Running for Local Government

At the time of filing their Nomination, the candidate must:

• Be a qualified elector in accordance with Section 17 of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, as amended. Therefore, the candidate must be:
• A Canadian citizen.
• At least 18 years of age.
• A resident of the Municipality of Clarington, or the owner or tenant of land in the Municipality of Clarington or the spouse of the owner or tenant of land in the Municipality of Clarington.
• Not disqualified for violations of financial requirements or violations of requirements for filing financial information.
• Not disqualified by any Act from holding such office.

Note: Candidates who are a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, or the Senate, or House of Commons of Canada may file their Nomination for an office in the municipal elections, but the Municipal Clerk will reject their Nomination if they remain a member as of 2 p.m. on Nomination Day (August 19, 2022).

If an employee of the Municipality of Clarington or local board wishes to file a Nomination, the employee must take an unpaid leave of absence as of the day the employee is nominated and ending on Voting Day. If elected, the person is deemed to have resigned immediately before making the Declaration of Office.

The following persons are disqualified from seeking election to Council:

• Except during a leave of absence, an employee of the Municipality of Clarington or a local board.
• A person who is not an employee of the Municipality of Clarington, but who is the Clerk, Treasurer, Integrity Commissioner, Auditor General, Ombudsman or registrar referred to in s. 223.11 of the Municipal Act or a Closed Meeting investigator referred to in s. 239.2(1) of the Municipality of Clarington.
• A judge of any court.
• Except if they cease being a member as of 2 p.m. on Nomination Day:
• A member of the Ontario Legislature.
• A member of the House of Commons.
• A member of the Senate.
• A person serving a sentence of imprisonment in a penal or correctional institution, including a sentence being served in the evening or on weekends.
• A corporation.
• A person acting as executor or trustee or in any other representative capacity.
• A person convicted of the corrupt practice described in Subsection 90(3) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 if Voting Day in the current election is less than five years after Voting Day in the election in respect of which they were convicted.
• A candidate convicted of corrupt practice as described in Subsection 91(1) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, if Voting Day in the current election is less than eight years after Voting Day in the election in respect of which they were convicted.
• A person disqualified for violations of financial requirements or violations of requirements for filing financial information in accordance with the Municipal Elections Act, 1996.
• A member of a municipal council who knowingly votes to authorize the borrowing of any amount larger than permitted under s. 407 of the Municipal Act is disqualified from holding any municipal office for two years.
• A member of a council who voted to apply any money raised for a special purpose or collected for a sinking or retirement fund to pay current or other expenditures other than those permitted by the Municipal Act is disqualified from any municipal office for two years.
• A member of a council where the council neglects in any year to levy the amount required to be raised for a sinking or retirement fund is disqualified from holding any municipal office for two years unless the member shows efforts to produce the levying of the amount.
• A member who has been found to have contravened the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act can be disqualified from holding municipal office for a period of up to seven years.