Thinking about running for council?

Here’s some information:

What does a Councilor do?
A councilor is an elected official who serves on a council, representing the interests of their community. They participate in decision-making, develop policies, and act as a link between the public and the local government. During council meetings, decisions are made by making a motion and then is voted on by council. There are a variety of legislation, regulations and policies that provide direction.
Time Commitment of a Councilor
Council holds a Regular Public Council meeting every three weeks. Each Councilor is also assigned to be on committees where meeting frequency varies depending on the committee. You may also be asked to represent Council at meetings of other organizations and at community events. Once elected you will be required to complete Municipal Code of Conduct Training and The Municipal Affairs Mandatory Training within 3 months of being sworn into office.
Nomination
Town of Flatrock’s nomination day is September 9, 2025, from 8am-8pm.
Candidate Qualification
A person is qualified to be nominated as a candidate for councilor who

1.  is eligible to vote in an election held under this Act in the municipality in which they are nominated to serve as a councilor
2.  is not in arrears of taxes or other charges payable to the municipality; and
3. is ordinarily resident for a period of 30 days before the commencement of the nomination period  in the municipality

Candidate Disqualification
A person is not qualified to be nominated as a candidate for council who:

1. Are Clerk, Manager or a Paid Department Head of Council
2. are a member of the House of Commons, the Senate of Canada, the House of Assembly or a judge of the Supreme or Provincial Court;

Nomination Procedure
A candidate for councilor shall be nominated by persons eligible to vote who are a Flatrock resident. A nomination shall be in writing on the prescribed form; shall state the name and civic address of the candidate; be signed by the proposer and seconder, both of whom shall be present together in the Town Hall with the candidate who shall also sign signifying his or her acceptance.
In the Town of Flatrock, there is a separate ballot for mayor. Candidates can decide to run for Councilor or Mayor. The Deputy Mayor is elected by the new council at their first meeting.

A candidate at the time of his or her nomination shall deposit a sum of $10 with the Returning Officer and that sum is not refundable. The Returning Officer will provide a Candidate Information package to take home with you. The Returning Officer shall give notice of the names of the candidates, the time of the election and the location of polling booths, by publishing in our local newspaper, in the Town Hall and in other public places.

Before You Run
To better understand and prepare for the election and potentially the position of Councilor you may wish to consider: • Attend existing Council meetings and see how they operate (Next meeting is September 2 at 6:45pm) • Review a copy of the Council’s minutes, and other documents on the website. • Review current legislation. • Speak to past and current Mayors and Councillors; and • Speak to staff members
Campaigning
Campaigning is an opportunity to convince voters you are the best candidate. A campaign usually involves talking and listening to residents, distributing promotional materials, using websites and social media. The Election signs policy is available on the Town’s website and states signs may be erected on or after nomination day on public property. Many candidates will receive contributions toward the cost of mounting an election campaign. Within 90 days of the election, an elected candidate must file with the Returning Officer an “Oath or Affirmation of Campaign Contributions Disclosure” form. All contributions of money, goods, or services received by a candidate with a value of over $100 must be declared by the candidate when reporting on campaign contributions received. To value any goods or services received, one must use the equivalent
On election day, a candidate or his or her agents shall not campaign or distribute or cause to have distributed campaign materials in an area that is less than 30 metres from the entrance to a polling station./
Voters A Canadian citizen who is 18 years of age or older is qualified to vote at an election where he or she has been ordinarily resident for the 30 days immediately before election day in Flatrock. Note: The following rules shall determine the residency of a person:

1. a person shall be a resident of the place where he or she lives and sleeps and to which, when absent, he or she intends to return;
2. residency is not lost by a person who leaves that residence for temporary purposes only;
3. the place where a persons family resides shall be his or her residence unless that person commences and continues to live at some other place with the intention of remaining there, in which case, the person shall be considered to be resident in the place in which he or she intends to reside.
4. A person shall have only one place of residency.

Voters List
After nomination day, candidates can contact the Returning Officer to obtain the voters list.
Voters Dates and Times
An advance poll will be held on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, between 8:00am and 8:00pm at the Flatrock Community Centre (495 Windgap Road). Thursday, October 2, 2025, is voting day between 8:00am and 8:00pm, at the Flatrock Community Centre.
Questions
If you have any questions please contact the Returning Officer, Shirley Ryan at (709) 437-6312 or shirley@townofflatrock.com