As predicted, the races for council in East York wards 26/Don Valley West and 29/Toronto-Danforth have gotten off to very tight starts.
In 29, the race to fill the shoes of retiring councillor Case Ootes is a spirited affair between former Ward 26/Don Valley West councillor Jane Pitfield and Mary Fragedakis — who has the backing of the local NDP MPPs.
Early returns put Fragedakis in the lead by almost 1,000 votes, less than 45 minutes after the polls closed.
In Ward 26/Don Valley West, incumbent John Parker has jumped out to an early lead, but former police officer Jon Burnside is challenging; early returns have the two separated by fewer than 400 votes.
In Ward 31/Beaches-East York, meanwhile, incumbent councillor Janet Davis is running away with her re-election; early returns have her garnering almost two-thirds of the votes counted so far.