2024 Ward 3 By-election

Election accessibility plan

The Township of West Lincoln is dedicated to removing barriers and providing an accessible election.

• Municipal Election Accessibility Plan

Certified list of candidates

I, Justin Paylove, Clerk/Returning Officer, advise that during the period commencing on August 13, 2024 and completed on Nomination Day, September 20, 2024, the following persons have filed all necessary nomination papers, endorsements, declarations and fees and are hereby certified candidates.

Ward 3

BONAZZA, Stefanie
EMAIL: stefanieforward3@gmail.com | WEBSITE: stefanieforward3.ca

GILL, Heather
WEBSITE: heathergill.ca

JOYNER, Doug
TELEPHONE: 905-327-3004 | EMAIL: joynerdoug22@gmail.com

MACCHARLES, Gord
TELEPHONE: 289-456-0041 | EMAIL: gord.maccharles@outlook.com

MAYCHAK, Greg
TELEPHONE: 905-536-1100 | EMAIL: info@gregmaychak.ca | WEBSITE: gregmaychak.ca

2024 financial statements

All candidates who participate in the 2024 Ward 3 By-election must file a financial statement (Form 4) by January 20, 2025. This statement details the income and expenses incurred during the candidate's campaign. All financial statements are public documents and are retained by the Clerk until the new council takes office following the next election. The Municipal Elections Act states the Clerk must make financial statements available at no charge for viewing on a website as soon as possible after the document is filed.

If a financial statement was not submitted, the Clerk issues a Notice of Default to the candidate and notifies Council. Candidates in default are ineligible to be elected or appointed to any office to which The Act applies until after the next regular election has taken place.

Clerk's report

Section 88.23(3c) of the Municipal Elections Act requires that in the case of a default, the Clerk make available to the public the name of the candidate and a description of the nature of the default.

2024 By-election Accessibility Report

An accessibility report will be compiled upon the completion of the Township of West Lincoln's Ward 3 By-election.

Notice of default and review of contributions report

Sections 88.23(4) and (5) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 requires the Clerk/Returning Officer to report publicly on all candidates in an election and indicate whether each candidate has complied with the financial statement filing requirements under Section 88.25.

Voter registration

Use Voter Registration to complete any of the following:

• Confirm, update or add your name and/or home address to the voters list;

• Change your name on the voters list;

• Search, add or remove a property other than your home address on the voters list;

• Remove yourself or a property from the voters list;
• Remove a deceased person from the voters list.

Voter eligibility

You can vote in West Lincoln's Ward 3 By-election if you are a Canadian citizen and:

• At least 18 years old;
• A resident of Ward 3 in the Township of West Lincoln or a non-resident owner or tenant, or the spouse of such owner or tenant;
• Not prohibited from voting under any law.

You are prohibited from voting if you are:

• A corporation;
• Serving a sentence of imprisonment in a penal or correctional institution;
• Acting as executor or trustee or in another representative capacity, except as a voting proxy;
• Convicted of a corrupt practice described in section 90(3) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996.

Voting options

In-person voting will be conducted using traditional paper ballots and vote tabulators. The Township is conducting two advanced voting dates, on October 25 and 26, as well as by-election day on November 4.

• Advance Poll #1: In-person voting on Friday, October 25, 2024, from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m., at West Lincoln Community Centre, 177 West St., Smithville
• Advance Poll #2: In-person voting on Saturday, October 26, 2024, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., at Legion Villa 2, 171 Mill St., Smithville
• By-election Day: In-person voting on Monday, November 4, 2024, from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m., at West Lincoln Community Centre, 177 West St., Smithville

If you are eligible to vote in the 2024 Ward 3 By-election but are unable to attend a poll, yourself, you may appoint another qualified elector as proxy to vote on your behalf.

Proxy voting

If you are eligible to vote in the 2024 Ward 3 By-election but are unable to attend a poll, yourself, you may appoint another qualified elector as proxy to vote on your behalf.

You cannot appoint more than one voting proxy or act as a voting proxy for more than one other person. This restriction does not apply if the proxy and the other person are spouses or siblings of each other, parent and child, or grandparent and grandchild.

Proxy applications may be filed by appointment only, Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. (holidays excluded). Please call 905-957-3346 or email after September 23 to make an appointment.

On in-person advanced voting days (Date and Date) the Township Administrative Office and other designated locations will be open between noon and 5 p.m. for the purpose of considering and certifying proxy applications.

The Appointment of Voting Proxy form is available for pick-up, or you can download the form to print and complete at home, and have your voting proxy bring it to the poll with them.

• Appointment of Voting Proxy
• Appointment of Voting Proxy (PDF)

Proxy forms will also be available at the advance polls and at the Township Administrative Office on By-election Day. Please note that Election Officials at the voting station will not accept uncertified, faxed or photocopied proxy certificates.

The following rules apply to the issuance of Proxy Certificates:

• Voting proxy must be in the prescribed form

• Person appointed the voting proxy must be qualified pursuant to the Municipal Elections Act

• Appointment must be made within the time specified within the Municipal Elections Act

  • A person shall not appoint a voting proxy for an election until the later of,

  • The time for the withdrawal of nominations under section 36 has expired for all offices for which the election is being conducted; and

  • The time when the clerk has certified all persons qualified to be nominated under subsection 35(2);

  • Name of the person appointed voting proxy must be filled in at the time the form is signed by the elector;

  • Signature of the elector and witness must be completed; and

  • Person who has been appointed as a voting proxy must complete the application and statutory declaration in the manner set out in the Municipal Act.

By-laws and policies

The Township of West Lincoln has created a list of the most commonly requested by-laws in relation to the 2024 Ward 3 By-election. Don't see what you are looking for? You can request a by-law from our Clerk. If you would like to report a violation, please visit our Report a Concern page.

• By-law to conduct a By-election
• Sign By-law (consolidated)
• Election Sign By-law
• Procedures of Council and Committees
• Use of Corporate Resources for Election Purposes Policy
• Municipal Election Voting Policy & Procedure
• Notice of Penalties Re Campaign Finances and Refund of Nomination Fee

Eligibility

You're eligible to register as a third party advertiser if you are:

Types of third-party advertisers

Corporations

If you’re registering on behalf of a corporation you must provide:

• Proof that the corporation operates in Ontario and that you are the director. This could include a corporate search or incorporating documents;

• A piece of government-issued identification.

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.

Individuals

If 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:

• How these activities may look to the public;

• How they would be able to demonstrate that they were not working in co-ordination with the candidate.

Trade unions

If you are registering on behalf of a trade union, you must provide:

• Proof union exists;

• Proof you have been appointed to act on the trade union’s behalf.

Registration process

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. 

• Form 7 - Notices of Registration: Third Party
• Form 7 - Notices of Registration: Third Party (PDF)
• Form 8 - Financial Statement: Auditor's Report Third Party
• Form 8 - Financial Statement: Auditor's Report Third Party (PDF)
• Declaration of Qualifications: Third Party Advertiser (PDF)

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:

• Name of the registered third party advertiser;

• Municipality where the third party advertiser is registered;

• Telephone number, mailing address or email address at which the registered third part advertiser may be contacted regarding the advertisement.

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.