Notice of Nomination Period

Nomination Packages will be available below or in-person at the Municipal Office as of Friday, May 1, 2026. The Nomination Period for the 2026 Municipal and School Board Election runs from Friday, May 1, 2026 until 2 p.m. on Friday, August 21, 2026. It is encouraged that you schedule an appointment to file your nomination papers with the Clerk. Nomination Papers must be filed in-person (by the candidate or agent). Please note that staff will be unable to accept nominations from Wednesday, May 6, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. until Friday, May 8, 2026 at 4:30 p.m., as they will be attending election training at this time.. 

Note: Mandatory Training will occur for all successful candidates with date to be determined soon. Attendance is required.

Candidate Qualifications

Qualifications for members of Council are set out in Section 256 of the Municipal Act, 2001 and Section 17 of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996. In order to run for office in the Township of Machar, a person must be:

• A Canadian citizen;
• At least 18 years old;
• A resident of the Township of Machar or the owner or tenant of land here, or the spouse of such owner or tenant, and
• Who is not disqualified by any legislation from holding office.

The following are ineligible to be elected as Members of Council:

• An employee of the Township of Machar except during an authorized leave of absence (the leave of absence must begin upon filing the Nomination Form).
• A person who is not an employee of the municipality but who is the Clerk, Treasurer, Integrity Commissioner, Auditor General, Ombudsman or Registrar, or who holds any administrative position of the municipality.
• A judge of any of any court.
• A member of the Assembly as provided in the Legislative Assembly Act or of the Senate or House of Commons of Canada.

2026 Municipal Election Information for Candidates

Below are the fillable PDF’s of Nomination Paper Form for convenience.

• Form 1 – Nomination Paper

One (1) Mayor and Four (4) Councillors are to be elected. The Term of Office is November 15, 2026 to November 14, 2030.

IMPORTANT NOTE: It is encouraged to schedule an appointment with the Township to file your nomination papers. Appointments can be scheduled by contacting Angela Loney, Clerk Administrator or Teresa Coombs, Deputy Clerk, at 705-386-7741.

Near North District School Board

The Township of Perry will be the lead municipality. For more information, please visit https://townshipofperry.ca/elections/.

Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board

The Municipality of Powassan will be the lead municipality. For more information, please visit https://www.powassan.net/.

Conseil scolaire public du Nord-Est de l'Ontario

The Municipality of East Ferris will be the lead municipality. For more information, please visit https://eastferris.ca/en/your-government/elections.

Conseil scolaire catholique Franco-Nord

The Municipality of East Ferris will be the lead municipality. For more information, please visit https://eastferris.ca/en/your-government/elections.

Packages to register as a Third-Party Advertiser will be available below or in-person at the Municipal Office as of Friday, May 1, 2026 until end of business day on Friday October 23, 2026. It is encouraged that you schedule an appointment to file your papers with the Clerk. Registrations must be filed in-person. The Advertising Period is restricted from May 1, 2026 to close of voting (8 p.m.) on October 26, 2026. Please note that staff will be unable to accept nominations from Wednesday, May 6, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. until Friday, May 8, 2026 at 4:30 p.m., as they will be attending election training at this time.

2026 REGISTRATION PACKAGE - TDB

Below are the fillable PDF’s of Nomination Paper Forms for convenience.

• Form 7 – Notice of Registration
• Form 8 – Financial Statement – Auditor’s Report Third Party

IMPORTANT NOTE: It is encouraged to schedule an appointment with the Township to file your nomination papers. Appointments can be scheduled by contacting Angela Loney, Clerk Administrator or Teresa Coombs, Deputy Clerk, at 705-386-7741.

There are many important dates that candidates should be aware, please see the list below:

Nomination Period: Friday, May 1, 2026 to Friday, August 21, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.

Nomination Day: Friday, August 21, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. **this date is also the deadline for withdrawal

Campaign Period: Friday, May 1, 2026 to Thursday, December 31, 2026

Voting Day: Monday, October 26, 2026

Term of Office: November 15, 2026 to November 14, 2030

Financial Filing Deadline: Tuesday, March 30, 2027

Who May Vote

Any person who on election day (Monday, October 26, 2026) meets the following qualifications is eligible to vote:

• Is a Canadian citizen;
• Is at least 18 years old on election day;
• Resides in the municipality or is the owner or tenant of land in the local municipality, or the spouse of such a person (non-residential commercial or industrial property electors are not entitled to vote for school board trustees, but are entitled to vote for other municipal offices or questions);
• Not prohibited by law from voting.

Acceptable Documents For Voter Identification

2026 Ontario Voter's Guide

Contribution Limits

Any person who is a resident of Ontario can make a contribution to a candidate’s campaign or contribute to a third-party advertiser to help fund their advertisements.

You may contribute a maximum of $1,200 to a single candidate. You may also contribute a maximum of $1,200 to a third-party advertiser. These amounts include the value of any goods or services donated to the campaign. You may not contribute more than $5,000 in total to candidates running for offices on the same council or school board, or to third party advertisers who are registered in the same municipality. If you buy a ticket to a candidate’s or third-party advertiser’s fundraiser, the cost of the ticket is a contribution.

If you want to contribute to a candidate or third-party advertiser, you should make sure that you know what the contribution limits are and keep track of your donations to ensure that you don’t end up giving more than is permitted.

Groups, such as neighbourhood associations and clubs, or professional associations, such as fire or police associations, are not eligible to make financial contributions to candidates or third-party advertisers. Members may contribute individually.

More information on contribution rules, view the Ontario Voter’s Guide.

All residents of the Township of Machar must be on the Register of Voters to cast a ballot during municipal elections.

Now you can register once to vote in both provincial and local elections. Visit RegisterToVoteON.ca for information on eligibility, registration, and how to confirm, update, or add yourself to the Register.