The Township of West Lincoln is holding a Municipal By-election on November 4, 2024, for the Office of one Councillor position in Ward 3. Please check this page regularly for updates.
The Council vacancy was declared at the June 24 Council meeting in accordance with section 259(c) of the Municipal Act.
The process to fill a vacancy via by-election is regulated by the Municipal Elections Act. A by-election is conducted following the same rules as a regular election, with the exception of some unique time frames and deadlines.
Election accessibility plan |
The Township of West Lincoln is dedicated to removing barriers and providing an accessible election. The By-law to conduct a by-election is expected to be adopted at the August 12 Council (including all Committees) meeting. Please check back on August 13 for information about the Township's 2024 Ward 3 By-election Accessibility Plan. |
Nomination process |
Please note that the nomination period has not yet begun. To run for Ward 3 Councillor in the 2024 Municipal By-election, you must file nomination papers with the Office of the Clerk, located at 318 Canborough Street, in Smithville. You must gather at least 25 endorsements from eligible voters in West Lincoln. |
How to file a nomination |
A potential candidate must file nomination papers along with the filing fee ($100) prior to receiving any campaign contributions and/or expending any funds on their campaign. Nominations must be filed in person with the Office of the Township Clerk. Please call 905-957-3346 or email in order to book an appointment. To file a nomination, you must provide:
If an agent is filing a nomination on your behalf, the agent must provide the above documents as well as their own identification. The agent must also provide a letter authorizing them to file a nomination on your behalf with your original signature. Candidate information packages will be made available at the Clerk's Office by August 13, 2024. These packages will include additional forms that may need to be filled out at the time of filing the nomination. Please call or email to make an appointment prior to filing your nomination. |
Candidate eligibility |
To qualify as a candidate you must be:
You are not eligible to run as a candidate if you are:
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Voter registration |
Use the Voter Registration application to complete any of the following:
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Who can vote |
You can vote in West Lincoln's Ward 3 By-election if you are a Canadian citizen and:
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Who cannot vote |
You are prohibited from voting if you are:
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How to vote |
The By-law to conduct a by-election is expected to be adopted at the August 12 Council (including all Committees) meeting. Please check back on August 13 for information about how to vote in the 2024 Ward 3 By-election. |
By-laws and policies |
The By-law to conduct a by-election is expected to be adopted at the August 12 Council (including all Committees) meeting. Please check back on August 13 for a list of relevant By-laws and Policies pertaining to the 2024 Ward 3 By-election. |
Eligibility |
You're eligible to register as a third party advertiser if you are:
You are not eligible to register as a third party advertiser if you are:
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Types of third-party advertisers |
CorporationsIf you’re registering on behalf of a corporation you must provide:
If the corporation has more than one director, provide a resolution from the board authorizing you to act as the corporation’s representative. If the same people or person own or control multiple corporations, or if one corporation controls another, only one corporation can register as a third party advertiser. IndividualsIf you’re registering as an individual, you must provide a piece of identification that proves your identity and that you live in Ontario. There is no restriction against family members or campaign staff of candidates registering to be third party advertisers. However, third party advertising must be done independently of the candidate. If a person with close ties to a candidate wishes to register they should consider:
Trade unionsIf you are registering on behalf of a trade union, you must provide:
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Registration process |
Please note that the registration period has not yet begun. An individual, corporation or trade union must register with the Township Clerk to be a third party advertiser in a municipality. Being registered in a municipality allows the third party to advertise to the voters in that municipality. A third party advertiser can support or oppose any candidate or candidates who will be voted on by the people in that municipality. This includes candidates running for local council, school trustee and candidates running for offices on an upper tier council. Third party registrations may be filed in the Township of West Lincoln Clerk Office, 318 Canborough Street, Smithville. A third party must be qualified at the time of filing the registration. To advertise in more than one municipality, you must register in each municipality you want to advertise. There is no registration fee for third party advertisers. |
What is a third-party advertisement? |
A third-party advertisement is a message in any medium (billboard, newspaper, radio, other materials, etc.) paid for by an individual, corporation or trade union that supports, promotes or opposes a candidate or a “yes” or “no” vote on a question on the ballot. Third party advertising does not include issues-based advertising so groups that do public outreach can continue their issued-based advocacy work throughout a municipal election period. These types of ads are paid for by a third party group, not the candidates themselves. Any eligible individual, corporation or trade union that intends to spend money on advertising must register as a third party advertiser. Third party advertisers must register with the Municipality in order to advertise during the municipal election. |
What is the campaign period for third-party advertisers? |
The campaign period begins on the day the individual, corporation or trade union registers with the municipality and ends 45 days after voting day in the case of a by-election. |
What information must third-party advertisers include? |
Registered third parties must identify themselves and provide mandatory information on all advertising. Third party advertisements must contain the following information:
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What is a contribution? |
A contribution shall not be made to or accepted by an individual, corporation or trade union in relation to third party advertisements that appear during an election in a municipality, or made to or accepted by an individual acting under his, her, their or its direction, unless the individual, corporation or trade union is a registered third party in relation to the election in the municipality. No contribution shall be made to or accepted outside the campaign period. |
The following dates are pending the adoption of the By-law to conduct a by-election.
Joint Compliance Audit Committee Information |
The Municipal Elections Act requires each municipality and school board in Ontario to establish a compliance audit committee to consider compliance audit applications. The by-law to conduct a by-election is expected to be adopted at the August 12 Council (including all Committees) meeting. Please check back on August 13 for more information about the Joint Compliance Audit Committee. |