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Candidate Information

Candidate Information Night

A joint, County-wide Candidate Information Night was held on Thursday, April 14, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. by the City of Woodstock. Please visit their website to view the resources discussed at that session.

Do I Want to Run as a Candidate?

The Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing provides resources for those considering whether or not to run as a Candidate:

Additional information, including important dates, can be found on AMCTO's Elections Calendar. Questions may be directed to Julie Middleton, Clerk at 519-485-0477 ext. 7023 or via email.

Nomination Period

The Nomination Period for the next Municipal Election opened on May 2, 2022 and closed on Nomination Day, August 19th, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. A Candidate for municipal office must, upon nomination, be a qualified municipal elector in the Township and fulfill the following requirements:

  • Live in the Township of South-West Oxford, be an owner or tenant of land in the Township, or the spouse of an owner or tenant;
  • Be a Canadian citizen;
  • Be at least 18 years old on Voting Day; and
  • Not be legally prohibited from voting or disqualified by any other legislation.

For the upcoming Election, new requirements under the Municipal Elections Act require that anyone wishing to run for office as a member of Council submit the signatures of at least 25 eligible voters supporting their nomination to run for office.

The Campaign Period begins when Candidates file their Nomination Papers (May 2nd to August 19th) and officially ends on Tuesday, January 3, 2023. Candidates may not accept donations, spend money, or advertise until they file their nomination.

2022 SWOX Candidate Guide

We have created a 2022 SWOX Candidate Guide to provide you with all the information you need when considering whether you want to run for municipal office. Nomination Papers are available at the front counter, at the Township Office, as of Monday, May 2, 2022. They are also available online.

Please see our Media Release - April 27, 2022 - Nominations Open for 2022 Municipal Election for more details.

Additional Resources for Candidates:

Finance

The following are forms related to the financial aspects of running a campaign:

School Board Trustee Candidates

Candidates that are running for School Board Trustee offices must contact the City of Woodstock Clerk or the City of Sarnia Clerk

School Board Trustee positions available include: Thames Valley District School Board (2); London Catholic District School Board (1); Conseil scolaire catholique Provindence (1) for the Counties of Oxford, Elgin, and Middlesex; and Conseil scolaire Viamonde (1).

Candidates running for School Board Trustee should refer to the following resources:

Voters' List

A copy of the Voters' List will be available for Candidates as of September 15, 2022. Candidates will have the option of receiving a paper or digital version of the Voters' List. The list must be picked up in-person at the Township Office and must be returned following the election. Please contact Julie Middleton, Clerk, at 519-485-0477 ext. 7023 or via email to receive this information.

  • The Nomination Period opened on Monday, May 2, 2022. Candidates were able to file as of 8:00 a.m. that morning.
  •  Nomination Papers are now available online. You may also pick them up at the front counter, at the Township Office, during our regular business hours.
  • If you require assistance completing these forms, please contact the Clerk.
  • The last day to file Nomination Papers is Nomination Day, Friday, August 19, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. 
  • You can only start campaigning after you file your Nomination Papers with the Clerk and pay the applicable filing fee.

It is the responsibility of each Candidate to ensure they are qualified to seek the office for which they are being nominated. If you are unsure, seek legal advice immediately. You will also be required to swear an Oath of Qualification when filing your nomination.

Candidates must be a qualified elector within the Township and fulfill the following requirements:

  • Live in the Township of South-West Oxford, be an owner or tenant of land in the Township, or be a spouse of an owner or tenant;
  • Be a Canadian citizen;
  • Be at least 18 years of age on Voting Day; and
  • Not legally prohibited from voting or disqualified by any other legislation. 

A Candidate can run for office in the Ward of their choice. You do not have to live in the same Ward you are running in. However, you do have to vote from the address at which you reside. For example, if you live in Ward 2 but are running in Ward 1, you have to vote in Ward 2.

Campaign provisions have been clarified to allow Candidates to access apartment buildings, condominiums, non-profit housing co-ops, or gated communities from 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. in order to campaign. Landlords and condominium corporations will not be allowed to prohibit tenants or owners from displaying campaign signs in their windows. Here are the excerpts from the legislation:

Access to residential premises

   88.1  No person who is in control of an apartment building, condominium building, non-profit housing cooperative or gated community may prevent a candidate or his or her representative from campaigning between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. at the doors to the apartments, units or houses, as the case may be.

Display of signs at residential premises

   88.2  (1)  No landlord or person acting on a landlord’s behalf may prohibit  a tenant from displaying signs in relation to an election on the premises to which the lease relates.

Same, condominium corporations

   (2)  No condominium corporation or any of its agents may prohibit the owner or tenant of a condominium unit from displaying signs in relation to an election on the premises of his or her unit.

Exception

   (3)  Despite subsections (1) and (2), a landlord, person, condominium corporation or agent may set reasonable conditions relating to the size or type of signs in relation to an election that may be displayed on the premises and may prohibit the display of signs in relation to an election in common areas of the building in which the premises are found.

Same

   (4)  Despite subsection (3), no landlord, person, condominium corporation or agent may prohibit the display of signs in relation to an election in common areas of the building if space in the building is being used as a voting place.

The legislation regarding the rights of Candidates to enter apartment buildings, condominiums, and non-profits for the purposes of campaigning can also be found in the Condominium Act, 1998, S.O. 1998, Chapter 19Residential Tenancies Act , 2006, S.O. 2006, Chapter 17 and Co-operative Corporations Act, R.S.O. 1990, Chapter C.35

  • You must file your Nomination Papers in-person, at the Township Office, with the Clerk. You may contact Julie Middleton, Clerk, at 519-485-0477 ext. 7023 or via email to book your appointment.

You must be eligible to run for office at the time of nomination and throughout the election. If you are elected, you must maintain your eligibility during your time in office.

When you file your Nomination Papers, there will be a section for you to write down your name as you want it to appear on the ballot. If you normally go by a different name than your legal first name, you may use that name provided the Clerk agrees. You do not have to provide all of your names under, "Given Name(s)" on the form. Only provide the one(s) that you want to appear on the ballot.

  • No, the Clerk is required to certify each nomination after it has been filed and before the close of nominations. The Clerk will verify the Candidate’s name is on the Voters’ List and, therefore, the person is an eligible elector.
  • It is the responsibility of the Candidate to ensure they meet all the qualifications and file proper Nomination Papers. Each Candidate should contact the Township Office to ensure that their forms are in order. Since the Clerk may examine the Nominations Papers after the Nomination Period ends, and may reject them, a Candidate may find that their Papers have been rejected and are too late to file additional information or provide proof to the Clerk of their qualifications.

In accordance with the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, a person's, "Residence" is the, "permanent lodging place to which, whenever absent, he or she intends to return". The following rules apply in determining a person's, "Residence":

  • A person may only have one residence at a time;
  • The place where a person's family resides is also his or her residence, unless he or she moves elsewhere with the intention of changing his or her permanent lodging place; and
  • If a person has no other permanent lodging place, the place where he or she occupies a room or part of a room as a regular lodger or to which he or she habitually returns.

The Township of South-West Oxford Municipal Council is comprised of the following positions to be elected:

  • Mayor.
  • Ward 1 Councillor.
  • Ward 2 Councillor.
  • Ward 3 Councillor.
  • Ward 4 Councillor.
  • Ward 5 Councillor.
  • Ward 6 Councillor.

Nominations must be filed with the Clerk of the Township of South-West Oxford.

Visit the Candidate Information page to see which School Board Trustee positions are available to be elected and who to contact to file your nomination.

The Nomination Period opened on Monday, May 2, 2022 at 8:00 a.m. and ends on Friday, August 19, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. Nominations must be filed in-person, at the Township Office, located at 312915 Dereham Line, Mount Elgin, ON. The nomination must be accompanied by the required nomination filing fee. The prescribed fee for the head of Council is $200 and $100 for Councillors. The fee is payable by cash, debit, or certified cheque only. Payment will not be accepted by credit card, personal cheque, or e-Transfer.

Candidates are also required to swear an oath at our office. The following forms must be submitted:

Nomination Papers are also available for pick-up at the Township Office.

If you file Nomination Papers and later decide that you no longer wish to run in the Township of South-West Oxford's Municipal Election, you must file a Written Withdrawal in-person before 2:00 p.m. on Nomination Day (Friday, August 19, 2022).

Contact Us

Township of South-West Oxford
312915 Dereham Line
Mt. Elgin ON N0J 1N0

Phone 519-877-2702 / 519-485-0477 x 7021
Fax 519-485-2932
Send us an email