There are less than two weeks to go for candidates to throw their name into the ring for the 2018 Ontario municipal elections.
Those looking to run in one of the province’s 444 municipalities have until July 27 at 2 p.m. to do so.
READ MORE: Municipal election candidates in Ontario can register to run on May 1
Candidates who wish to enter must be eligible to vote in the municipality they are filing in, be 18 years of age or older on the day they file to run and be a Canadian citizen.
For those running as a councillor or school board trustee, a prospective candidate does not have to live in or own a business in the constituency they wish to run. But they will not be eligible to cast a ballot if that’s the case. Also, a candidate can’t run for two offices at once. For example, they couldn’t run to be mayor and councillor in the same election.
It’s important to those a candidate can’t file paperwork to run if they are a municipal employee who has not taken a leave of absence, a judge, a MP, a MPP, a senator or an inmate currently serving time in a penal or correctional institution.
READ MORE: New website allows Ontarians to see if they are eligible to vote in municipal elections
When filing, candidates must bring a completed nomination form, a completed endorsement form and the nomination fee.
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A candidate who receives campaign contributions will also need to set up a separate bank account to keep track of expenses. Any funds from the candidate or their spouse also need to be recorded.
If a person wants to run in a municipality with more than 4,000 voters, they will need to collect 25 signatures from registered electors endorsing their nomination.
READ MORE: Ontario municipalities allowed to use ranked ballots after legislation passes
If you decide to withdraw your nomination, you must notify the clerk in writing by the July 27 nomination deadline. The same deadline exists for removing a name from the ballot.
Voters will go to the polls on Oct. 22. The last municipal elections were on Oct. 27, 2014.
*With files from Nick Westoll
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