2026 Municipal Elections
*Notice of Nomination for Office

ONTARIO MUNICIPAL ELECTION- MONDAY OCTOBER 26, 2026
Internet/Telephone Voting October 13 - 26, 2026
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The next municipal election will be held on Monday, October 26, 2026, at which time Morris-Turnberry voters will elect the following offices:
- Mayor
- Municipal Councillors (4) __________________________________________________________________________________________
Clerk's Procedures - Internet and Telephone Voting Election Procedures for the 2026 Municipal Election
Municipal Election Accessibility Plan - 2026 Municipal Elections
These pages will be updated as information becomes available
School Board Elections
- English Public - Avon Maitland District School Board Trustee (North Huron/Howick/Morris-Turnberry) – one (1) to be elected
- The Township of North Huron is responsible for conducting the election for the municipalities of North Huron, Howick, and Morris-Turnberry. For more information, contact vote@northhuron.ca
- English Separate - Huron Perth Catholic District School Board Trustee – one (1) to be elected
- The Town of Goderich is responsible for conducting the election for the municipalities of North Huron, Central Huron, Goderich, Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh, Morris-Turnberry, and Howick. For more information, contact vote@goderich.ca
- French Public - Conseil Scolaire Viamonde Trustee – one (1) to be elected
- The City of London is responsible for conducting the election for the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, and the Counties of Wellington, Middlesex, Perth and Huron. For more information, contact elections@london.ca
- French Separate - Conseil Scolaire Catholique Providence Trustee – one (1) to be elected
- The City of Sarnia is responsible for conducting the election for the Counties of Perth, Grey, Huron, Bruce and Lambton. For more information, contact clerks@sarnia.ca
Nominations
- Nomination for the 2026 municipal election opens on Friday, May 1, 2026. Nomination paperwork must be filed with the Clerk by 2:00 p.m. on Friday, August 21, 2026.
- Candidates are required to make an appointment to file their nomination as well as pay a fee of $100 ($200 for head of council)
- Eligible candidates for municipal elections must be:
- A Canadian citizen who is at least 18 years old
- A resident of the municipality, a non-resident owner or tenant of land in the municipality, or the spouse of such non-resident owner or tenant
- Not legally prohibited from voting and not disqualified by any legislation from holding municipal office.
Since Morris-Turnberry has fewer than 4,000 electors, Candidates do NOT have to submit endorsement signatures with their nominations.
Unofficial List of Candidates
Candidates who have filed their Nomination Papers for the 2026 Municipal and School Board Election will appear on the Unofficial List of Candidates (non-certified) below during the nomination period between May 1, 2026 and August 21, 2026 (at 2pm).
Following the close of the nomination period, the Clerk will review all nominations and prepare a Certified List of Candidates, and declare any candidates acclaimed, if necessary.
Candidates are listed in order of filing date and time. Candidates will be listed on the ballot by office, in alphabetical order.
The Unofficial List of Candidates (non-certified) is also available for viewing at the Morris-Turnberry Municipal Office during regular business hours (8:30 am - 4:30 pm). For more information, please contact the Clerk’s Department at 519-887-6137 Ext. 224
Voters
Who Can Vote?
Voters' guide for Ontario Municipal Council and School Board Elections
In order to be eligible to vote, you must meet the Qualifications of Electors as listed in the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, s.17(2)
A person is entitled to be an elector at an election held in a local municipality if, on voting day, they,
- resides in the local municipality or is the owner or tenant of land there, or is the spouse of such owner or tenant;
- is a Canadian citizen;
- is at least 18 years old; and
- is not prohibited from voting under subsection (3) or otherwise by lawEligible voters for municipal elections must be:
Voters' List and Voter Information
Elections Ontario maintains the Permanent Register of Electors for Ontario, commonly known as the Register or Voters List. This list includes individuals who are eligible to vote in provincial and municipal elections across Ontario.
You can use Election Ontario's Voter Registration application to confirm, update, or add your information if you:
- Have changed your name or address
- Own or rent a new property
- No longer own or rent a property
- Want to remove your information from the Register or Voters List
Register today by visiting RegisterToVoteON.ca or call 1-866-242-3025.
Students and voter registration
Students attending school away from home may be eligible to vote in multiple municipalities. If a student’s permanent residence and temporary student home are in different municipalities or a Territory Without Municipal Organization area, they can update or add their "home address" as their permanent family residence and list their student home as an additional property they, or their spouse, own or rent.
Your school support designation matters.
Review it by June 1, 2026
So you’re ready to vote on October 26!
To ensure your correct school support designation is provided to Elections Ontario in time for the next municipal and school board elections on October 26, 2026, it should be reviewed and, if needed, updated by June 1, 2026.
While Elections Ontario maintains the Permanent Register of Electors in Ontario for provincial, municipal, and school board elections,
MPAC (Municipal Property Assessment Corporation) is legislatively responsible for collecting school support designation information.
What is school support?
Whether you own or rent your home, your property is linked to a school board – even if you don’t have children or your children aren’t currently attending school. While you’re not required to make a designation, you do have the option to choose which school board you support. If you don’t make a choice, your support will default to the English-Public school board.
How to update school support designations
Property owners can change their school support designation online using MPAC AboutMyProperty™ or our online portal for tenants. To get started, choose the option that applies to you:
A step-by-step guide is available in English or French.
Please note: Registration may take up to 24 hours to activate.
You can submit a paper Application for Direction of School Support form in English or French and mail or email it to MPAC.
To learn more or update a school support designation, visit mpac.ca/schoolsupport.
Candidates
During the next municipal election, Morris-Turnberry voters will elect the following offices:
- Mayor
- Municipal Councillors (4)
- School Board Trustees
The Role of Council
The Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has published a document called, "The Municipal Councillor's Guide." This guide provides an overview of the many duties and challenges elected officials at the municipal level face.
Mayor
The Municipal Councillor's Guide is the source of this abbreviated description for the role of head of Council, which in the Municipality of Morris-Turnberry is referred to as the Mayor:
- To act as the municipality's chief executive officer;
- To preside over council meetings such that business is carried out both efficiently and effectively;
- To provide leadership to the council;
- To provide information/recommendations to council on policies, practices, procedures, to ensure transparency and accountability; and,
- To represent the municipality at official functions
The Municipality of Morris-Turnberry does not have designated Strong Mayor powers at this time, with a council consisting of less then 6 members of council.
Councillors
This abbreviated description for the role of Councillor is based on the Municipal Councillor's Guide:
- To represent the public and to consider the well-being and interests of the municipality;
- To develop and evaluate the policies and programs of the municipality;
- To determine which services the municipality provides;
- To maintain the financial integrity of the municipality;
- To ensure that administrative policies practices are in place to implement the decisions of council; and,
- To ensure the accountability and transparency of the operations of the municipality.
Municipal Councillors also sit as members of a number of Advisory Committees. These committees provide Council with recommendations. As a member of municipal council, you would be required to attend meetings of the Committees on which you are a member, and also to attend meetings of the full Municipal Council.
Nominations:
- Nomination for the 2026 municipal election opens on Friday May 1, 2026. Nomination paperwork must be filed with the Clerk by 2:00 PM on Friday August 21, 2026.
- Candidates are required to make an appointment to file their nomination as well as pay a fee of $100 ($200 for head of council)
- Eligible candidates for municipal elections must be:
- A Canadian citizen who is at least 18 years old
- A resident of the municipality, a non-resident owner or tenant of land in the municipality, or the spouse of such non-resident owner or tenant
- Not legally prohibited from voting and not disqualified by any legislation from holding municipal office.
Navigating Conflict Relationships as an Elected Official 2026
This training is an opportunity to gain skills in building collaborative relationships and negotiating difficult ones in your role as an elected municipal official.
Elected officials run for municipal office for a variety of reasons which include providing leadership, stewardship and improving their local communities.
However municipal life is very much a people-oriented business, meaning elected representatives must engage in and build a wide variety of relationships with constituents, municipal staff, other elected officials, other orders of government and community organizations to name a few.
Not all relationships are smooth sailing and conflicts are inevitable. Sometimes the waters become choppy especially when navigating challenging relationships and conflict situations.
Having conflict-free and collaborative relationships can play a significant role in helping locally elected officials carry out their collective responsibilities as decision-makers of their communities.
During this 2-part virtual, interactive workshop, we will explore the constructs, traps and pitfalls of conflict relationships, why relationships may go wrong and how to approach, plan and execute relationships successfully using practical tips, tools and real-world examples.
Dates:
- May 13 & 14, 2026, 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
For more information and to register, visit AMO's website.
Additional Resources:
- 2026 Morris - Turnberry Candidate Information Package - Quick guide
- Morris-Turnberry Procedural Bylaw 45-2024
- Morris-Turnberry Council Code of Conduct
- Use of Corporate Resources for Election Purposes
- Bylaw 25-2026 Election Signs
- 2026 Candidates' guide for Ontario Municipal Council and School Board Elections
- Municipal Elections - Association of Municipalities of Ontario
- Lead Where You Live: a guide to running for municipal council - Association of Municipalities of Ontario
- Municipal Elections Act, 1996
Important Dates
May 1, 2026 – Nomination Period Begins
Upon filing, candidates will be provided with a Candidate Nomination Package, including:
• A certificate of the applicable interim maximum amount of expenses.
• A certificate of the applicable interim maximum amount of contributions to a candidate’s own election campaign.
• A certificate of the applicable interim maximum amount for parties, etc. after voting day.
• A notice of the penalties related to campaign finances and the refund of the nomination filing fee.
• A link to the copy of the Telephone and Internet Voting Clerk’s Election Procedures Manual and Forms established for any voting and vote-counting equipment, or alternative voting method.
Candidates can start incurring expenses once the above certificates have been issued.
May 1, 2026 – Third Party Advertiser Registration Period Begins
Upon registering, Third Party Advertisers will be provided with a Third Party Advertiser Registration Package, including:
• A certificate of the applicable maximum amount of expenses.
• A certificate of the applicable maximum amount for parties, etc. after voting day.
• A notice of the penalties related to third party advertiser finances
Third Party Advertisers can start incurring expenses once the above certificates have been issued.
June 24, 2026 – Candidate Information Session
The Clerk’s of Huron County are organizing a joint Candidate Information Session. This meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Libro Hall in Clinton, ON.
August 21, 2026 - Nomination Day
On Nomination Day, nominations may only be filed between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
August 21, 2026 - Withdrawal Deadline
A candidate who wishes to withdraw their nomination must notify the Clerk in writing using the prescribed form before 2:00 p.m.
August 24, 2026 – Clerk Certifies List of Candidates and Declares Acclamations
All nominations to be examined and certified by 4:00 p.m. and the Clerk will declare the candidate(s) elected by acclamation.
September 1, 2026 – Voters’ List Reproduction and Revision Period Begins
Last day for reproducing the Voters’ List and determining the revision procedures. On written request, the Clerk shall provide copies of the Voters’ List to those referred to under subsection 23(3) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996.
On written request, the Clerk shall provide candidates with a copy of the part of the Voters’ List that contains the names of the electors who are entitled to vote for that office. From September 1 until the close of voting on Voting Day (8:00 p.m. on October 26), a person may submit an application to have their name added to or removed from the Voters’ List, or to have their information on the Voters’ List amended. From September 1 until the close of voting on Voting Day (October 26), a person may submit an application requesting that a deceased person’s name be removed from the voters’ list. For more information, please contact vote@morristurnberry.ca
September 30, 2026 - Interim List of Changes to the Voters’ List
The Clerk shall prepare and distribute an interim list of the changes to Voters’ List that were approved between September 1 and September 20 on or before September 30, 2026.
October 13, 2026 - Voting Opens
Telephone and Internet voting will open. The Voter Help Centre will be available on the following days at the below dates and times:
Morris-Turnberry Municipal office, 41342 Morris Road, Brussels:
• Tuesday, October 13, 2026 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Weekdays from Wednesday, October 14th to Friday, October 23rd during regular office hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
• Monday, October 26, 2026 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
October 23, 2026 – Third Party Advertisers Registration Deadline
Last day for third party advertisers to file their notice of registration by 4:30p.m.
October 26, 2026 – Voting Day
Last day for voting. The Telephone and Internet voting polls will close for the 2026 Election at 8:00 p.m.
October 26, 2026 – Declaration of Election Results by the Clerk
As soon as possible, the Clerk will declare the results of the election. The results of the election will be calculated and released to the public as soon as possible after 8:00 p.m. at the Morris-Turnberry Council Chambers (41342 Morris Road, Brussels).
November 5, 2026 – Joint Council Orientation Session
The Clerk’s of Huron County are organizing a joint Council Orientation Session for new and returning Members of Council.
November 17, 2026 – Inaugural Meeting of Council
The Inaugural Meeting of Council for the 2026-2030 term of office will be held at 5:00 p.m. The new Council will take their oath of office, and be sworn in.
November 25, 2025 - Inaugural Meeting of Huron County Council
December 31, 2026 – End of Election Campaign Period
The election campaign period ends. Contributions may not be made to or accepted by a Candidate or third party nor expenses incurred outside the campaign period.
March 30, 2027 – Deadline to File Financial Statement
Deadline for candidates and registered third parties to file their initial financial statements and auditor’s reports.
Third Party Advertisers
What is third party advertising?
A third party advertisement is a message in any broadcast, print, electronic or other medium that has the purpose of promoting, supporting or opposing:
- A candidate, or
- A "yes" or "no" answer to a question on the ballot.
Third party advertising does not include an advertisement:
- Made by or under the direction of a candidate
- For which no expense is incurred
- When it is transmitted by an individual to its employees, by a corporation to its shareholders, directors, members or employees, or by a trade union to its members or employees
Third party advertising does not include issues-based advertising so groups that do public outreach can continue their issues-based advocacy work throughout the municipal election period.
Third party advertisers must register with the municipality before conducting advertising.
2026 Third Party Advertisers' guide for Ontario Municipal Council and School Board Elections
Who can be a registered third party?
Section 88.6 of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 states:
Only the following persons and entities are eligible to file a notice of registration to be a third party advertiser:
- An individual who is normally resident in Ontario
- A corporation that carries on business in Ontario
- A trade union that holds bargaining rights for employees in Ontario
The following persons and entities are not eligible to file a notice of registration:
- A nominated candidate
- A federal political party registered under the Canada Elections Act (Canada) or any federal constituency association or registered candidate at a federal election endorsed by that party
- A provincial political party, constituency association, registered candidate or leadership contestant registered under the Election Finances Act
- The Crown in right of Canada or Ontario, a municipality or local board
Registrations can be accepted by the Clerk or designate between the first day for filling nominations, Friday May 1, 2026, to Friday, October 23, 2026.
The Notice for Registration – Third Party PR FORM 7 may be filed with the Clerk from May 1, 2026 to and October 23, 2026 during regular business hours.
The form shall be filed in the following manner:
- in person or by an agent
- no faxed or other electronically transmitted registration notices will be accepted – original signatures required
- with proof of identity as prescribed in O. Reg. 304/13, as amended
- with the declaration of qualifications, signed by the individual or by a representative of the corporation or trade union
- a resolution from the corporation or trade union that authorizes the person or agent to register on their behalf, if applicable.
- With proof that the trade union or Corporation exists and is acting in Ontario.
