When serving on Council, you become the voice for your community and act as a representative for the people in your area. Here you will find information on eligibility, running a campaign, forms, policies and more.
Eligibility
To be a candidate in either a municipal or school board election, you must:
- Be a Canadian Citizen
- Be 18 years old on nomination day (September 10, 2024)
- Be a resident of the municipality for a period of six months preceding Nomination Day (by March 9, 2024)
- Not be disqualified under Section 18 of the Municipal Elections Act
- have municipal charges such as taxes and liens, fully paid.
You don’t need to live in the polling district that you’re running in, as long as you meet the residency requirement of six months in the municipality.
Why Should I Run For Council?
Joining Council is an opportunity to have your say on infrastructure projects, planning strategies and the legacy of our community. You play a vital role in the community by listening to people’s concerns and ideas and bringing them to the rest of your council colleagues. As a part of Council, you get to learn more about the financial health of our municipality, set operating and capital budgets and weigh in on recreation assets and strategies.
Important Dates
| March 9, 2024 | Residency required to qualify as a candidate in the election in Municipality or School Region |
| September 10, 2024 | Nomination Day |
| September 11, 2024 | Last day for candidate to withdraw |
| October 10-18, 2024 | Advance Polling Period (electronic) |
| October 19, 2024 | Election Day (paper) |
| October 22, 2024 | Official Addition of ballots by Returning Officer |
| October 26, 2024 | Last day to file affidavit (re: removal of posters and return/destruction of voters list – Form 12) |
| October 29, 2024 | Last day to apply for a recount |
| December 18, 2024 | Last day to file campaign contribution disclosure – Forms 40 and 41 |
Candidates Guide & Resources
The Nova Scotia Department of Municipal Affairs and Housing has a website with information for candidates interested in running in a municipal election. Check it out at https://novascotia.ca/municipal-elections/
The Department has also prepared a guide for Candidates. Click here to access it.