Information for Candidates

The nomination period for Municipal Elections is May 1 - August 21, 2026.

Candidate Nominations – Appointment Strongly Encouraged

Individuals wishing to file their nomination for the 2026 Municipal Election are strongly encouraged to book an appointment with the Clerk’s Office. Nominations will be accepted during regular business hours only.

While walk-ins will be accommodated whenever possible, appointments will take priority, and the Township cannot guarantee that staff will be available to process a nomination without one.

To ensure timely service, please contact the Clerk’s Office to schedule your appointment. 

Please contact the Clerk's Office via email or phone, 519-856-9596 ext. 125.

Are you thinking of running for the 2026 Municipal Election? These Nomination Packages contain all the information you will need to get started! Hardcopies will also be available at the Township Office as of TBD.

• Nomination Package

• Nomination Package

* A fillable version of Form 1 can be found below.

Nomination Process

Nominations will be accepted from Monday, May 1, 2026 to Friday, August 19, 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 a nomination paper.

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

The required filing fee is:  $200 for the Office of the Mayor or $100 for all other offices.

Payment is accepted in the form of cash, debit, cheque, or money order made payable to The Township of Guelph/Eramosa

Until you file a nomination paper, you cannot raise or spend any money on your campaign.

Mayor and Councillor candidates must provide, along with their nomination paper, at least 25 declaration of endorsements from eligible electors. It is suggested that more than 25 signatures be received, in case some are disqualified.

Nominations must be filed in-person at the Clerk’s Office at the Township of Guelph/Eramosa Department at the Municipal Office (8348 Wellington Road 124) by the candidate or the candidate’s agent, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Candidate Nominations – Appointment Strongly Encouraged

Individuals wishing to file their nomination for the 2026 Municipal Election are strongly encouraged to book an appointment with the Clerk’s Office. Nominations will be accepted during regular business hours only.

While walk-ins will be accommodated whenever possible, appointments will take priority, and the Township cannot guarantee that staff will be available to process a nomination without one.

To ensure timely service, please contact the Clerk’s Office to schedule your appointment. 

Please contact the Clerk's Office via email or phone, 519-856-9596 ext. 125.

The Township of Guelph/Eramosa is responsible for the coordination and management of municipal elections.  In accordance with the Municipal Elections Act legislation, the Clerk conducts elections every four years for the offices of:

• Mayor
• Ward Councillors (Township of Guelph/Eramosa)
• County Councillors (County of Wellington)
• Upper Grand District School Board Trustees (English Public School Board Trustee)
• Wellington Catholic District School Board Trustees (English Separate School Board Trustee)
• Conseil scolaire Viamonde Trustees (French Public School Board Trustee)
• Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir Trustee (French Separate School Board Trustee)

To qualify as a candidate for Mayor or Council you must be:

• A Canadian citizen
• At least 18 years old
• A resident in the Township of Guelph/Eramosa
• A non-resident of Guelph/Eramosa and you or your spouse owns or rents property in the Township

You do not qualify to run as a candidate for Mayor or Council if you:

• Are serving a sentence of imprisonment in a penal or correctional institution
• Are a corporation
• Are acting as executor or trustee or in any other representative capacity
• Were convicted of the corrupt practice described in Municipal Elections Act, 1996, less than five years ago
• An 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; or
• An inmate of a penal or correctional institution under sentence of imprisonment.
• An person who by reason of any violations of the election campaign financial requirements or violations for not filling the financial statements pursuant to the Municipal Elections Act, 1996.

A person is qualified to be elected as a member of a board if he/she is:

• 18 years of age or older; AND
• A Canadian citizen; AND
• A resident within the area of jurisdiction of the board; AND
• Eligible to be an elector of that school board for which the person is a candidate; AND
• Not disqualified by any legislation from holding office. 

• A candidate for school board office cannot be a clerk, deputy clerk, treasurer or deputy treasurer of a municipality within the jurisdiction of a board.

The following persons are disqualified from being elected to school board office:

• Any person not eligible to vote in the municipality; or
• An employee of a school board unless he or she takes an unpaid leave of absence before being nominated, and resigns, if elected to the office; or
• A judge of any court; or
• A member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, a Senator or a member of the House of Commons; or
• An inmate of a penal or correctional institution under sentence of imprisonment; or
• A person disqualified for violations of financial requirements or violations of requirements for filing financial information.

*Forms will be added to the website as they become available