If a person wishes to run as a candidate in the Town of Lincoln municipal election, they must file a nomination paper.
- The first day to file a nomination paper for the 2026 Municipal and School Board Election is is May 1, 2026.
- A person cannot raise or spend money on an election campaign until they have filed their nomination paper.
Nominations
Nominations* must be filed in-person at Town Hall - Clerks as original signatures are required. Appointments can be scheduled by contacting the Town Clerk's office either by email or by phone 905-563.2799 ext. 519
To file a nomination, you must provide:
- Nomination Paper (Form 1)
- Endorsement of Nomination (Form 2) with at least 25 declarations of endorsement (Mayor and Councillor candidates are only required to submit endorsements)
- Current applicable identification (PDF) and proof of Canadian Citizenship
- Nomination filing fee (paid by cash, debit, or certified cheques, money orders and bank drafts must be payable to: The Town of Lincoln)
- The filing fee is $200 for candidates running for Mayor and $100 for Councillors or School Board Trustee candidates
- Election Sign Deposit Application Form (PDF)
- Mayor/Regional Councillor ($250.00)
- Ward Councillor ($150.00)
- Registered Third Party or School Board Trustee ($100.00)
- Nomination fees are refunded to candidates once they file the required financial statement
If an agent is filing a nomination on your behalf, they must provide the above documents and their own identification.
If candidates do not file the required financial statement by the deadline as per the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, they are not eligible to receive a refund.
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 Town of Lincoln or an owner or tenant of land in the Town of Lincoln, or the spouse of the owner or tenant
- Not legally prohibited from voting
- Not disqualified by any legislation from holding Municipal Office
To run for School Board Trustee, on the day the nomination paper is filed, a person must be:
- a resident within the Jurisdiction of the board
- a supporter of the board ("supporter" refers to the individual's support for one of the four publicly funded school systems. A list of supporters for each system is kept by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation).
- a Canadian Citizen
- at least 18 years old
- Roman Catholic (if running for a Catholic School Board)
- not legally prohibited from voting
- not disqualified by any legislation from holding school board office
If you no longer wish to run in the Town of Lincoln Municipal Election, you must advise the Town Clerk in writing before the end of the nomination period. Candidates cannot withdraw after the nomination period has closed.
Candidates who have withdrawn their nomination are still required to file a financial statement.
Advertisers
The Municipal Elections Act, 1996 includes rules for third party advertising.
A third party advertisement is:
- An advertisement in any broadcast, print, electronic or another medium that has the purpose of promoting, supporting or opposing a candidate in the election, or a "yes" or "no" answer to a question on the ballot
A third party advertiser is:
- Any individual, corporation or trade union that causes an election campaign advertisement to appear
- Required to register with the City Clerk of the municipality where they want to advertise
The Third Party Advertisers Guide from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs provides information about voting in Municipal and School Board Elections.
To become a third party advertiser, you must file a completed notice of registration (Form 7) in person at Town Hall in the Clerks department, as original signatures are required.
Appointments can be scheduled by contacting the Town Clerk's office either by email or by phone 905-563-2799 ext. 513
If an agent is filing a nomination on your behalf, the agent must provide the above documents as well as their own identification.
You are eligible to register as a third party advertiser if you are:
- An individual who is normally a resident of Ontario
- A corporation that carries on business in Ontario
- A trade union that holds bargaining rights for employees in Ontario
You are not eligible to register as a third party advertiser if you are:
- A candidate whose nomination has been filed under section 33 of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996
- A federal political party registered under the Canada Elections Act (Canada) or any federal constituency association or registered candidate at a federal election endorsed by that political party
- A provincial political party, constituency association, registered candidate or leadership contestant registered under the Elections Finances Act, 1990
- The Crown in right of Canada or Ontario, a municipality or local board
Finances
- If you plan to incur campaign 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 councillors or school board trustee candidates
Financial statements from candidates and third party advertisers in the 2026 municipal election are available on this page, in accordance with section 88 (9.1) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996.
All candidates and third party advertisers must file their financial statement and auditor's report (if required) on or before March 30, 2027, at 2:00 p.m.
In accordance with section 88.23(4) of the Municipal Elections Act, the Clerk shall make available to the public the following report setting out all candidates in an election and indicating whether each candidate complied with section 88.25.
If you have reasonable grounds to believe that a candidate or third party advertisers has violated the campaign finance rules, please request a compliance audit.
Candidates FAQs
A: 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 Town of Lincoln or an owner or tenant of land in the Town of Lincoln, or the spouse of the owner or tenant
- Not legally prohibited from voting
- Not disqualified by any legislation from holding Municipal Office
A: Nominations must be filed in person at the Office of the Town Clerk, Town Hall, as original signatures are required. To file a nomination, you must provide:
- Nomination Paper (Form 1)
- Endorsement of Nomination (Form 2) with at least 25 declarations of endorsement (Mayor and Councillor candidates are only required to submit endorsements)
- Current applicable identification (PDF) and proof of Canadian Citizenship
- Nomination filing fee (paid by cash, debit, or certified cheques, money orders and bank drafts must be payable to: The Town of Lincoln)
- The filing fee is $200 for candidates running for Mayor and $100 for Councillors or School Board Trustee candidates
- Election Sign Deposit Application Form (PDF)
- Mayor/Regional Councillor ($250.00)
- Ward Councillor ($150.00)
- Registered Third Party or School Board Trustee ($100.00)
- Nomination fees are refunded to candidates once they file the required financial statement
A: Appointments must be made with the Office of the Town Clerk to file nominations.
- Appointments will be available from May 1, 2026 to August 20, 2026 between the hours of 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.
- Candidates who wish to file a nomination on the last Nomination day, August 21, 2026, do not require an appointment. Nomination packages will be accepted at City Hall from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. Packages from candidates who arrive after 2:00 pm on Nomination day will not be accepted.
A: If you no longer wish to run in the Town of Lincoln Municipal Election, you must advise the Town Clerk in writing before the end of the nomination period. Candidates cannot withdraw after the nomination period has closed.
Candidates who have withdrawn their nomination are still required to file a financial statement.
A: Yes, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing publishes guides for candidates, voters and third-party advertisers to provide information about municipal and school board elections. The guides outline rules as described in the Municipal Elections Act and other legislation and regulations.
The three guides for candidates, voters and third party advertisers are now available online at www.ontario.ca/municipalelections and in French at www.ontario.ca/electionsmunicipales.
A: Yes, Candidates are responsible for keeping records of all financial transactions related to their campaign and for filing a Financial Statement - Form 4. A current campaign will show all financial activity from the day the nomination paper is filed until the end of the campaign period.
- Tuesday, March 30, 2027 at 2:00 p.m.: deadline for candidates to file their initial financial statement
- Thursday, April 29, 2027 at 2:00 p.m.: end of 30-day grace period during which candidates can still file their initial financial statement if they pay a $500 late filing fee
There are other deadlines for special circumstances that may be applicable.
You are required to keep all of your campaign financial records until Nov. 15, 2026 when the next council or school board takes office.
A: No. Town logos are the property of the Corporation of the Town of Lincoln and are not permitted to be used in campaign material. Please click here to learn about the Use of Municipal Resources During an Election Campaign Period (PDF)