Candidate Information 2026

To be eligible to run for the office of Mayor, Deputy Mayor, or Councillor, you must be:

• A Canadian citizen;
• At least eighteen (18) years of age;
• A resident of the the Municipality of Leamington; or own or lease property (or be the spouse of the owner or tenant) in the Municipality of Leamington;
• Not legally prohibited from voting; and
• Not disqualified from holding office by any legislation

Disqualified Persons

The following people are disqualified from holding the office of Mayor, Deputy Mayor, or Councillor:

• A judge of any court
• A member of the Provincial Legislature, the Federal House of Commons or Senate who has not resigned from their office by the close of nominations. Proof of resignation must be provided by the close of nominations; or
• A candidate who failed to file the necessary financial statement or exceeded the prescribed spending limit in the last municipal election or by-election

To be eligible to run for the office of School Board Trustee, you must be:

• A Canadian citizen;
• At least eighteen (18) years of age;
• A resident in the area of jurisdiction of the applicable board;
• Not legally prohibited from voting; and
• Not disqualified from holding municipal office by any legislation

Disqualified Persons

The following people are disqualified from running for the office of school board trustee, or from holding office on any school board:

• A Clerk, Deputy Clerk, Treasurer or Deputy Treasurer of any municipality within the area of jurisdiction of the school board except those on an unpaid leave of absence
• A member of the Provincial Legislature, the Federal House of Commons or Senate who has not resigned from their office by the close of nominations. Proof of resignation must be provided by the close of nominations
• A candidate who failed to file the necessary financial statement or exceeded the prescribed spending limit in the last municipal election or by-election

School Board Employees

• Employees of any school board (including supply teachers) are disqualified from being elected as school board trustee or from holding office on any school board, except during a leave of absence.
• The employee must be on a leave of absence before filing their nomination paper. Documentation proving leave of absence is required.

Area of Jurisdiction 

If you want to run for School Board Trustee, you must live within that applicable School Board's area of jurisdiction. 

To become a candidate in the 2026 Municipal and School Board Election, you are required to file your nomination in person with the Clerk or their designate. The first day to file a nomination is Friday, May 1, 2026, and thereafter, candidates may file nominations on any business day (Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm) until Nomination Day.

On Nomination Day, Friday, August 21, 2026, nominations may be filed between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm.

To file a nomination, you must submit the following:

1. A completed Nomination Paper - Form 1
2. An Endorsement of Nomination - Form 2 containing at least twenty-five (25) original signatures (applicable for the offices of Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and Councillor only)
The applicable nomination filing fee (to be paid by cash, debit, certified cheque or money order, made payable to the Municipality of Leamington)
• $200.00 for Mayor
• $100.00 for Deputy Mayor, Councillor, or School Board Trustee
3. An acceptable piece of identification 

Original signatures are required on all forms. Digital signatures are not acceptable. 

If an agent is filing a nomination on behalf of a candidate, the agent must provide all of the above, express written authorization from the candidate for whom they are filing, as well as their own identification. 

Appointments for nominations are required. To schedule a nomination appointment, email clerks@leamigton.ca or call 519-326-5761 ext. 1127. Please note that appointments last approximately thirty minutes and are scheduled on a first come, first served basis.

Candidates filing a nomination must present valid acceptable identification (ID) showing name, qualifying Municipality of Leamington address and signature. This can be one piece of ID or a combination of two pieces of ID.

Examples of acceptable ID showing name, qualifying Leamington address and signature, include:

• Ontario Driver’s Licence
• Ontario Health Card (photo card with address)
• Ontario Motor Vehicle Permit (plate portion)
• Cancelled personalized cheque
• Mortgage, lease or rental agreement
• Insurance policy
• Loan or financial agreement with a financial institution
• Document issued or certified by a court in Ontario
• Any other document from the government of Canada, Ontario or a municipality in Ontario or from an agency of such a government
• Any document from a Band Council in Ontario established under the Indian Act (Canada)

The following forms may be downloaded from the Ontario government website at the links provided below. The Forms are provided in a fillable format so you may complete them on your computer before printing. 

• Nomination Paper - Form 1
• Endorsement of Nomination - Form 2
• Financial Statement - Auditor's Report Candidate - Form 4
• Financial Statement – Subsequent Expenses Form 5
• Notice of Extension of Campaign Period – Form 6
• Notice of Registration - Third Party - Form 7
• Financial Statement - Auditor's Report Third Party - Form 8

The following are various election guides that will assist in running for Municipal Council or School Board elections. 

• 2026 Candidates' Guide for Ontario Municipal Council and School Board Elections
• 2026 Guide for Third Party Advertisers
• 2026 Voters' Guide for Ontario Municipal Council and School Board Elections
• 2025-2027 Municipal Elections Calendar

Running for Municipal Office as an Underrepresented Candidate - Free Online Course

Potential candidates may register for Running for Municipal Office--Everything You Need to Know as an Underrepresented Candidate, an online workshop presented by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO). Focused specifically on underrepresented candidates, this 90-minute workshop provides useful insights and strategies to support you in getting your name on the ballot. 

Course content covers:

• What to expect running as an underrepresented candidate 

• Critical strategies for successfully campaigning for municipal office

• Understand what it takes to become a candidate

• Identifying your target audience

• Developing effective messaging and branding, 

• Utilizing community engagement practices to enhance visibility and support

 For further details on the course and contact information, please visit the AMO website. 

Healthy Democracy Leaders Series: Stronger Leaders, Stronger Communities - Free Workshop

Join AMO’s new online workshop series for leaders seeking re-election or first-time aspiring candidates—offered at no charge for participants Stronger Leaders, Stronger Communities is designed to equip you with the tools, resilience, and confidence to meet these challenges head-on — and to rediscover the purpose that brought you to public service in the first place. This workshop series is being offered in two streams:

Stream 1: For elected officials at the municipal level across Ontario who are considering re-election in 2026 and preparing their path forward.

Stream 2: For community members considering a run for municipal office in 2026—first-time candidates who want to build confidence before launching a campaign. Civic-minded leaders who want to explore whether elected office is right for them.

What you’ll gain by attending these sessions:

• Clarity of Purpose: reconnect with your values and what drives you to serve 
• Resilience in Conflict: handle tough situations with skill and confidence
• Personal Wellbeing: prevent burnout and create sustainable leadership practices
• Stronger Communication: inspire trust and mobilize authentic community support
• Practical Tools & Resources: customized workbooks, scripts, and templates you can use immediately
• Peer Connection: build relationships with others also preparing to run in 2026

Stream 1: 

• May 7, 2026 

Stream 2: 

• May 19, 2026

For more workshop details visit the AMO website. 

An Information Session for Youth Considering Running for Municipal Office

Are you a youth interested in running for municipal council in October 2026? The Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) is offering a series of workshops for young people thinking about running for municipal office in the October 2026 elections.

These sessions will provide insights and strategies to build your understanding and confidence around how to become a candidate and running a campaign.

You will gain firsthand insight into:

• What to expect running as a candidate and as young person 
• Critical strategies for successfully campaigning for municipal office
• Understand what it takes to become a candidate
• Strategies for engagement including communication
• And more!

Date:

• Wednesday, April 15, 6:30-8:00PM

For more details visit the AMO website.