The 2026 Municipal & School Board Election will elect the positions of Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Councillor (5), and School Board Trustee (1 per School Board).
Nominations for the 2026 Municipal & School Board Election for the position of Mayor, Councillor, and School Board Trustee are now closed. Additional nominations for the office of Deputy Mayor are being accepted between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. Nominations can be filed in-person at the Municipal Office, located at 21 Trowbridge St. W., Meaford.
Interested candidates are encouraged to contact the Clerk by emailing clerk@meaford.ca or by phone at 519-538-1060 ext. 1100.
Who Can Run?
To run as a candidate in a municipal election, you must:
- Be a Canadian citizen and at least 18 years old
- Be qualified to vote in the municipality by:
- living in the municipality, or
- owning or renting property in the municipality, or
- being the spouse of somebody who owns or rents property in the municipality
- Not be prohibited from holding municipal office according to Section 29 of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996
Key Dates
- First day to file a nomination
- Once filed, a candidate may begin raising and spending campaign funds
- Preliminary spending and contribution limits provided to candidates
- Deadline to file a nomination
- Deadline to withdraw a nomination
- Deadline to change office
Deadline to certify nominations
Voting period begins
Election Day — voting ends at 8:00 p.m. EST
Inaugural meeting; new term of office begins
How do I file my nomination?
Nominations are now closed. Nominations were open from May 1, 2026, until August 21, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.
The following is required to file a nomination:
- Nomination Paper – Form 1
- Endorsement of Nomination – Form 2 (Requires 25 original signatures from eligible Municipality of Meaford voters / Not required for School Board Trustee Candidates )
- Declaration of Qualifications
- Consent to Release Personal Information (Form MEL3)
- Prescribed nomination filing fee ($200 for Mayor, $100 for all other offices)
- Provide Proof of Identification and Residence as prescribed in O.Reg. 304/13
Important Notes
- Campaigning is not allowed until your nomination papers have been officially filed.
- Not all form sections are fillable as they are required to be completed in person upon filing.
- Forms 1 and 2 are Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs forms. If you have difficulty opening these forms, please try saving the form and then opening it in Adobe Reader. If you have difficulty with any other forms, please contact elections@meaford.ca. Paper copies of the candidate package, including all necessary forms, are available for pickup at the Municipal Office, located at 21 Trowbridge St. W.