2026 Municipal and School Board Elections

Good afternoon, everyone

Congratulations on submitting your nomination for municipal or school board office.  The Clerk’s Office wishes all candidates good luck as you move forward through the election period.

To further assist all candidates, the Clerk’s Office will be providing “candidate updates” to the email you have printed on your nomination form. The updates will also be published online at newtecumseth.ca/Election. The purpose of the updates is to provide information on items that may be of interest to all candidates. This communication tool will also summarize responses to all questions asked by candidates to ensure everyone has access to the same information.

 Tax Bill Insert

The Town will be sending out tax bills to New Tecumseth property owners in the next couple of weeks. Please look for the insert that will be included! The Clerk’s Office with our colleagues in Communications have created an information bulletin for electors. Information includes eligibility to vote, importance of checking the voters list, changes to council ward boundaries for 2026 and how to confirm you are registered with the proper school support.

AMO Training for Candidates

If you haven’t registered for an AMO candidate training session, its not too late.  In recognition of the response AMO has received for this training program, further sessions have been added.  The best part – you can attend them from any location (virtual) and admission is free!   Information on these training sessions is available at newtecumseth.ca/Election

 Below is a summary of questions asked by Candidates to date.   I wish everyone a wonderful and safe long weekend. 

Questions asked by Candidates:

1. What are the setback requirements for election signs?

Attached is the full Election Sign By-law (2025-012) for your reference. I have also included a candidate guide that highlights the key requirements for ease of use.

Some key points to be aware of include:

1. Election signs may be installed starting September 11, 2026 (45 days prior to Voting Day).
2. Signs may be placed on private property with owner/occupant consent, as well as within the road allowance in front of private property, also with consent of the abutting owner/occupant.
3. Sign placement must not create any safety or visibility concerns.

1. Additional requirements, including size, placement restrictions, and timelines for removal, are outlined in the attached materials.

1. Will voting information be available on the Town’s website and will it be accessible prior to when voting opens?

Voting information will be provided to electors on the Town’s website. In addition, the Town’s Communication Team will be sharing this information throughout the community in a variety of ways. All electors will also receive a voter letter (if on the voter’s list) outlining all in person paper voting locations (advance voting period only) and how to vote online with the website address throughout the entire Election Period including Voting Day.    Please note, the only voting method that will be used on Voting Day will be online voting.

1. When can I start campaigning? Can I purchase campaign materials?

Yes, you are permitted to start campaigning once you have filed your nomination papers with the Clerk’s Office.  Should you wish to spend money on your campaign (example: promotional campaign materials), you will need to establish a bank account specific for this purpose. All contributions accepted (or provided by yourself or your partner) to fund expenses must be deposited into the account.  Likewise, all expenses related to your campaign must be paid through the campaign account.  Please ensure you keep track of all expenses.  You will need to report at the end of your campaign period.  The maximum amounts were provided to you through the candidate package.  The final numbers will be distributed to all candidates at the beginning of September.  

For your further information, I have copied the section of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing guide for candidates that references the campaign period (page 16).   As also noted, election signs cannot be placed until September 11^th (45 days prior to the Election Date).  

1. Can I use a QR Code to link the voting website on my campaign material? 

The voting site will be published on the Town’s Election Site at newtecumseth.ca/Election.  We will make sure, at the time of voting, it is at the top of the webpage and in an obvious place for voters.  Should you wish to link electors directly to the voting location, please use the Town’s Election page for the QR Code. In addition to the Voting Site connection, electors will also have access to other pertinent information – for example – how to register to vote.   

A quick update today. 

Procedures for Tabulators and Internet Voting 

Attached are the procedures the Clerk’s Office will use for the 2026 Municipal and School Board Election as it applies to Tabulators and Internet Voting. These procedures will also be published to the Town’s election website for transparency of process.   Should any amendments be made to these procedures, the Clerk’s Office will provide an updated copy to all candidates.

 Questions from Candidates

 Can clips from published council meeting videos on YouTube be used by candidates in the 2026 Municipal and School Board election? 

Answer: A council meeting video is clearly for use for and is owned by the Town, however, once it is placed on a platform such as YouTube, it becomes part of the public domain. This would be similar to minutes of a council meeting which are also published for review and use by members of the public.  The use of video clips of an open meeting would not be restricted by the Use of Municipal Resources During Election Campaign Period Policy.

 As always, should you have any questions, please let me know.

 Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend. 

Candidate Update #3

Happy Friday Everyone

 Here are some updates for you.

 Internet Voting

For the 2026 Municipal and School Board election, the municipality has retained the services of Simply Voting.  In addition to the internet voting procedures provided to you May 29, 2026, the Election website will also be updated to include the ‘Security and Reliability Information’ document. This document is written for a general audience and explains how the system protects ballot secrecy, guarantees one vote per elector and defends against common threats.   The website will be updated with this information by end of day.

 Register to Vote Cards

Post cards with information on how to register to vote are available in the Clerk’s Office for candidates.  Electors have until August 12,2026 to register with Elections Ontario.  After this date, please refer voters to the Clerk’s Office directly or to the Town’s Election website.

 Questions from Candidates

 Can candidates take a photo or video for election purposes in Town parks and trails?  Can Town signage also be included?

 Under the Use of Corporate Resources Policy, there is no limitation for a candidate to take a video or photo in a public space. This would include parks, trails and signage.  The exception would be if a candidate were holding a campaign event while using Town property or a facility. In this case, candidates should follow the protocol as outlined under Use of Municipal Facility or Property Section of the policy.  

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend.