Candidates

Nominations

• Nomination for the 2026 municipal election opens on Friday, May 1, 2026. Nomination paperwork must be filed with the Clerk by 2:00 p.m. on Friday, August 21, 2026. 
• Candidates are required to make an appointment to file their nomination as well as pay a fee of $100 ($200 for head of council) and obtain 25 endorsement signatures when submitting a nomination.  
• Eligible candidates for municipal elections must be:
  • A Canadian citizen who is at least 18 years old
  • A resident of the municipality, a non-resident owner or tenant of land in the municipality, or the spouse of such non-resident owner or tenant
  • Not legally prohibited from voting and not disqualified by any legislation from holding municipal office.

Who can run for Council?

To run for a position on Huron East Council you must be eligible to vote in Huron East. On the day you file your nomination for office, you must

• Be a Canadian citizen,
• At least 18 years old,
• And qualify as a resident or non-resident elector. 

If you are eligible to run in the Huron East municipal election, you do not need to live in a specific ward to seek election as a Councillor. Candidates may file nomination papers for only one office. If you submit a nomination for another office after already filing, the earlier nomination is automatically withdrawn when the new one is filed.

The role of Council

The Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has published a document called, "The Municipal Councillor's Guide." This guide provides an overview of the many duties and challenges elected officials at the municipal level face.

Please note that if you choose to run in a ward where you do not reside, you will not be able to vote for yourself in that ward. Having a business or campaign office in a ward where you would not otherwise be eligible to vote does not make you eligible to vote there.

During the next municipal election, Huron East voters will elect the following offices:

• Mayor 
• Municipal Councillors for Brussels (2), Grey (2), McKillop (2), Seaforth (2), and Tuckersmith (2) Wards
• School Board Trustees 

The Mayor is elected at large, while the Councillor offices are elected by ward (only those residing in each ward vote for the ward offices).

Mayor

The Municipal Councillor's Guide is the source of this abbreviated description for the role of head of Council, which in the Municipality of Huron East is referred to as the Mayor:

• To act as the municipality's chief executive officer;
• To preside over council meetings such that business is carried out both efficiently and effectively;
• To provide leadership to the council;
• To provide information/recommendations to council on policies, practices, procedures, to ensure transparency and accountability; and,
• To represent the municipality at official functions

The Mayor of Huron East has special powers and duties under Part VI.1 of the Municipal Act. For more information, please view the Mayoral Decisions page.

Councillors

This abbreviated description for the role of Councillor is based on the Municipal Councillor's Guide:

• To represent the public and to consider the well-being and interests of the municipality;
• To develop and evaluate the policies and programs of the municipality;
• To determine which services the municipality provides;
• To maintain the financial integrity of the municipality;
• To ensure that administrative policies practices are in place to implement the decisions of council; and,
• To ensure the accountability and transparency of the operations of the municipality.

Municipal Councillors also sit as members of a number of Advisory Committees. These committees provide Council with recommendations. As a member of municipal council, you would be required to attend meetings of the Committees on which you are a member, and also to attend meetings of the full Municipal Council.

Thinking about running for Council?

If your passion for the community you call home has you thinking about running for Council, these upcoming AMO workshops provide practical tools and insights to help underrepresented and youth candidates step confidently into municipal leadership.

Stronger Leaders, Stronger Communities

This engaging four-part online series is designed for first-time candidates preparing to run in the 2026 municipal elections.

Participants will build the skills, resilience, and confidence needed to lead in today’s municipal environment through sessions focused on finding your purpose, managing conflict and building effective relationships, prioritizing mental health and wellbeing, and turning values into action through movement-building.

Dates:

• Session 1 - Tuesday, June 16, 2026, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
• Session 2 - Tuesday, June 23, 2026, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
• Session 3 - Thursday, June 25, 2026, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
• Session 4 - Tuesday, June 30, 2026, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

For more information and to register, visit AMO's website.

Stepping into Municipal Leadership: Youth

If you are a youth interested in running for municipal council in October 2026, we have a workshop for you! 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.

• 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!

Dates:

• Tuesday, June 2, 2026, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

For more information and to register, visit AMO's website.

Navigating Conflict Relationships as an Elected Official 2026

This training is an opportunity to gain skills in building collaborative relationships and negotiating difficult ones in your role as an elected municipal official.

Elected officials run for municipal office for a variety of reasons which include providing leadership, stewardship and improving their local communities.  

However municipal life is very much a people-oriented business, meaning elected representatives must engage in and build a wide variety of relationships with constituents, municipal staff, other elected officials, other orders of government and community organizations to name a few.

Not all relationships are smooth sailing and conflicts are inevitable. Sometimes the waters become choppy especially when navigating challenging relationships and conflict situations.

Having conflict-free and collaborative relationships can play a significant role in helping locally elected officials carry out their collective responsibilities as decision-makers of their communities.

During this 2-part virtual, interactive workshop, we will explore the constructs, traps and pitfalls of conflict relationships, why relationships may go wrong and how to approach, plan and execute relationships successfully using practical tips, tools and real-world examples.

Dates:

• Wednesday, May 13 & Thursday, May 14, 2026, 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

For more information and to register, visit AMO's website.

An Information Session for Urban Indigenous Peoples Considering Running for Municipal Office

If you are an urban Indigenous person interested in running for municipal council in, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) is offering a series of workshops for urban Indigenous peoples 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.

Facilitated by Melanie Pilon, the first Indigenous Mayor of Municipality of Wawa and member of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory and William Morin, member of Michipicoten First Nation and founder and leader of The First Peoples National Party of Canada (2004-2013), you will gain firsthand insight into:

• Why increasing Indigenous representation matters in Municipal governance?
• Critical strategies for successfully campaigning for municipal office
• Understand what it takes to become a candidate
• Strategies to build confidence to lead with cultural integrity
• And more!

Dates:

• Wednesday, May 6, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, June 3, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

For more information and to register, visit AMO's website.

Workshop for Underrepresented Candidates

Led by former municipal leaders, this session provide practical guidance and insider perspectives for those from underrepresented communities, while remaining open to all participants.

The workshop explore what it takes to become a candidate, key strategies for running a successful campaign, how to develop effective messaging, and ways to use community engagement to build visibility and support.

Date:  Tuesday, June 9, 2026, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

For more information and to register, visit AMO's website.

Election resources

For more information about municipal elections:

• Municipal Elections Act, 1996 
• Education Act, 1990
• Election Modernization Act, 2016
• Voters’ guide for Ontario municipal council and school board elections
• Candidates’ guide for Ontario municipal council and school board elections
• Guide for third party advertisers – Ontario municipal council and school board elections
• Huron East Code of Conduct
• Lead Where You Live: a guide to running for municipal council - Association of Municipalities of Ontario
• Local Democracy Solutions Bank - Association of Municipalities of Ontario