The List of Candidates will be updated through the nomination period as nominations are received.

Voters' List and How to Update Your Information

Elections Ontario maintains the Permanent Register of Electors for Ontario, commonly known as the Register of Voters' List. This list includes individuals who are eligible to vote in provincial and municipal elections across Ontario.

Confirm, update, or add your information by using RegisterToVoteON.ca today.

The 2026 voters' guide, produced by the Province of Ontario provides information to voters for the 2026 municipal council and school board elections.

Who Can Vote?

To be qualified to vote in the Municipal Election, you must be:

• 18 years of age or older on Voting Day, Monday, October 26, 2026;
• A Canadian citizen;
• A resident of the City of St. Thomas, or you are the owner or tenant of land in the City of St. Thomas, or you are the spouse of such owner or tenant of land;
• NOT prohibited from voting or otherwise prohibited by law

Who Cannot Vote

The following are prohibited from voting:

• A person who is serving a sentence of imprisonment in a penal or correctional institution;
• A corporation;
• A person acting as an executor or trustee in any other representative capacity, except as a voting proxy in accordance with the Municipal Elections Act; or
• A person who was convicted of the corrupt practice described in subsection 90(3) of the Municipal Elections Act, if Voting Day in the current election is less than five years after Voting Day in the election in respect of which they were convicted

Voting Period

The Voting Period runs from October 13, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. until October 26, 2026 at 8:00 p.m., utilizing internet and telephone voting. The City will also be providing the use of tablet kiosks at limited times and locations for electors who do not have access to a telephone, computer, or tablet or who require assistance.

During the voting period, electors may vote for the following:

• Mayor (up to 1)
• Councillor (up to 8)
• English Public School Board Trustee (up to 2)
• English Separate School Board Trustee (up to 1)
• French Public School Board Trustee (up to 1)
• French Separate School Board Trustee (up to 1)

The Voting Procedures Manual provides detailed information about voting in the 2026 Municipal Election.

Nomination Period

The nomination period began on Friday, May 1, 2026.

The deadline to file a nomination to be a mayoral, councillor or school board trustee candidate is Friday, August 21, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.

The 2026 candidate's guide, produced by the Province of Ontario provides information to candidates for the 2026 municipal and school board elections and explains how to run as a candidate. Candidates should also review the Campaign Financial Statement (Form 4) that you will be required to file to make sure that you are keeping records of all the information that must be included on the statement.

Nominations, in the prescribed Nomination Paper (Form1) must be submitted in person, and must be accompanied with the filing fee of $200 if seeking the office of Mayor or $100 if seeking the office of Councillor or Trustee by cash, certified cheque or money order, Visa, Mastercard or debit payment. Nomination for Mayor and Councillor must also be accompanied by an Endorsement of Nomination (Form 2), containing the signatures of 25 qualified electors.

Candidate Eligibility

To run for a position on council, you must be eligible to vote. Please see the Information for Voters page for more information on eligibility to vote. You must be eligible to hold office on the day you file your nomination.

City of St. Thomas employees may run for office, but must take a leave of absence that begins the day you are nominated. If elected, you must resign from your job.

The following people are not eligible to be elected to municipal office:

• Any person who is not eligible to vote in the municipality
• An employee of a municipality who has not taken an unpaid leave of absence and resigned
• A judge of any court
• An MP, an MPP or a senator
• An inmate serving a sentence in a penal or correctional institution

To run for a trustee position on a school board, you must be a resident within the jurisdiction of the board and you must be eligible to vote in a school board election. You must also meet any other qualifications to vote for the school board (for example, being a Roman Catholic, or holding French language rights).

Offices for which persons May be Nominated

• Mayor (1)
• Councillor (8)
• English Public School Board Trustee (2)
• English Separate School Board Trustee (1)
• French Public School Board Trustee (1)
• French Separate School Board Trustee (1)

Use of City Resources

The Use of City Resources During an Election Period Policy provides a consistent approach to the use of City resources during municipal, provincial, and federal election periods and prohibits the use of City resources for campaign purposes.

Registration Information

Registrations for Third Party Advertisers, in the prescribed Notice of Registration - Third Party (Form 7) will be accepted between Friday, May 1, 2026 and Friday, October 23, 2026.

A third party advertisement refers to an advertisement in any broadcast, print, electronic or other medium that promotes, supports or opposes a candidate in the election, or a "yes" or "no" answer to a question on the ballot.

Ontario residents, corporations and trade unions that will incur expenses for such advertisements must register as a third party advertiser with the City Clerk before they can begin advertising during a municipal election.

The 2026 third-party advertisers' guide, produced by the Province of Ontario provides information to those who want to register as third-party advertisers for the 2026 municipal council and school board elections. Third-party advertisers should also look through the Financial Statement (Form 8) that you will be required to file to make sure that you are keeping records of all information that must be included on the statement.