2026 Municipal Election

Are you thinking about running for Council in 2026?  Here is your opportunity to become informed, inspired, and prepared.

Join us for the Candidate Information Workshop on Wednesday, March 25, 2026 at 7:00 pm at Aboyne Hall, Wellington County Museum and Archives, 0536 Wellington Road 18, Fergus, ON

This session is perfect for:
• Potential candidates
• Spouses or partners
• Anyone curious about how local government really works

Guest speakers include municipal experts John Mascarin, Aird & Berlis LLP and Kelly Linton, former Mayor of Centre Wellington and Municipal Consultant who will provide an understanding of Council’s roles and responsibilities and explain the impact on your personal and family life.

Topics include:
• Municipal powers
• Governance vs. administration
• Conflict of interest
• The public’s role
• What to expect as an elected official

Candidate Information Workshop Poster

Presentation from Kelly Linton

Nominations Open - May 1, 2026

Nomination Day - August 21, 2026

Voting Opens - October 13 - tentatively

Election Day - October 26, 2026

Election Results Declared - October 27, 2026

In accordance with the Municipal Elections Act , the Municipal Clerk is responsible for the municipal and school board elections every four years for the offices of:

• Mayor
• Ward Councillors (Township of Centre Wellington Wards 1 to 6)
• County Councillors (County of Wellington Wards 5 and 6)
• 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)

School Board Elections are subject to change pending Provincial Legislation. 

What is a Third Party Advertising?

Third party advertising refers to advertisements or other materials that support, promote or oppose a candidate, or support, promote or oppose a “yes or “no” answer to a question on the ballot.

Third party advertising is separate from any candidate's campaign, and must be done independently from a candidate. Any advertisements or materials that are made and distributed by a candidate, or under a candidate's direction, are part of the candidate's campaign.

Third party advertising is a way for those outside of the candidate's campaign to express support or opposition to candidates and to try to persuade voters to vote a certain way.

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

What is not a third party advertisement?

Activities that do not involve spending money, such as discussions or expressing an opinion about a candidate are not considered to be third party advertising. Examples include:

· Speaking to friends and neighbours
· Posting on social media, such as twitter, facebook or Instagram
· Sending an email to a group or mailing list. 

Who can be a third party advertiser?

Only those who have registered can spend money on third party advertising. The following are eligible to register as a third party advertiser:

· any person who is a resident in Ontario
· a corporation carrying on business in Ontario
· a trade union that holds bargaining rights for employee in Ontario 

Who cannot be a third party advertiser?

A candidate running for any municipal council or school board office cannot registered to be a third party advertiser in any municipality.

Groups, associations or businesses that are not corporations are not eligible to registered and may not spend money on third party advertising in municipal elections. For example, neighbourhood associations, clubs or professional associations cannot register and cannot make contributions to third party advertisers. Members may register as individual third party advertisers and may contribute individually.
Registration

An individual, corporation or trade union must registered with the Municipal Clerk to be a third party advertiser in a municipality by completing a Notice of Registration – Third Party – Form 7. Being registered in a municipality allows the third party to advertise to the voters in that municipality. A third party advertiser can support or oppose any candidate or candidates who will be voted on by the people in that municipality. This includes candidates running for local council, school trustee and candidates running for offices on an upper tier council.

The Province has prepared the 2022 Third Party Advertisers' Guide. This guide provides information to those who want to register as third party advertisers for the 2022 municipal council and school board elections. It is not meant to replace provincial legislation. It provides general information about the rules contained in the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 and other legislation and regulations

2022 Notice of Third Party Registration

Please note - Third Party Advertisers' Guide and Registration will be updated when the 2026 versions become available. 

Each municipality and school board must appoint a Compliance Audit Committee (CAC). The role of the Compliance Audit Committee is to receive and make decisions on applications for compliance audits of candidates' and registered third party election campaign finances. The CAC is also responsible for reviewing reports submitted by the Clerk with respect to any contributor who appears to have contravened any of the contribution limits to a candidate's election campaign or to a registered third party election campaign.

Join the Joint Compliance Audit Committee