Ontario municipal elections 2026: Want to run? Deadline to register is Friday afternoon

The deadline to register as a candidate in the upcoming Ontario municipal elections on October 26 is this Friday afternoon. Each of the province's 444 municipalities will hold their elections on that date to fill mayor, councillor, and school board trustee positions. To be eligible for the ballot, candidates must meet certain requirements set forth by Ontario law.

They must be at least 18 years old by the time they file their nomination paperwork and hold Canadian citizenship. Furthermore, candidates must be residents of the municipality they are seeking to represent. For example, a person running for a councillor position does not need to live in the specific ward they are pursuing, but they must live in the municipality.

Not everyone can run for municipal office in Ontario. Prohibited candidates include those who serve as judges, Members of Parliament, Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs), senators, municipal employees who have not resigned or taken an unpaid leave of absence, inmates in correctional institutions, and individuals not eligible to vote in elections. Additionally, school board employees must take an unpaid leave of absence or resign if they wish to run for school board trustee.

To get on the ballot, candidates must submit council nomination paperwork to their local municipal clerk's office by 2 p.m. on Friday. For municipalities with more than 4,000 electors, candidates need to provide 25 original signatories from eligible voters, each with a full address within the municipality. Those running for school board trustee or in municipalities with fewer than 4,000 electors do not have to submit endorsement signatures.

A nomination fee of $200 is required for candidates seeking the position of head of a municipal council, while $100 is the fee for other positions. Refunds will be issued if campaign financial statements are submitted before the required deadline.