2026 Municipal Election 

2026 Municipal Election Important Dates

• First day nominations can be accepted for Council and School Board Positions.

• Nominations close. All nomination forms must be submitted no later than 2:00pm on this date to be considered for the ballot.
• This is also the last day for a candidate to withdraw their nomination by filing a written notice with the clerk.

• The Clerk certifies all candidates.

• Municipal and School Board Election Day
•  This is when West Elgin voters choose:  

• • Mayor:  Leads the Municipality and represents West Elgin
  • Deputy Mayor: Helps lead Council and supports the Mayor
  • Councillors:  Work together to make decisions and pass local by-laws
  • School Board Trustees: Make decisions about your local school

• A candidate may file their nomination papers as of Friday May 1, 2026 at 8:30am until Nomination Day on Friday August 21, 2026 at 2:00pm.
• To be an eligible candidate an individual must be:
• A Canadian citizen
• Aged 18 years or older on the day of filing
• Must qualify as an eligible resident or non-resident elector on the day of filing
• A potential candidate must file nomination papers prior to receiving any campaign contributions and/or expending any funds on a campaign
• Nomination papers will be available online or from the Clerks Department
• When filing you must submit the following:
  • Nomination papers - Form 1 (Nomination Paper)
  • Declaration of Qualifications
  • Filing Fee
  • Consent to Release Information
  • Candidate's Declaration

Voter Information

The Voters' List is a list of eligible electors in the Municipality of West Elgin. Elections Ontario is responsible for preparing the preliminary list of electors for each municipality and school board in Ontario. 

Electors may add their name or make changes directly on Election Ontario's Register to Vote website. The website is easy to use by following the guideline How to Maintain Your Information on the Register.

For questions related to voter registration, email info@registertovoteon.ca or call 1-866-242-3025

Accessibility

The goal of the Municipality's Election Team is to ensure that every elector is provided with the opportunity to vote independently in the 2026 Municipal Election. The 2026 Municipal Election Accessibility Plan, Policies and Procedures support and strengthen the Municipality's commitment to the needs of persons with disabilities.

For information on accessible elections, please review the Candidate's Guide to Accessible Elections published by the Province of Ontario in partnership with AMCTO and the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario

Provincial and federal elections

Resources:

• Elections Ontario
• Elections Canada

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) Guides

• Third Party Advertisers' Guide
• Candidates Guide
• Voters Guide

Learn More

As we get closer to nomination day and the Municipal Election, you will find more up to date information, including:

• Voting day and location information
• How to register or update your information
• Candidate nomination forms
• Election guides and help documents
• Contact information for the local election office