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Candidate and Third Party Advertiser Information

If you are thinking of running for office, here are the key dates you need to be aware of as a potential candidate:

  • Nominations Open - May 1, 2026

  • Nomination Day - August 21, 2026 until 2 p.m.

On March 25, a Candidate Information Workshop took place at 7:00 p.m. at Aboyne Hall, Wellington County Museum and Archives (0536 Wellington Road 18, Fergus, ON).

The session was geared toward potential candidates, spouses or partners, and anyone curious about how local government really works.

Guest speakers included municipal experts John Mascarin, Aird & Berlis LLP and Kelly Linton, former Mayor of Centre Wellington and Municipal Consultant, whom provided an understanding of Council’s roles and responsibilities and explain the impact on your personal and family life.

Candidate Information Workshop Poster

Presentation from Kelly Linton

The Association of Municipalities of Ontario has prepared a 2026 Candidates' Guide - for the Municipal Council and School Board election.  This guide is not meant to replace provincial legislation. It provides general information about the rules contained in the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 and other legislation and regulations.

More information about School Board Trustees has been provided by the Ontario Education Services Corporation or you may refer to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs for additional information.

In accordance with the Municipal Elections Act , the Municipal Clerk is responsible for the municipal and school board elections every four years for the offices of:

School Board Elections are subject to change pending Provincial Legislation. 

Candidate Qualifications – Municipal

A candidate for municipal office must, upon nomination, be a qualified municipal elector and fulfil all of the following requirements:

  • A resident of the Township of Centre Wellington, a non-resident owner or tenant of land, or the spouse of such an owner or tenant
  • A Canadian Citizen
  • At least 18 years old
  • Not legally prohibited from voting
  • Not disqualified by any legislation from holding municipal office

Candidates can only be nominated for one office on a municipal council or school board in the Province of Ontario at a time. If a person is nominated for a second office, the first nomination is deemed to be withdrawn.

It is the responsibility of the candidate to determine whether he or she is qualified to be elected to and hold office.

For further information regarding The County of Wellington Councillor - Ward 4, please check with the Township of Wellington North, the designated returning office.

Candidate Qualifications – School Board

A candidate for school board trustee must, upon nomination, be a qualified municipal elector and fulfil all of the following requirements:

  • A resident with in the jurisdiction of the Board
  • Eligible to vote for the school board
  • A Canadian Citizen
  • At least 18 years old
  • Not legally prohibited from voting
  • Not disqualified from holding elected office

Candidates can only be nominated for one office on a school board in the Province of Ontario at a time. If a person is nominated for a second office, the first nomination is deemed to be withdrawn.

It is the responsibility of the candidate to determine whether he or she is qualified to be elected to and hold office.

For further information regarding Conseil Scolaire Catholique MonAvenir, please check with the City of Brampton, the designated returning office.

For further information regarding Conseil Scolaire Viamonde, please check with the City of London, the designated returning office.

Nomination Process for Candidates

Nominations will be accepted beginning Monday, May 1, 2026 until Friday, August 21, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.

To run for the office of Mayor, Councillor or School Board Trustee for the 2026 Municipal Election, you must file nomination papers and provide photo identification.

Nomination forms (Form 1) must be accompanied by an Endorsement of Nomination signed by 25 individuals who are a Canadian citizen, aged 18 or older and have a qualifying address in the municipality.

Nomination forms (Form 1 and Form 2) will be accepted at the Municipal Office, Legislative Services, 1 MacDonald Square, Elora from:

May 1, 2026 to August 20, 2026 between the hours of 8:30 am – 4:30 pm and on Nomination Day, August 21, 2026 between 8:30 am –2:00 pm.

All nominations must be filed in person, or by an agent acting on behalf of the nominee, at the Township Municipal Office, Legislative Services, 1 MacDonald Square, Elora, Ontario.

Note: If filed by an agent, acceptable identification of the candidate and agent is required. Facsimile transmissions, e-mail or mail-in nomination forms are not permitted.

All forms including Nomination Papers are available from the Township Municipal Office, Legislative Services, located at 1 MacDonald Square, Elora, Ontario.

Candidates may begin campaigning, raising, and expending funds as soon as their nomination papers have been filed. For more information contact Legislative Services at 519.846.9691. 

 2026 Notice of Nomination - coming soon.

Filing Fees

Candidates who are qualified to file a nomination must complete the prescribed Nomination Paper - Form 1, the Endorsement of Nomination - Form 2, together with the required filing fee.

The required filing fee is:

  • $200 for the Office of the Mayor
  • $100 for all other offices

Payment is accepted in the form of cash, debit, certified cheque, or money order made payable to The Township of Centre Wellington.

Third Party Advertising

What is a Third Party Advertising?

Third party advertising refers to advertisements or other materials that support, promote or oppose a candidate, or support, promote or oppose a “yes or “no” answer to a question on the ballot.

Third party advertising is separate from any candidate's campaign, and must be done independently from a candidate. Any advertisements or materials that are made and distributed by a candidate, or under a candidate's direction, are part of the candidate's campaign.

Third party advertising is a way for those outside of the candidate's campaign to express support or opposition to candidates and to try to persuade voters to vote a certain way.

A third party advertisement is an advertisement in any broadcast, print, electronic or other medium that promotes, supports or opposes a candidate, or a “yes' or “no” answer to a question on the ballot. Advertisements include traditional ads as well as materials such as brochures or signs.

What is not a third party advertisement?

Activities that do not involve spending money, such as discussions or expressing an opinion about a candidate are not considered to be third party advertising. Examples include:

· Speaking to friends and neighbours
· Posting on social media, such as twitter, facebook or Instagram
· Sending an email to a group or mailing list. 

Who can be a third party advertiser?

Only those who have registered can spend money on third party advertising. The following are eligible to register as a third party advertiser:

· any person who is a resident in Ontario
· a corporation carrying on business in Ontario
· a trade union that holds bargaining rights for employee in Ontario 

Who cannot be a third party advertiser?

A candidate running for any municipal council or school board office cannot registered to be a third party advertiser in any municipality.

Groups, associations or businesses that are not corporations are not eligible to registered and may not spend money on third party advertising in municipal elections. For example, neighbourhood associations, clubs or professional associations cannot register and cannot make contributions to third party advertisers. Members may register as individual third party advertisers and may contribute individually.

Registration

An individual, corporation or trade union must registered with the Municipal Clerk to be a third party advertiser in a municipality by completing a Notice of Registration – Third Party – Form 7. Being registered in a municipality allows the third party to advertise to the voters in that municipality. A third party advertiser can support or oppose any candidate or candidates who will be voted on by the people in that municipality. This includes candidates running for local council, school trustee and candidates running for offices on an upper tier council.

 

The Province has prepared the 2026 Third Party Advertisers' Guide. This guide provides information to those who want to register as third party advertisers for the 2026 municipal council and school board elections. It is not meant to replace provincial legislation. It provides general information about the rules contained in the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 and other legislation and regulations

2026 Notice of Third Party Registration (if this form does not open, right click and select "Save link as...")

Additional Information

Candidate's are encouraged to review the Township 's Election Policies and Procedures. 

Please refer to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs for additional information.

Contact Us

Township of Centre Wellington
1 MacDonald Square, Elora, Ontario, Canada, N0B 1S0
Phone: 519.846.9691
Email Us
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