Important Nomination Dates

The nomination period for the 2010 Municipal Election starts on January 4, 2010.

Nomination Day

The last day to file a Nomination form is on Nomination Day, Friday, September 10, 2010 from 9:00 am. to 2:00 pm.

The nomination period for the 2010 Municipal Election starts on January 4, 2010 and ends on September 10, 2010. Nomination forms may be submitted to the City Clerk on any day after January 4, 2010 and before September 10, 2010, during normal office hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday or on Nomination Day, Friday, September 10, 2010 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. 

All candidates will be required to show proof of identity and qualifying address within the City of Port Colborne at the time the nomination form is filed.  Identification that includes proof of Canadian citizenship is preferred.

A candidate must be nominated in order to raise campaign funds or incur expenses.

A completed nomination in the prescribed form must be signed by the candidate (before a Commissioner of Oaths or the City Clerk) and may be filed in person or by an agent. Faxed Nomination forms will not be accepted. An original signature is required on all election documents.

A prescribed nomination filing fee of $200.00 for Mayor and $100.00 for all other offices must be paid at the time of filing the nomination. The nomination filing fee shall be paid in cash or by certified cheque or money order made payable to the municipality.

The filing fee will be refunded if the candidate is elected, withdraws his or her nomination on or before 2:00 p.m. on September 10, 2010, or receives more than 2% of the votes cast for the office for which he or she was nominated.

A nomination must be certified by the City Clerk before such person becomes a certified candidate for the office to which she or he is nominated.  The City Clerk is required to reject or certify the nominations of candidates (who filed on or before Nomination Day) on or before 4:00 p.m., Monday, September 13, 2010.

In the event there is an insufficient number of certified candidates to fill all positions available, nominations will be reopened for the vacant positions only on Wednesday, September 15, 2010 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. and such additional nominations, if required, may be filed in the office of the Clerk.  The Clerk is required to reject or certify such additional nominations as may be filed on or before 4:00 p.m., Thursday, September 16, 2010.

An individual is qualified to be elected or to hold office as the Mayor, Ward Councillor or Regional Councillor if he/she:

• Is a resident of Port Colborne, a non-resident owner or tenant of land in Port Colborne, or the spouse or same-sex partner of such a person;
• Is a Canadian Citizen;
• Is at least 18 years of age;
• not otherwise prohibited from voting. 

Note:  The above qualifications must be maintained during the entire term of office.

Persons Not Eligible

An individual is disqualified from being elected to municipal office if he/she:

• is not eligible to vote in the municipality;
• is an employee of a municipality or school board unless he/she:
  o   takes an unpaid leave of absence before being nominated; and
  o   resigns, if elected to the office;
• is a judge of any court;
• is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, the Senate or House of Commons;
• is a Crown employee under the meaning of the Public Service Act;
• is prohibited from voting in an election under the Municipal Elections Act, the Municipal Act or the Education Act;
• has violated financial requirements for the filing of financial information within the meaning of the Municipal Elections Act.

Note: 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 Friday, September 10, 2010 (Nomination Day), MPs, MPPs, and Senators are required to resign their current seat should they wish to continue to seek municipal office.

Below you will find a link to the forms to be completed and submitted to the Office of the City Clerk. Please note there is a section of the Nomination form that needs to be completed and signed before the Clerk or a Commissioner.

Nomination Paper - Form 1

Declaration of Qualification

Candidate's Consent to Release of Personal Information

Candidate's Declaration - Proper Use of Voter's List

Nominations are being accepted for the following offices:

(a)       Mayor (one [1] to be elected at large)

(b)       Councillor Ward One (two [2] to be elected by ward vote)

            Councillor Ward Two (two [2] to be elected by ward vote)

            Councillor Ward Three (two [2] to be elected by ward vote)

            Councillor Ward Four (two [2] to be elected by ward vote)

(c)        Regional Councillor (one [1] to be elected at large)

(d)       Trustee for the District School Board of Niagara (one to be elected at large by the English Language Public School electors of the municipalities of the City of Port Colborne

            and the Town of Fort Erie)

(e)       Trustee for the Niagara Catholic District School Board (one [1] to be elected at large by the English Language Separate School electors of the municipalities of the City of Port

            Colborne, the Town of Fort Erie and the Township of Wainfleet)

(f)        Trustee for the Conseil scolaire public de district du Centre-Sud-Ouest (one [1] to be elected at large by the French Language Public School electors of the municipalities of

            the City of Port Colborne, the Town of Fort Erie, the City of Niagara Falls, the Town of Pelham, the City of Thorold, the Township of Wainfleet and the City of Welland)

(g)       Trustee for the Conseil scolaire de district catholique Centre-Sud (one [1] to be elected at large by the French Language Separate School electors of the municipalities of the

            City of Port Colborne, the Town of Fort Erie, the Town of Pelham, the Township of Wainfleet and the City of Welland)

Note:  Nominations for the offices indicated in (a), (b), and (c) above shall be filed at the office of the Clerk, City of Port Colborne, 66 Charlotte Street, Port Colborne, Ontario. 

Nominations for the offices indicated in (d) and (e) shall be filed at the office of the Clerk, Town of Fort Erie, 1 Municipal Drive, Fort Erie, Ontario.

Nominations for the offices indicated in (f) and (g) shall be filed at the office of the Clerk, City of Welland, 60 East Main Street, Welland.

For information on how to file a nomination for offices indicated in (d), (e), (f) and (g) please contact the Clerk indicated directly.

The term of office for the above positions is four years, starting December 1, 2010 and ending November 30, 2014.

A candidate may withdraw his/her nomination by submitting in writing the request to withdraw, and delivering it to the City Clerk before 2:00 p.m. on Friday, September 10, 2010. A faxed request of withdrawal will not be accepted. An original signature is required on all election documents.

If a candidate has filed an earlier nomination for an office in the same election, the first nomination form shall be deemed to have been withdrawn automatically at the time the second nomination form is submitted.

The candidate’s campaign period commences at the time a nomination form is submitted to the Office of the City Clerk, and ends on December 31, 2010.

Candidates must not solicit or accept contributions for election purposes, or incur expenses, until their nomination form is filed with the City Clerk.

Campaigning is not permitted on the premises of a voting place on voting day.