Incumbent Mayor Jeff Leal’s decision not to seek re-election has opened a seven-candidate race for Peterborough’s October 26, 2026 municipal vote. With nominations closed on August 21, the field includes city councillor Keith Riel, entrepreneur Neil Morton, Dr. Michael Eamon, Rebecca Schillemat, and lower-profile entrants. The absence of public polling and the compressed campaign timeline have kept probabilities tightly clustered among the leading names, with traders assigning modest edges to those holding prior elected experience or local visibility. No single candidate has consolidated broad support yet, and further developments such as candidate forums, fundraising disclosures, or ward-level endorsements could shift the distribution before election day.