Municipal Election Nominations Begin May 1

Municipal election nominations for the 2018 – 2022 term open on May 1 at 8:30 a.m. for the Town of Milton, Halton Region and school board trustees; nominations close on July 27 at 2 p.m. The election takes place on Monday, October 22, 2018 with advance voting dates from October 8 to 14.

The Town of Milton will elect one Mayor, four Regional Councillors (one from each ward) and four Town Councillors (one from each ward). Halton Region will elect one Regional Chair. School boards trustees will be elected for English and French boards.

A person may be nominated for office if he or she meets all the requirements; candidates must be18 years of age or older, a Canadian citizen, a resident of the Town of Milton (or an owner or tenant of land in the Town of Milton or the spouse of such a person) and eligible to vote.

The Towns of Milton and Halton Hills, in conjunction with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs, will be hosting a candidate information session on Wednesday, May 2, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Town Hall in Milton. The session will focus on municipal election campaigns, campaign financing, changes in legislation and more. Candidates are encouraged to book in advance by contacting the Town Clerk’s Office as space is limited.

Candidates must file a Nomination Form, along with the filing fee, before incurring any expenses or collecting any money; two pieces of identification must be presented, showing name, qualifying address and signature. Forms are available at www.MiltonVotes.ca and Milton’s Town Hall (Community Services counter). Filing fees are $200 for Mayor or Regional Chair and $100 for all other offices.

Candidates are encouraged to contact the Town Clerk’s Office to book an appointment to file their nomination paper. Appointments are available Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and it will take approximately 30 minutes to complete the nomination filing process. The Town Clerk’s Office has relocated; nominations will be accepted at the Community Services counter, in the main lobby of Town Hall.

There are specific requirements that must be followed by third party advertisers, which includes individuals, trade unions or corporations that place an election-related advertisement to be seen by the public. Advertisements include a message in any media, such as newspapers, billboards, radio, etc., that are for or against a candidate running in the municipal election. Third party advertisers must register in each municipality where they plan to advertise.

The newly-launched elections website www.MiltonVotes.ca contains ward maps, nomination forms, election guidelines, requirements and legislation, third party advertising regulations and other resources for candidates. For voters, the website holds voting information, including voters’ lists and locations. For those seeking employment opportunities, job descriptions and applications for working during the election will be available in August.

For more election information, visit www.MiltonVotes.ca or contact the Town Clerk’s Office at 905-878-7252 x2253 or townclerk@milton.ca.