On election day, Hamiltonians elected a mayor, 15 city councillors, and trustees for the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board, Conseil scolaire Viamonde, and Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir.

During the campaign Marvin Caplan openly supported the completion of the Red Hill Creek Expressway, opposed by a majority of Ward One's residents.

[8] Challenger Brian McHattie, who had run for Mayor in 1997, was a 43-year-old environmental consultant at the time of the election, and received support due to his opposition to the Red Hill Creek Expressway.

[8] Michael Puskas, the third candidate in the race, was a local lawyer who echoed Caplan's support for the Expressway.

[8] The 2003 election for trustees to the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board was marked by numerous acclamations, despite the board being put under provincial supervision from August 2002 to October 2003 for failing to pass a balanced budget.