What are the Qualifications for Mayor & Councillor?

To run for mayor or councillor, on the day the nomination paper is filed, a person must be:

• a Canadian citizen
• at least 18 years of age
• a resident of the Municipality of Meaford, or
• an owner or tenant of land in the Municipality of Meaford, or the spouse of the owner or tenant
• not legally prohibited from voting
• not disqualified by any legislation from holding municipal office

Who cannot be a Mayor or council candidate

The following people are disqualified from being elected as a member of council, or from holding office as a member of council:

• 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 the Clerk will not certify the nomination
• a candidate who failed to file the necessary financial statement or exceeded the prescribed spending limit in the last municipal election or by-election

What are the Qualifications for School Board Trustee?

To run for any of the four school boards on the day the nomination paper is filed, a person must be:

• a Canadian citizen
• at least 18 years of age
• a resident in the area of jurisdiction* of the board
• not legally prohibited from voting
• not disqualified by any legislation from holding municipal office

Who cannot be a School Board Trustee candidate

The following people are disqualified from being elected as a school board trustee, or from holding office on any school board:

• a clerk, treasurer, deputy-clerk 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 or the Clerk will not certify the nomination
• 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.
• They must provide the Clerk with documentation showing that they have taken the leave of absence and the effective date.

School Boards in the Municipality of Meaford

The following is a list of the School Boards for which qualified electors will be entitled to vote unless there are acclamations.  Non-resident electors will be entitled to vote for school boards if their qualifying property is residential.  Non-residential commercial or industrial property electors are not eligible to vote for school boards but are entitled to vote for other municipal officers or questions.

• Bluewater District School Board (English public)
• Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board (English separate)
• Conseil scolaire Viamonde (French public)
• Conseil scolaire catholique Providence (French separate)

If you wish to run for school board trustee, you must live in the jurisdiction. 

Nomination Period

Candidates can begin filing their Nomination Papers on Monday May 2 at 8:30 am and can be submitted up until Friday August 19, at 2:00 p.m.

Nominations must be filed in person at the Administration Office (21 Trowbridge Street West) as original signatures are required. Candidates are strongly encouraged book an appointment to file their nomination, and can do so by calling 519-538-1060, ext. 1100. 

Filing a Nomination 

To run for the office of mayor, councillor or school board trustee candidates must file a prescribed Nomination Paper. Candidates cannot raise or spend any money on their campaign until this nomination paper is filed.

Nomination Papers must be filed by the candidate, in person, or by an agent acting on the candidate’s behalf at:

Municipality of Meaford’s Administrative Office
21 Trowbridge Street West
Meaford ON
N4L 1A1

Nomination Papers must be filed during regular office hours. The Nomination Paper may not be faxed, mailed or emailed, as an original signature is required. If an agent of the candidate is filing the Nomination Paper, the form must be fully completed by the candidate prior to filing.  The candidate or the agent filing the nomination paper will be required to present proof of identity.

Nomination Papers will be available online and can be picked up at 21 Trowbridge Street West, Meaford ON N4L beginning Monday May 2, at 8:30 a.m.

The following four documents are required at the time of filing:

• Nomination Paper (Form 1)
• Endorsement of Nominations (Form 2) 
• The Declaration of Qualification (Form CAN01)
• Candidates Consent to Release Personal Information (Form CAN03) 

In addition, photo identification is required and the prescribed filing fee ($200 for Head of Council or $100 for all other positions paid in cash, debit, certified cheque, or money order made payable to the Municipality of Meaford).  The documents may be signed by you in front of the Returning Officer or delegate at the time of filing, or you may choose to have the Declaration signed elsewhere in front of a Commissioner of Oaths and filed by someone you have appointed in writing to be your agent.  The agent will be responsible for providing proof of agency, all four documents listed above, the fee and the candidate’s identification.

Nominations will be accepted at during regular office hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) at the Municipal Office from Monday May 2, 2022 to Thursday August 18, 2022 and between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Friday August 19, 2022 (Nomination Day) at 21 Trowbridge Street West, Meaford.

Prospective candidates must book an appointment to file their nomination papers. To book an appointment, contact:

Margaret Wilton-Siegel
Deputy Clerk / Manager, Legislative Services
Phone: 519-538-1060 ext. 1100

Note: Nomination Papers are public documents and are available for inspection in the Clerk’s Office.

Please note the deadline for filing nomination papers is Friday, August 19, at 2:00 p.m., as well as the deadline to withdraw.

The Clerk or designate will administer the necessary oaths.

Endorsement of Nominations for Mayor or Councillor

The nomination papers of a candidate running for the office of mayor or councillor must be submitted with a declaration of qualification from each of the eligible electors endorsing their nomination.

At least 25 people must endorse a candidate’s nomination for the office of mayor or councillor. Those endorsing a nomination must be eligible to vote as of the day he or she signs the prescribed declaration of qualifications form.

Filing Fees

As noted above, candidates must pay a filing fee when they submit their Nomination Papers. These fees must be paid at the time of filing - by cash, debit, credit card, certified cheque or money order.

• The filing fee for a candidate running for Mayor is $200.
• The filing fee for a candidate running for Deputy Mayor, Councillor or school board Trustee is $100.

Nomination filing fees are refundable if the candidate’s financial statement and auditor’s report are filed on or before Friday, March 31, 2023, at 2 p.m.

Nomination Papers for School Boards

Nomination papers for school boards must be obtained and filed at the appropriate Municipal Office for the following offices:

(1) School Board Trustee – English Public (Municipality of Meaford)

(1) School Board Trustee – English Separate (City of Owen Sound)

(1) School Board Trustee – French Public (City of Barrie)

(1) School Board Trustee – French Separate (City of Sarnia)

Withdrawing a Nomination

If you no longer wish to run in a municipal election, you must file a Withdrawal of Nomination (Form CAN04) in person before Friday August 19, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. Candidates cannot withdraw after the nomination period has closed.

The candidate will still be required to submit a financial statement (due no later than Friday, March 31, 2023, at 2:00 p.m.) covering all financial transactions up to the time of the withdrawal.

Changing Office

If, after filing a nomination for an office on Council or any of the school boards, you wish to run for a different office, you must:

• file the Withdrawal of Nomination (Form CAN04) for the old office
• at the same time, file a Nomination Paper for the new office*
• pay the nomination filing fee for the new office

*For mayor, deputy mayor or councillor candidates, you are not required to submit additional declaration of endorsements – the ones you submitted for the first office are transferred to the second office.

If the nomination filing fee is the same for the new office, no extra payment is required. If the nomination filing fee is different for the new office, the difference must be paid, if applicable.

Note: the filing fee is not refunded until you file the financial statement by the deadline date

Campaign finances

The two offices (campaigns) are separate and contributions and expenses cannot be transferred from one to the other.

If you plan to incur expenses or accept contributions, you must open a separate bank account for each campaign.

A contributor’s total contribution cannot exceed $1,200 for both campaigns for councillor or school board trustee candidates or $2,500 for mayoralty candidates.

Financial statement

You will be required to file a financial statement for each campaign.

The withdrawn campaign will show all financial activity from the day the nomination paper is filed until the day the withdrawal is filed.

The current campaign will show all financial activity from the day the nomination paper is filed until the end of the campaign period.

Scrutineers

Appointment of Scrutineers

A candidate may appoint scrutineers to represent them at polling stations, during the verification of vote by mail ballots and during the counting of the ballots.

The appointment shall be made using the “Appointment of Scrutineer” (Form CAN05). The forms to appoint scrutineers must be signed by the candidate in person at the Municipal Office. The candidate shall provide this signed form to their scrutineer.

Rights and Prohibitions of Scrutineers

Each scrutineer shall be responsible for his/her conduct, rights and prohibitions as set out on the applicable appointment form.

A person appointed as a scrutineer, before being admitted to the polling station or count centre, shall show his/her applicable appointment form and provide proof of identity and residence as prescribed in O. Reg. 304/13 to the Election official.

Not more than one scrutineer representing each candidate may attend a polling station at one time, including at the opening and the closing of the poll. The scrutineer/candidate must take an “Oral Oath of Secrecy” (Form POLL01) at the polling station.

Not more than one scrutineer representing each candidate may attend the verification of vote by mail ballots at one time. Each candidate or scrutineer present at the verification of vote by mail ballots must take an “Oral Oath of Secrecy” (Form POLL01).

Not more than two scrutineers representing each candidate may attend the count centre at one time. Additional scrutineers may be in the public areas of the building where the count centre is located.

Campaigning 

Election Signs

Candidates should refer to the Municipality’s Election Sign By-law 2018-50 and Grey County Corporate Procedure MS-TS-005-001, Advertising Sign Permit for specific details.

A sign permit or a permit application is not required for election signs.

Signs can be displayed no sooner than Friday, August 26, 2022. All election signs must be removed by the candidate or the candidate’s representative by Saturday, October 29, 2022.

No person shall display a logo, trademark or official mark on any election sign. The name of the candidate responsible for the sign must be clearly visible on the sign.

Vandalism

The investigation or prosecution for any acts of vandalism to the posters or campaign material of the candidates should be referred to the local police force by the complainant. The Municipality or any of its municipal officers, employees or agents will not be responsible.

Key Dates

Monday May 2

• First day to file a nomination paper for the offices of Mayor, Councillor and School Board Trustee
• once the nomination paper is filed with the Clerk, the candidate can start raising and spending money on their campaign
• preliminary spending limit provided to candidates
• preliminary contribution limit provided to candidates running for Mayor and Councillor (does not apply to School Board Trustee candidates)

Friday, August 19 at 2 p.m.

• Deadline for candidates to:
• file a nomination
• withdraw a nomination
• change office

Monday August 22

• Clerk will certify candidate nomination papers
• Final spending limits provided to candidates and registered third party advertisers
• Final self-contribution limit provided to candidates running for Mayor and Councillor (does not apply to School Board Trustee candidates)
• Election Day 

Friday, September 23

• Final spending limits provided to candidates and registered third party advertisers
• Final self-contribution limit provided to candidates running for Mayor and Councillor (does not apply to School Board Trustee candidates)

Monday, October 24

• Election Day 

Additional Resources for Candidates 

2022 Candidates’ Guide for Ontario Municipal Council & School Board Elections

On April 22, 2022, Grey County and its member municipalities hosted an information session for prospective candidates and third party advertisers. The session presentations and recording are available at the links below:

• YouTube link for session
• Presentation from Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC)
• Presentation from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH)
• Presentation from the County of Grey
• Candidate Info Session Q&A