitchener resident is the Parliamentary assistant to the minister of legislative affairs, a member of the Standing Committee on the Legislative Assembly, the Standing Committee on General Government and the Standing Committee on Social Policy.
Nasir Abdulle – Green Party of Ontario
A 29-year-old Kitchener resident, Abdulle is running for public office for the first time. He’s a supply chain analyst and a Conestoga College School of Business graduate.
Jim Karahalios – New Blue Party of Ontario
A Cambridge resident, Karahalios, 43, is the leader of the New Blue Party, which he co-founded with his wife, Belinda, the MPP for Cambridge who was ejected from the Progressive Conservative caucus in 2020. He’s a corporate lawyer in Cambridge.
Karen Meissner – Ontario NDP
Meissner is a 41-year-old Elmira resident who currently serves as the area trustee with the Waterloo Region District School Board. The Waterloo native is a former small business owner and professional photographer who is currently studying at Wilfrid Laurier University. As a volunteer, she is involved with the Business Education Partnership, the KW Multicultural Centre and Kate’s Kause.
Melanie Van Alphen – Ontario Liberal Party
A West Montrose resident, Van Alphen, 42, is a trustee for the Waterloo Catholic District School Board, and currently on a leave of absence. She was first elected in 2014 and then again in 2018. She served as vice-chair from December 2018 to 2020 and chair from December 2020 to 2021. She has a psychology degree from Wilfrid Laurier University, worked in banking and as a volunteer.
The other two candidates in the June 2 election are are Jason Adair, Populist Party, and Elizabeth Perrin Snyder, Ontario Party.
