Information for Candidates

• 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 ensure that administrative policies, practices and procedures and controllership policies, practices and procedures are in place to implement the decisions of council;
• To ensure the accountability and transparency of the operations of the municipality, including the activities of the senior management of the municipality;
• To maintain the financial integrity of the municipality; and
• To carry out the duties of council under this or any other Act.

• To act as Chief Executive Officer of the municipality; 
• Preside over council meetings so that its business can be carried out efficiently and effectively;
• To provide leadership to Council;
• Without limiting clause, to provide information and recommendations to the council with respect to the role of council described in clauses 224 (d) and (d.1) of the Municipal Act;
• To represent the municipality at official functions; and
• To carry out the duties of the head of council under this or any other Act.

As Chief Executive Officer of the municipality, the Head of Council shall:

• uphold and promote the purposes of the municipality;
• promote public involvement in the municipality’s activities;
• act as the representative of the municipality both within and outside the municipality, and promote the municipality locally, nationally and internationally; and
• participate in and foster activities that enhance the economic, social and environmental well-being of the municipality and its residents.

Municipal decisions, however, are made by council as a whole. Generally speaking, the Mayor does not have any more power than any other member of council to make decisions on behalf of the municipality. Each member of council only has one vote.

• Attendance at municipal functions and ceremonies;
• Community groups meetings like associations, or charity groups
• Individual constituent meetings
• Committees of Council

• Any person not eligible to vote in the municipality;
• A judge of any court;
• A member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, a Senator or a member of the House of Commons; or
• An inmate of a penal or correctional institution under sentence of imprisonment.
• Any person who by reason of any violations of the election campaign financial requirements or violations for not filling the financial statements pursuant to the Municipal Elections Act, 1996.

Employees of the Town of Minto who wish to run for Mayor, Deputy Mayor or Councillor must take an unpaid leave of absence before filing a nomination paper. The employee must provide a copy of the documentation from Human Resources showing that they have taken the leave of absence and the effective date. Persons appointed by bylaw to certain legislated positions of the Municipality may be required to resign or have the bylaw amended before filing a nomination (example: Line Fence Viewers, Livestock Investigators, etc…)

Before you file your nomination paper consider the following suggestions:

• Read this website (You’re off to a good start!)
• Read the Ministry of Municipal Affairs Candidates’ Guide (under Resources)
• Read the Ontario Education Services Corporation Guide for School Board Trustees (under Resources)
• Talk to former and current members of elected office
• Review the Municipal Elections Act
• Make yourself aware of the financial responsibilities and reporting requirements, campaign roles, potential penalties, the public nature of all documentation submitted to the Clerk’s Office for a campaign.
• Attend a free Candidate Information Session hosted by the Municipalities of the County of Wellington on Thursday April 21 at 7:00PM at the Aboyne Hall in Fergus (poster above)

A person may be nominated for an office by filing a nomination in the Clerk’s Office, in person or by an agent.

25 Endorsement Signatures Required: The nomination for an office on Council must be endorsed and signed by at least 25 persons:

• Each person who signs the candidate’s endorsement may endorse more than one nomination;
• All persons endorsing a nomination must be eligible to vote in an election for an office within the Town of Minto, if a regular election was held on the day that the person endorses the nomination;
• Endorsements must be completed and signed on Form 2 (print multiple copies, as Form 2 only allows for 5 endorsements);
• Collecting more than 25 endorsements is good practice in case one endorsement is completed incorrectly;
• School Board Trustee candidates do not require endorsements.

Requirements for Nomination: The nomination must be completed in full and filed in person by the candidate or an agent of the candidate and includes:

1. Identification for proof of identity (eg: Driver’s Licence, Passport, Birth Certificate, etc.)
2. A completed copy of the Nomination Paper (Form 1)
3. A declaration of qualification (Form 2) from each of the 25 people endorsing the nomination (for Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Council candidates only)
4. The filing fee (see below)

If filing by agent, the agent must present a commissioned Agent Appointment Form

Other documentation and forms that will be submitted by yourself or an agent upon nomination will include:

1. Notice to Returning Officer as to Candidate’s Proper Name
2. Candidate Information Consent Form
3. Notice of Penalties
4. Declaration of Qualifications for Council (if applicable)
5. Declaration of Qualifications for School Board Trustee (if applicable)
6. Declaration of Proper Use of the Voters’ List

The Municipal Elections Act states that all forms and correspondence submitted by the candidate to the Municipal Clerk are deemed to be public documents and can be viewed, at the Municipal Clerk’s Office, during regular business hours.

A nomination package of forms will available for pick up at the Clerk’s Office for all prospective candidates. Packages have not been completed yet. Please check back.

There is a $200.00 filing fee for Mayoral candidates and a $100.00 filing fee for Deputy Mayor, Councillor or School Board Trustee candidates.

The filing fee must be paid when you file your nomination paper and the payment must be:

• Cash
• Certified Cheque or money order payable to “The Town of Minto”
• Debit Card
• No Personal Cheque will be accepted

The filing fee is not considered a campaign expense, but rather, a personal expense, and will be returned to you upon successful filing of your campaign financial statement.