Frustrated by development battles, worried about traffic, concerned about Niagara-on-the-Lake’s character or convinced council is getting it wrong?
Now’s the time to put your name on the ballot.
With nominations now open for the town’s 2026 municipal election, residents can take those concerns from the council gallery to the race by running for lord mayor, council or a local school board seat.
Nominations opened May 1 and will be accepted at town hall during regular business hours, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, until Aug. 20. Candidates can also file on nomination day, Aug. 21, between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.
The next council will help decide what NOTL looks like, grows like and protects, as the town faces pressure for new housing, renewed interest in historic sites and continued debate over commercial activity on specialty crop land.
As of June 9, Vaughan Goettler and Andrea Kaiser are registered to run for lord mayor, while Weston Miller, Steve McGuinness and incumbent Coun. Gary Burroughs are registered to run for council.
Coun. Sandra O’Connor said last month that she intends to seek another term but has not yet filed nomination papers and, despite a social media post suggesting Coun. Erwin Wiens may be running — he told The Lake Report he has not filed nomination papers or made a decision.
To run for lord mayor or town council, candidates must be Canadian citizens, at least 18 years old, eligible to vote in NOTL, not legally prohibited from voting and not disqualified by law from holding municipal office.
They must also live in the municipality, own or rent land in the municipality as a non-resident, or be the spouse of a non-resident owner or tenant.
People who cannot run include anyone not eligible to vote in the municipality, judges, inmates serving a sentence and candidates who failed to file required financial statements in the last municipal election or by-election.
Municipal employees can run only if they take an unpaid leave of absence starting the day they are nominated. If elected, they must resign from their job.
Members of provincial parliament, MPs and senators can run only if they resign from their office by the close of nominations and provide proof of resignation.
The last day to withdraw a nomination is before 2 p.m. on Aug. 21. Candidates can also switch races before that deadline, such as from lord mayor to council or council to lord mayor.
Other key election dates include Aug. 24, when nominations are certified, Aug. 27, when election signs can go up, Oct. 26, election day, Oct. 27, when official results are released, Nov. 2, the deadline to remove election signs and Nov. 24, inauguration day.
To file, candidates must submit identification, a nomination paper, at least 25 endorsements from eligible voters and a filing fee of $200 for lord mayor or $100 for council.
Nomination papers must be filed in person because original signatures are required.
The town is asking prospective candidates to make an appointment with the clerk’s department by calling 905-468-3266 ext. 315 or emailing elections@notl.com.
School board trustee candidates do not file with NOTL. Because trustee races cover broader school board areas, nominations must be filed with the lead municipality, the City of St. Catharines.
Trustee candidates must meet separate school board election rules, including living in the board’s jurisdiction.
More information, including nomination forms, candidate rules and key election dates, is available on the town’s election webpage at notl.com/elections.
