2010 Municipal Election Information

Municipal Elections are held in every municipality in Ontario every four years on the fourth Monday of October. The next Municipal Election will be held on Monday, October 25, 2010. Once again, the Township of Algonquin Highlands will be conducting a Vote-by-Mail Election. The Township’s website will be updated regularly and will provide general information including a list of who is running for office of Reeve, Councillor and School Board Trustee.

The Clerk-Planning Administrator, Angie Bird, is responsible for conducting municipal elections. Angie can be reached at abird@algonquinhighlands.ca or 705-489-2379 Ext. 224.

The Township of Algonquin Highlands is divided into 3 wards. All qualified electors may vote for the Reeve. Electors may only vote for the Councillor representative(s) for the Ward in which they reside.

REEVE	One to be elected at large
WARD 1	Geographic Township of Sherborne one (1) to be elected
WARD 2	Geographic Township of Stanhope two (2) to be elected
WARD 3	Geographic Township of McClintock, Livingstone, Lawrence & Nightingale one (1) to be elected

Voter Eligibility

To vote in the municipal election, you must be a qualified elector. That means on Voting Day you must be:

• a resident of the Township of Algonquin Highlands, or an owner or tenant of land in the Township or the spouse of an owner or tenant;

• a Canadian Citizen;

• at least 18 years of age; and

• not prohibited from voting by law.

The Municipal Elections Act, 1996 prohibits the following individuals from voting:

• any person who is not qualified;

• a person who is serving a sentence or imprisonment in a penal or correctional institution;

• a corporation;

• a person acting as an executor or trustee;

• a person who has been convicted of corrupt practices under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 in the last four years; and

• anyone who is prohibited by law from voting.
  

Nominations

In accordance with Section 33(4) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 a nomination may be filed on any day in the year of the regular election that is before Nomination Day, at a time when the Clerk’s Office is open or on Nomination Day being Friday, September 10, 2010 between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

A person may be nominated for an office by filing a Nomination Paper – Form 1 in the Clerk’s Office, in person or by an agent. A Nomination must be in the prescribed Form 1 and accompanied by the prescribed form of Declaration of Qualification. The Nomination Paper must have original signatures and may not be faxed, mailed or emailed. Both forms are to be signed by the person be nominated and must be accompanied by the set nomination filing fee.

The Form 1 and Declaration are available below and the in the Clerk’s Department.

All candidates will be required to provide proof of identification (ie: Driver’s License) at the time of filing a nomination. Proof of identification is required to verify each applicant’s identity and to prevent false representation. Identification is being required of all candidates for consistency and equity.

Nomination Fee

The nomination filing fees are to be paid in cash, cheque or money order made payable to the Township of Algonquin Highlands. Visa and Mastercard are also accepted. The nomination form will be available from the Office of the Clerk from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The filing fees are as follows:

Head of Council	$200
Councillor	$100

Spending Limits

Head of Council	$7,500 plus $0.85 per elector
Councillor	$5,000 plus $0.85 per elector

 

For candidates seeking a Councillor Ward office, the number of electors in the ward will be used in the formula to calculate his or her spending limit.

Candidates will receive an initial spending limit estimate when filing their nomination, and will receive a final spending limit after the close of nominations. Whichever of these two amounts is higher becomes the candidate’s official spending limit.

Candidates Guide

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has developed an Election Guide for Candidates - http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/AssetFactory.aspx?did=7269 This publication serves as a guide to the electoral process for Ontario’s municipal councils and school boards. The Elections 2010 Guide also describes the overall responsibilities of both candidates and voters.

The Association of Municipal Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO) has developed a Candidates Guide to Accessible Elections.

Candidate Qualifications

Municipal Office

A candidate for Municipal Office must upon nomination, be a qualified elector and fulfill all of the following requirements:

• a resident of the municipality, a non-resident owner or tenant of land in the municipality or the spouse of such non-resident owner or tenant;

• a Canadian citizen;

• at least 18 years old;

• not legally prohibited from voting; and

• not disqualified by any legislation from holding municipal office.

A candidate, if nominated, must remain qualified throughout the election and, if elected, throughout the term of office.

The following persons are disqualified from being elected to a Municipal Office:

• any person not eligible to vote in the municipality;

• an employee of a municipality unless he or she

  • takes an unpaid leave of absence before being nominated; and

  • resigns, if elected to the office;

• 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.

Despite the above disqualification, MPs, MPPs and Senators may be nominated for Municipal or School Board Office without having to resign their current seat in Parliament, the Legislature or the Senate. However, by 2:00 p.m. on Nomination Day, MPs, MPPs and Senators are required to resign their current seat should they wish to continue to seek a Municipal or School Board office. Federal or Provincial Cabinet Ministers must step down from Cabinet prior to filing their nomination, and resign their seat by Nomination Day. If an MP, MPP or Senator does not resign prior to the close of nominations, their nomination will be rejected.

For more information kindly contact the Clerk’s Office.

Accompanying Documents

• Election Guide for Candidates
• Candidates Guide to Accessible Elections
• Nomination Paper – Form 1
• Declaration of Qualification (will follow)
• Key dates to remember
• 2010 "VOTE BY MAIL" Election Procedures
• Uncertified List of Nominations (as of July 20, 2010)