On this page:

• Eligibility Criteria
• Mayor & District Councillors
• School Board Trustees
• Filing a Nomination
• Withdrawing a Nomination
• Campaigning

Eligibility Criteria

Individuals may consider running for one of the following offices in the upcoming municipal election:

• Mayor – one elected at large;
• District councillor – one elected in each of the 12 electoral districts;
• School board trustee:
  • Limestone District School Board – one trustee to be elected for each of 5 areas;
  • Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board – 4 trustees to be elected at large;
  • Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario (French Public) – 1 trustee elected at large (Geographic Region 2);
    • le Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est (French Separate) - 1 trustee elected at large (Sector 1).

A person is entitled to be a candidate if they are an eligible elector.  A candidate must be eligible as of the day they are nominated and must remain eligible throughout the election period and, if elected, throughout their term of office.

Mayor and District Councillors

Who can be a candidate

To run for municipal office, you must be nominated and qualify. Review the qualifications and disqualifications for candidacy and the process for nominations below. Nominations for the offices of the Mayor and district councillor must be endorsed by at least 25 people.

To be a qualified candidate you must:

• Be Canadian Citizen, and
• Be at least 18 years old, and
• Reside in the city of Kingston or be the owner or tenant of land in Kingston or the spouse of an owner or tenant of land in Kingston and
• Not legally prohibited from voting

If you own or lease two or more properties in Kingston you MUST vote where you reside/live.

Who cannot be a candidate

• An employee of the municipality unless he or she takes an unpaid leave of absence beginning the day the employee is nominated and resigns if elected to the office. The employee must provide the Clerk with a copy of the documentation showing they have taken the leave of absence and the effective date;
• A judge of any court; a member of the legislative assembly, the senate or the House of Commons;
• An inmate of a penal or correctional institute under sentence of imprisonment;
• One who ceases to be a Canadian citizen;
• One who is not a resident, the owner or tenant of land or the spouse of an owner or tenant of land in the municipality;
• One who is prohibited from voting in an election according to the Municipal Elections Act, Municipal Act or Education Act;
• One who has violated financial requirements for filing financial information in the previous election

** Despite the above disqualification, MPs, MPPs and Senators may be nominated for municipal office without having to resign their current seat in parliament, the legislature or the senate. However, by 2 p.m. on August 19, 2022 (Nomination Day), MPs, MPPs and Senators will be required to resign their current seat should they wish to continue to seek municipal office.  If the person is a federal or provincial cabinet minister, they must step down from cabinet before filing their nomination.

School Board Trustees

Who can be a candidate

To run for a trustee position on a school board you must:

• Be a Canadian Citizen; and
• Be at least 18 years old; and
• Be a resident within the jurisdiction of the school board and a supporter of that school board; and
• Be eligible to vote in a school board election; and
• Meet any other qualifications to vote for the school board (e.g. being a Roman Catholic or holding French language rights); and
• not legally prohibited from voting

Who cannot be a candidate

• Any person who is not eligible to vote in the school board election;
• An employee of the school board (including supply teachers) unless he or she takes an unpaid leave of absence beginning the day the employee is nominated and resigns if elected to the office;
• A municipal official (clerk, deputy clerk, treasurer or deputy treasurer) of any municipality within the area of jurisdiction of the school board except those on an unpaid leave of absence;
• A judge of any court; a member of the legislative assembly, the senate or the House of Commons;
• An inmate serving a sentence in a penal or correctional institution.

** Despite the above disqualification, MPs, MPPs and Senators may file a nomination for school board trustee without having to resign their current seat in parliament, the legislature or the senate. However, by 2 p.m. on August 19, 2022 (Nomination Day), MPs, MPPs and Senators will be required to resign their current seat should they wish to continue to seek municipal office.  If the person is a federal or provincial cabinet minister, they must step down from cabinet before filing their nomination.

Filing a Nomination

The process for filing nomination papers is as follows:

• Candidates for Mayor, district councillor and school board trustee must file a prescribed nomination paper.  Candidates cannot raise or spend any money on their campaign until the nomination paper is filed;
• Nomination papers may be filed during regular office hours at the Election Office, first floor, City Hall between May 2 and August 18, 2022;
• On Nomination Day (August 19, 2022), nomination papers may be filed at the Election Office between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.;
• Nomination papers may only be filed in person by the candidate or by an agent of the candidate. The candidate or the agent filing the nomination paper will be required to present proof of identity;
• Nomination papers MUST:
  • be on the prescribed form (Form 1);
  • include the prescribed filing fee ($200 for Mayor, $100 for district councillor and school board trustee), payable by cash, debit card, credit card, certified cheque or money order; and;
  • if for the office of Mayor or district councillor, be endorsed by at least 25 people (see below);
• It is the responsibility of the person being nominated to ensure that a complete and accurate nomination paper is filed;
• A person may be nominated for one office only;
• A person is eligible to be nominated for an office in any electoral district in the city of Kingston;
• If a person runs in an electoral district where they do not live, they will not be able to vote for themself;
• Nominations for the Mayor and district councillor MUST be endorsed by at least 25 people (Form 2). A person endorsing a candidate:
  • May endorse more than one candidate;
  • Must be eligible to vote in an election in the city of Kingston if a regular election was held on the day the person endorses the nomination; and
  • Must submit the prescribed Declaration of Qualification with the nomination papers;
• All nominations must be certified by the city clerk or designate;
• Nominations may be withdrawn in writing before 2 p.m. on Nomination Day (August 19, 2022).

NOTE: A candidate's nomination fee will be refunded if their campaign financial statement is filed by the deadline. Nomination papers are public documents and are available for inspection at the Election Office.

Withdrawing a Nomination

• Nominations may be withdrawn in writing before 2 p.m. on Nomination Day (August 19, 2022);
• The candidate must file their withdrawal or statement in person and may be required to provide identification;
• The candidate will still be required to submit a financial statement by the filing deadline (March 31, 2023 by 2:00 p.m.) covering all financial transactions (contributions and expenses) up to the time of withdrawal

Campaigning

The City has rules about when and where election signs can be placed and when they are to be removed. Please refer to the Election Signs Bylaw for further information.

The Municipal Elections Act allow a candidate or their representative access to apartment buildings, condominiums, non-profit housing co-operatives and gated communities from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. in order to campaign. Landlords and condominium corporations are not allowed to prohibit tenants or owners from displaying signs in relation to an election on the premises which is leased or owned. However, landlords or condominium corporations may set reasonable conditions related to the size of signs that may be displayed and may prohibit the display of signs in common areas of the building.

No campaigning is permitted in or adjacent to a voting place on Advance Voting Day or Voting Day. A candidate or his or her scrutineer and any supporters are not permitted to wear campaign buttons or display campaign materials in the voting place or to distribute campaign material outside the voting place. The voting place includes any associated parking lot and the adjacent streets. No vehicles displaying campaign signs are to be parked in the parking lot or on the adjacent streets.