QUALIFICATIONS TO RUN FOR MUNICIPAL OFFICE:
In order to run for Mayor, Regional Councillor or Ward Councillor a person must, on the day he/she files a nomination paper, be:
- a Canadian citizen
- at least 18 years of age
- a resident of the Town of Fort Erie or the owner or tenant of land in the Town of Fort Erie or the spouse of such owner or tenant
- not legally prohibited from voting
- not disqualified by any legislation from holding municipal office
A qualified elector in the Town of Fort Erie you may run in any ward of his/her choosing; however, they may only vote in the ward in which you live.
A nominated candidate, must remain qualified throughout the election and, if elected, throughout the term of office. It is the responsibility of the candidate to determine whether he or she is qualified to be elected to and hold office.
Who cannot be a candidate for municipal council?
Municipal Employees:
An employee of the municipality who wishes to run for office on that municipality’s council must be on unpaid leave of absence on or before the day he/she files a nomination paper up to and including Voting Day. If an employee is the successful candidate for an office on the employer Council, he or she must resign from his/her job before taking the oath of office. You cannot work for a municipality and be on its Council.
An employee of a municipality may run for office in a different municipality without having to take a leave of absence or resign if successful.
A municipal employee of the Regional Municipality of Niagara may be a candidate for Ward Councillor on Fort Erie Council without taking a leave of absence. Such an employee must be on unpaid leave of absence to run for Mayor and must resign if successful since the Mayor of the Town of Fort Erie is by reason of his/her office also a member of the Council of the Regional Municipality of Niagara.
Persons disqualified from holding municipal office:
The following are disqualified from running for municipal office:
- Any person who is not eligible to vote in the municipality
- A judge of any court
- An MP, an MPP or a Senator who has not resigned from their office by the close of the nomination period
- A member of the Executive Council of Ontario or a federal Minister of the Crown
- A Crown employee within the meaning of the Public Service Act
- An inmate serving a sentence in a penal or correctional institution
- A person who is prohibited from voting in an election according to the Municipal Elections Act, The Municipal Act or the Education Act
- A candidate who failed to file the necessary financial statement(s) in the last municipal election
QUALIFICATIONS TO RUN FOR SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEE
To run as a candidate for trustee of any of the four school boards serving the Town of Fort Erie, a person must, on the day they file their nomination paper, be:
- A Canadian citizen
- At least 18 years of age
- A resident in the area of jurisdiction of the board
- Eligible to vote for the school board
- A Roman Catholic (if running for a separate school board)
- Not legally prohibited from voting or otherwise disqualified by any legislation from holding school board office
A candidate, if nominated, must remain qualified throughout the election and, if elected, throughout the term of office. It is the responsibility of the candidate to determine whether he or she is qualified to be elected to and hold office.
Persons disqualified from being elected as a school board trustee:
The following people are disqualified from being elected as a school board trustee:
- A MP, a MPP or Senator who has not resigned from their office by the close of nominations
- A candidate who failed to file the necessary financial statement in the last municipal election
- Employees of any school board are disqualified from being elected as a school board trustee unless they are on an unpaid leave of absence on or before the day they file a nomination paper
- A clerk, treasurer, deputy-clerk or deputy treasurer of any municipality within the area of jurisdiction of the school board unless they are on an unpaid leave of absence on or before the day they file a nomination paper