2024 Ward 3 By-election

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:

• completed nomination papers (will be available here once the nomination period begins);
• at least 25 declaration of endorsements from eligible voters. We strongly recommend that you collect more than 25 endorsements to ensure that you have the required amount of endorsements after the Township Clerk certifies nominations;
• current, valid identification (must include current address);
• nomination filing fee ($100 for Councillor candidates, paid by cash or debit, or certified cheque). Nomination fees are refunded to candidates once financial statement is filed, in accordance with the Municipal Elections Act. 
  

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:

Voter registration

Use the Voter Registration application 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.

Who can vote

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.

Who cannot vote

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.

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:

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

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:

• 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.