Elections

Notice of Candidate Training Session (Issued April 23, 2026)

Notice of Nomination for Office - English (Issued April 14, 2026)

Notice of Nomination for Office - French (Issued April 14, 2026)

January 2026 to August 12, 2026 Confirm, Add, Update Voter's List on Provincial Website

May 1, 2026 First Day to File Nominations for Council and School Board Trustee and Register as a Third Party Advertiser

August 21, 2026 at 2:00pm Deadline to File Nominations 

After September 1, 2026 Add, Remove Change Voter's List at Town Hall

October 19, 2026 at 8:30am Voting Begins 

October 23, 2026 Deadline to Register as a Third Party Advertiser

October 26, 2026 at 8:00pm Close of Voting

Nominations in Order of Filing - Updated May 12, 2026

You are eligible to vote in the 2026 municipal election if you:

• are a Canadian citizen;
• are aged 18 or older; and
• qualify to vote in the municipality.

You qualify to vote in the municipality if you:

• are a resident;
• are a non-resident owning property in the municipality; or
• are the spouse of a non-resident.

You do not qualify to vote in the municipality if:

• your business or corporation is the owner of the property
• your property is owned by a trust
• you cannot provide proof of identity, residency, ownership, spousal relationship

You should be sure that you will be voting for the right school board trustee.  School support can be for:

• English public;
• English separate;
• French public; or
• French separate. 

Check the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation's website to see what school board you are listed as supporting.  The Town cannot correct or change school support so be sure to address any issues with the Municipal Assessment Corporation before June 1, 2026 to make sure that the Preliminary List of Electors includes the proper school support designation.  You can also contact the school board to get information on whether or not you qualify to vote in that particular school board district.  You can visit the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation's school support designation webpage to get information on changing or correcting your school support.

Are You on the Voter's List?

Before August 12, 2026, go to the Province of Ontario's website to confirm, correct, add or update your information.

After September 1, 2026, you will have to complete a form (EL15) to add, delete or change the Voter's List.  You will do this at Town Hall and you will be required to provide identification.  You cannot file these forms electronically.

Type of Election in 2026 

This is a Vote by Phone and Vote by Internet election.  This means that there will be no traditional polls and no paper ballots.  You will be sent a letter which will include your name and qualifying information.  The letter will contain a unique PIN which is only for use by you.  You will use that PIN when you vote.

For more information about voting, refer to the Voter's Guide below.

Addition, Deletion or Change to the Voter's List Form  (EL15)

Privacy Policy - Identification

Declaration of Identity

Prescribed Identification 

Candidate Information

To run for a position on council, you must be eligible to vote in the municipality. On the day you file your nomination, you must be a Canadian citizen aged 18 or older, and qualify as a resident or non-resident elector.

To run for a school board trustee position, you must be a resident within the jurisdiction of the board and you must be eligible to vote in a school board election. 

Please be sure to review the Candidate's Guide in detail.  It has been designed by the Province of Ontario to assist in guiding candidates through the election process.

Filing a Nomination

Please make an appointment by contacting the Clerk's Department to ensure that someone is available to accept the nomination.  When filing your nomination, please plan to spend up to 30 minutes in the office.  The Clerk will go over information with you and have you sign forms such as election list requests and consents to disclose your candidate information. 

• Nominations can be filed beginning May 1, 2026 at 8:30 am.  All nominations must be filed by August 21, 2026 at 2:00 pm.
• Candidates for Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Councillor must file an endorsement containing 25 original signatures.  Be sure that all information for each person making an endorsement is provided in full.  Those making endorsements must be Canadian citizens, aged 18 years or older and have a qualifying address in the municipality.  At the time of making an endorsement the person must be an eligible elector in the Town of South Bruce Peninsula.  Those making endorsements are allowed to sign an endorsement form for more than one candidate.  You must use the Endorsement of Nomination-Form 2 - no other forms will be accepted.  
• If a mistake is made on the endorsement form, the person making the endorsement should put a stroke through the mistake and initial it and write in the correct information if there is room.  If there is not room place an "X" through the entire endorsement box you were filling out and make the endorsement on another box on the form.  Do not use white out, corrector tape, etc. or the endorsement will not be counted when submitted.
• Candidates for school board trustee are not required to obtain and file endorsements.
• On your nomination form, under Given Names, you must only provide the names that you want to appear on the ballot.  If your legal name is a single name you do not have to provide Given Names.
• Nominations must be filed in person at Town Hall, no electronic filing is permitted.
• If you are filing a nomination for Mayor, the fee is $200 which must be given when your nomination papers are filed.
• If you are filing a nomination for any other office, the fee is $100 which must be given when your nomination papers are filed.
• Filing fees are refunded if campaign financial statements are filed by the deadline.

It is important that candidates and those making endorsements understand that the forms which are filed are public documents which can be viewed at Town Hall by any member of the public.  Your private information will not be redacted. 

2026 Candidates Guide

Nomination Form

Endorsement of Nomination-Form 2

Agent Appointment Form

Financial Statement-Auditor Report

General Information About Being on Council

Remuneration

Council members are paid for their service on municipal Council.  In South Bruce Peninsula, members are not paid per meeting.

Council members are paid a monthly technology allowance which is to cover things like internet, telephone and printer usage.

Council members are able to use a Town laptop and Town cell phone for Town business only during their Council term.  There is no charge to members of Council for use of these items.

Council members are paid mileage and are eligible for travel related remuneration when performing Council business.

Council members are permitted to attend conferences and training opportunities.  Depending on budget allocations, the registration fees are paid by the Town.

Meetings

All meetings are governed by the Procedural By-Law.  This by-law outlines, among other things, the order of business, how delegations are handled, staff reporting and how members of Council introduce items to be discussed.  The Municipal Act, 2001, as amended, requires all municipalities to have a Procedural By-Law.  

Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest

The Municipal Act, 2001, as amended, requires municipalities to have codes of conduct and to appoint Integrity Commissioners to advise members of Council if they have questions and to receive complaints about members of Council from the public.

Training Session

A candidate training session was held on May 14th at the Bruce County Administration Building in Walkerton.  Attendance was permitted both in person and virtually.  The presentation by Clerk's On Call explained what it means to serve as an election official and provided some information on running a municipal election campaign.  The Clerk's On Call presenters provided a reflection guide for prospective municipal candidates and a candidate workbook.  

Third Party Advertiser Information

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

The meaning of “third-party” in this context means a person or entity who is not a candidate. Eligible individuals, corporations and trade unions can register to be third-party advertisers.

Third-party advertising is separate from any candidate’s campaign and must be done independently from a candidate.

Third-party advertisers who want to spend money on advertisements during the election must register with the Clerk and must file a financial statement. 

Third-party advertisement activities that do not involve incurring expenses, such as discussions or expressing an opinion about a candidate (or an answer to a question on the ballot) are not considered to be third-party advertising. Things like speaking to friends and neighbours, posting on social media, such as X, Facebook or Instagram, sending an email to a group or mailing list, internal communications from an employer to their employees or a corporation to its shareholders, directors, members or employees or by a trade union to its members or employees are not considered to be third-party advertising.

Advertising about an issue, rather than a candidate or a “yes” or “no” answer to a question on the ballot is not considered third-party advertising. Things like signs saying “support local businesses” or “keep the waterfront green” would not be third-party advertising, even if a candidate has made those issues part of their campaign.

A third-party advertiser can be:

• any person who is a resident in Ontario;

• a corporation carrying on business in Ontario; and

• a trade union that holds bargaining rights for employees in Ontario.

A third-party advertiser cannot be:

• a candidate who has filed a nomination for any municipal council or school board office
• groups, associations or businesses that are not corporations. 
• neighbourhood associations, clubs or professional associations that are not corporations 

Third-party advertisers can register beginning on May 1, 2026 at 8:30am and registration closes on October 23, 2026.

Third-party advertisers must register in person at Town Hall.  Please make an appointment with the Clerk's Department to make sure that someone is available to accept your registration.

There is no registration filing fee.

2026 Third Party Advertiser Guide

Registration Form

Financial Statement-Auditor Report

Eligible electors who have concerns regarding the financial compliance of any candidate or third party advertiser are encouraged to first discuss those concerns with the candidate or third party advertiser.

Eligible electors are permitted to make application to the Compliance Audit Committee for the review of the financial statement of any candidate or third party advertiser.  An application must be filed with the Clerk by submitting the completed application form.  Applications must be filed in person at the municipal office.

All applications are public records and Compliance Audit Committee meetings are public however the Committee is permitted to deliberate in the absence of the public.

The costs associated with a compliance audit (committee member expenses, auditor fees, legal fees, court prosecution fees, etc.) are paid by the Town.  Any applicant, candidate or third party advertiser who incur expenses as a result of a compliance audit are required to pay their own expenses.

Minutes and Notices of Decision

Minutes - July 20, 2023

Notice of Decision - Clerk's Report 

Notice of Decision - Application 

Agenda

Agenda - July 20, 2023

Item 5.1 Clerk's Report

Item 5.2 Application for Compliance Audit - Douglas Jordan Regarding Garry Michi

Item 5.2 Clerk's Receipt of Cash Donation

Item 5.2 Rebuttal - Garry Michi and Doug Briggs

Additional Evidence Submitted at Committee Meeting

Notices Sent

Notice of Hearing, Compliance Audit Committee

Notice of Application for Compliance Audit from Douglas Jordan - Election Expenses of Garry Michi

Outcomes

A)The Clerk's Report did not proceed to litigation as no prosecutor could be found to take the application forward to the courts.  This matter is considered to be closed.

B)The application from Douglas Jordan is not yet completed.  It is currently undergoing an audit by a reputable audit firm and once a final report is received, the Compliance Audit Committee will convene to make a decision in this matter.