The lobby group Rocky View Forward has endorsed one candidate in each of the seven divisions of the Rocky View County (RVC) election.

Only three are incumbents and are the same three that faced sanctions from the county council during the past term. The matter evolved to the point where the three took the county to court to have the sanctions overturned.

They have endorsed incumbent Kevin Hanson in Division One, Don Kochan in Division 2, incumbent Crystal Kissel in Division 3, incumbent Samanntha Wright in Division 4; Ted Francois in Division 5, Sunny Samra in Division 6, and Alysha Bates in Division 7.

Janet Ballantyne, of Rocky View Forward, says they believe there is only one major issue in this election.

"I think what we see as the major issue is getting a council that will actually effectively represent the people who live here," she says. "Their priority was not the people who live here, and they made that clear over and over again."

Ballantyne says the endorsement of the candidates was based on a review of their platforms, records and feedback from residents.

"We spent a lot of time looking at what people's qualifications were. In some cases, we did early on work, talking to people that basically are our contacts in various communities, asking who do you know out here, who fits the profile of somebody who is interested, knows enough that they could be a competent, and interested in making the county work better."

All Alberta municipalities go to the polls on Monday, Oct. 18 to elect their new councils and school boards.