Information for Candidates

To run for municipal office you must be nominated and qualify.

To be a qualified candidate you must be:

• a Canadian Citizen; and
• at least 18 years old; and
• reside in Smiths Falls or be the owner or tenant of land in Smiths Falls, or the spouse of an owner or tenant of land in Smiths Falls.

• A person who is serving a sentence of imprisonment in a penal or correctional institute.
• A corporation.
• A person acting as an executor or trustee or in any other representative capacity.
• A person who ceases to be a Canadian citizen.
• A person who is not a resident, the owner or tenant of land or the spouse of an owner or tenant of land in the municipality.
• An employee of the municipality or local board 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 person who is not an employee of the municipality but who is the Clerk, Treasurer, Integrity Commissioner, Auditor General, Ombudsman or registrar referred to in section 223.11 of the Municipal Act, 2001 or an investigator referred to in subsection 239.2 91 of the municipality, or a person who is not an employee of the municipality but who holds an administrative position of the municipality.
• A judge of any court; a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario or the Senate or House of Commons of Canada.
• A public servant within the meaning of the Public Service of Ontario Act, 2006.
• A federal employee within the meaning of the Public Service Employment Act.
• A person who is prohibited from voting in a municipal election according to the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 or the Municipal Act, 2001.
• A person who has violated financial requirements for filing financial information in the previous election.
• A person who has been convicted of a corrupt practice under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 or of an offence under the Criminal Code (Canada) in connection with an act or omission that relates to an election to which the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 applies.

*Despite the above disqualification, MPs, MPPs and Senators may be nominated for municipal office without having to resign their current seat in parliament. However by 2:00 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 you are a federal or provincial cabinet minister, you must step down from cabinet prior to filing your nomination and must resign your seat by the close of nominations.

Nominations will be accepted at the Municipal Office during regular business hours from May 1, 2026 until 2:00 p.m. on Friday, August 21, 2026 (Nomination Day).

Nominations must include:

• the prescribed Nomination Paper form (see link below)
• the prescribed Declaration by at least 25 persons endorsing the nomination who are eligible to vote (see link below)
• a Declaration of Qualifications (see link below)
• a completed Consent to Release Personal Information (see link below)

• the prescribed nomination filing fee:

• Candidates Introductory Letter
• Filing ID Requirements
• Form - Nomination Paper
• Form - Endorsement of Nomination (25 Signatures) 
• Form - Declaration of Qualifications (Council)
• Form - Consent to Release Personal Information

• Municipal Elections Act
• Municipal Act
• Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing - Candidates' Guide
• Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing - Municipal Elections
• Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing - Ontario Municipal Councillor's Guide