Information for Candidates

Nomination period has closed.

Candidate Eligibility

In Ontario municipal elections, candidates are not elected to represent a political party. An eligible candidate is:

a resident of the municipality or a non-resident owner or tenant of land in the municipality or the spouse of such non-resident 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

The following persons are disqualified from being elected to municipal office:

any person not eligible to vote in a municipality
any employee of a municipality unless he or she takes an unpaid leave of absence before being nominated and resigns, if elected to the office
a judge of any court
a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, a Senator, or a member of the House of Commons
an inmate of a penal or correctional institution under sentence of imprisonment

Candidate Registration Process

Book an appointment

To submit your nomination, please call 519-632-8800 or email the Township Clerk’s office to make an appointment
The appointment will take at least 30 minutes
Walk-ins will be accepted, but may have to wait until the Township Designated Official is available

At the time of filing, Candidates must:

submit a completed nomination package
show proof of identity and residency in the municipality (identification showing name and address)
show proof of citizenship (passport, birth certificate)
pay the filing fee of $200 for Mayor and $100 for Councillor and School Board Trustee

Required Forms

Nomination Papers must be filed in person by the candidate or by his or her agent. Nomination Papers cannot be faxed, mailed, or emailed. Either the candidate or the agent must bring the completed and signed Nomination Papers to the Township Office, located at 2958 Greenfield Road, Ayr.

Candidates and agents will be required to show proof of identity. Proof of identity for candidates must include photo identification, age, and residence. Candidates are required to provide proof of citizenship (birth certificate, certificate of citizenship, valid Canadian passport).

Candidates wishing to submit nominations for school board trustee offices will be directed to specific Municipal Clerk's Offices. The requirement to submit 25 signatures does not apply to candidates running for school board trustee positions.

The prescribed Nomination Filing Fee must be paid at the time of filing Nomination Papers (cash, debit, or cheques). The fee is $200.00 for Mayor or $100.00 for all other offices).

Required Forms for Nomination:

Nomination Paper - Form 1
Endorsement of Nomination - Form 2 (must include signatures of 25 eligible voters) School Board Trustees are exempt from the signature requirement
Declaration of Qualifications Form W10
Release of Campaign Information Form W11
Nomination Checklist Form W14
Proof of identity and residence as prescribed in O. Reg 304/13
Proof of citizenship

Important Dates

Nomination period runs from May 2, 2022 at 9 a.m. to August 19, 2022 at 2 p.m.
Deadline to file a nomination is Friday, August 19, 2022 at 2 p.m.
Certification of nominations is Monday, August 22, 2022 by 4 p.m.
Official list of candidates posted with any declarations of acclamation on Monday August 22, 2022 after 4 p.m.

Fee Information

The filing fee is payable by cash, debit, certified cheque, or money order. Credit cards, e-transfers and non-certified cheques will not be accepted.

A refund of the filing fee is provided if the Candidate:

is elected
receives more than 2% of the votes cast for the office
withdraws the nomination before nomination day

Candidates must not spend or raise funds for their election campaign until their nomination form has been filed. The Clerk must certify or reject the nomination paper by 4 p.m. on Monday, August 22, 2022. If a candidate decides to withdraw from the election, he or she must notify the Clerk in writing no later than 2 p.m. on nomination day (Friday, August 19, 2022). A candidate who withdraws before nomination day is entitled to a refund of the nomination filing fee. A candidate who withdraws is still required to submit a completed financial disclosure covering all financial transactions made up to the date the nomination is withdrawn.

Candidate Package

Township Staff prepare a package containing valuable information for those individuals who are thinking about running as a candidate in the municipal or school board election. This information package is provided to all candidates upon filing the required papers.

See the 2022 Municipal Election Procedures (subject to change by the Clerk)

Candidate Resources

Resources about running as a candidate for the municipal election:

Ministry of Municipal Affairs' Candidates' Guide.
Association of Municipalities of Ontario has a Guide to Running for Municipal Election

Stay tuned for the Township of North Dumfries 2022 Municipal Election Procedures!

Where are Nominations Filed?

Nominations for Mayor, Ward Councillors, Waterloo Region District School Board Trustee (English Public) and Waterloo District Catholic School Board (English Separate) are filed with the Township of North Dumfries Clerk at the Township office at 2958 Greenfield Road
Nominations for Regional Chair are filed with the Region of Waterloo Clerk
Nominations for Trustee of Conseil Scolaire Catholique MonAvenir (French Separate) are filed with the City of Kitchener Clerk
Nominations for Trustee of Conseil Scolaire Viamonde (French Public) are filed with the City of London Clerk

Who can Endorse a Candidate?

The Municipal Elections Act requires that the person signing the endorsement be eligible to vote in the municipal election on the day the person endorses the nomination. If, at a later date it was discovered that the person who endorsed was not eligible to vote on the day they signed the endorsement, you will not lose your nomination. The person who supplied false information by signing your endorsement may be subject to prosecution. Individuals residing at the same address can each endorse a candidate for office. A person may also endorse one or more candidate. The Municipal Elections Act does not prohibit a family member from endorsing a candidate.

Are all Candidates required to collect 25 endorsements?

If you are running for School Board Trustee, you are not required to collect 25 signatures. All other offices (Mayor, Councillor, Regional Chair) must do so.

Can I switch the office for which I would like to run after submitting my nomination papers?

Yes, if a candidate has filed for one office, they can withdraw that nomination and file for a different office before August 19, 2022 at 2 p.m. Candidates looking to switch offices should contact the Clerk's Office for more details on this process.

Can I withdraw my nomination?

Candidates can withdraw a nomination before 2 p.m. on August 19, 2022. If a Candidate chooses to withdraw after this time and date, their name will still appear on the ballot. Candidates who wish to withdraw their nomination should contact the Clerk for further instruction.

Candidate Information Sessions

None scheduled at this time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Campaigning

When does the campaign period begin?

Once the Clerk has received the nomination of a candidate, that candidate can begin campaigning (advertising and canvassing).

When can I put up election signs?

Advertising is not permitted prior to nomination papers being filed with the Township Clerk. More information can be found in By-law 2952-18 to Regulate Election Signs.
Candidates can begin putting up election signs 45 days before election day (September 9, 2022).
Candidates must follow the election sign requirements for the Region of Waterloo and the Township of North Dumfries. The full rules are available in the Township's Election Sign By-law No.2952-18 and the Region of Waterloo's Sign By-law No. 10-030.
Candidates who wish to place signs on Regional Roads and Township Roads are not required to obtain a permit or submit a deposit before placing their signs.
Signs must be taken down within 72 hours after the election.

Campaign Materials

Candidates must ensure that all campaign advertisements (including election signs) contain the name of the Candidate who has purchased the advertisement as it appears on the nomination forms. So long as the sign identifies the Candidate, this requirement is met.

Use of Corporate Resources

Corporate resources cannot be used for campaigning purposes. The Township logo is a corporate resource owned by the Township of North Dumfries that is used only for official Township business. Please refer to the Township of North Dumfries' Corporate Resource Use Policy.

Campaign Finances

What is a Campaign Expense?

Section 88 (17)(1) of the Municipal Elections Act defines campaign expenses as the costs incurred for goods and services, by or under the direction of a person, wholly or partly for use in his or her election campaign. Candidates are encouraged to review the campaign financial statement (Form 4) to ensure they are keeping records of all required information. The following are considered to be expenses:

Replacement value of goods retained from previous election, and used in current election
Value of contributions
Audit and accounting fees
Interests on loans
Cost of holding fundraiser, after parties, and campaign advertising
Costs relating to a compliance audit

Maximum Expenditure for the Campaign

Spending limits are based off the number of electors eligible to vote for the office you are running for. For the head of council (Mayor or Regional Chair) the amount is $7,500 plus $0.85 per eligible elector. For a council member or school board trustee, the amount is $5,000 plus $0.85 per eligible elector. When you file your nomination, you will receive an estimate of the general spending limit based off the number of electors in the previous election.

On or before September 26, 2022, the Clerk will provide you with a spending limit based on the number of electors for this election. The final spending limit is the higher of the two amounts.

Campaign Contributions

Campaign contributions are regulated and both the Candidate and the individual making the contribution must pay attention to the rules.

Scroll right to view complete table

I am a….	Can I contribute to a Candidate?	Can I contribute to a Third Party Advertiser?	What is the limit of my contribution?
Candidate looking to contribute my own campaign.	Yes	No	You and your spouse can collectively contribute an amount calculated based on the number of electors who are eligible to vote. The formula is $7,500 plus $0.20 per eligible elector for the Head of Council and $5,000 plus $0.20 per eligible elector. The total amount will be provided by the Clerk. There is a cap of $25,000. The spouse of a Candidate can only contribute $750.00 to one registered Third Party in the Township or $5000.00 to two or more registered Third Parties.
Spouse of a Candidate.	Yes	Yes
Individual residing in Ontario.	Yes	Yes	$1,200 to any one candidate in the election;$5000 to two or more candidates in the Township. May contribute $750.00 to a registered Third Party or $5,000 to two or more registered Third Parties in the Township.
Corporation conducting business in Ontario	No	Yes	May contribute $750.00 to a registered Third Party or $5,000 to two or more registered Third Parties in the Township.
Trade Union holding bargaining rights in Ontario	No	Yes	May contribute $750.00 to a registered Third Party or $5,000 to two or more registered Third Parties in the Township.
A federal or provincial political party, constituency association or candidate, The Government of Canada or Ontario, or a local municipal government or local board.	No		N/A

A receipt must be issued for every contribution received. The receipt must state who made the contribution, the date received, and value of the goods and services. An amount of $25 or less that is donated at a fund-raising event or received for goods and services sold at a fund-raising function is not considered to be a contribution. The amount of a loan guaranteed by a candidate or their spouse is also not considered a contribution unless there is any unpaid balanced remaining.

The Township of North Dumfries does not offer rebates to those who contribute to election campaigns.

Documentation of Campaign Finances

You are responsible for keeping records of your campaign's financial activities. Candidates are required to submit a campaign financial statement (Form 4) at the end of their campaign.

You must keep records of the following:

Receipts issued for every contribute including when you accepted the contribution and date you issued the receipt,
The value of every contribution,
All expenses,
Funds raised and expenses incurred from fundraising, and;
The terms of any loan.

Documentation of Expenditures

Expenditures must be documented for the entire campaign period. The campaign period begins once a candidate files the nomination papers and ends December 31, 2022. Expenses after voting day for expressions of appreciation (i.e., parties) may not exceed an amount prescribed by the Clerk.

Deadline to File Financial Statements

Candidates must file their campaign financial statements with the Clerk by 2:00pm on March 31, 2023 to be eligible for a refund of their nomination fee. The earliest date financial statements may be filed is the first day the Municipal Office is open in January 2023. Candidates who file early and discover an error in their financial statements may re-file before March 31, 2023 to avoid penalty.

Compliance Audit Committee

A compliance audit committee is appointed by the municipality to consider applications from eligible electors regarding a candidate's campaign finances. Eligible electors may apply for a compliance audit of a campaign’s finances if they believe a candidate has contravened the election finance rules. More information and applications for the 2022-2026 Compliance Audit Committee will be available soon. Please contact the Clerk for more information.

Are Financial Statements Required for Nomination Withdrawals?

Candidates who withdraw a nomination before August 19, 2022 must submit a financial statement for the campaign period, from the time of filing the nomination to the withdrawal.

Township of North Dumfries
106 Earl Thompson Road,
3rd Floor, Ayr, Ontario
N0B 1E0
Mailing Address: P.O. Box
1060 Ayr, Ontario N0B 1E0
Telephone: 519-632-8800
Fax: 519-632-8700