Elections

If you voted in a Provincial or Federal Election, it does not guarantee that you are on the Voters' List for a Municipal Election. Elections Ontario manages a single register of electors for both provincial and municipal elections in Ontario. You can check to see if your name is on the voters' list or manage your information through the voter registration service.

Are you 16 or 17 years old and interested in voting? If you are 16 or 17 years old, a Canadian citizen, and a resident of Ontario, you can add your name to the Register of Future Voters.

To ensure your correct school support designation is provided to Elections Ontario in time for the next municipal and school board elections on October 26, 2026, it should be reviewed and, if needed, updated by June 1, 2026. 

While Elections Ontario maintains the Permanent Register of Electors in Ontario for provincial, municipal, and school board elections, MPAC (Municipal Property Assessment Corporation) is legislatively responsible for collecting school support designation information.  

What is school support? 
Whether you own or rent your home, your property is linked to a school board – even if you don’t have children or your children aren’t currently attending school. While you’re not required to make a designation, you do have the option to choose which school board you support. If you don’t make a choice, your support will default to the English-Public school board.  
 

How to update school support designations
Property owners can change their school support designation online using MPAC AboutMyProperty™ or our online portal for tenants. To get started, choose the option that applies to you:  

• I am a property owner 
• I am a tenant 

A step-by-step guide is available in English or French. 

Please note: Registration may take up to 24 hours to activate. 

You can submit a paper Application for Direction of School Support form in English or French and mail or email it to MPAC. 

To learn more or update a school support designation, visit mpac.ca/schoolsupport. 

To become a candidate for Reeve or Councillor you must file a nomination paper with the Municipal Clerk, in person, at 1092 Highway 595 (side door entrance). Nomination papers may be filed at the office beginning Friday May 1, 2026 at 9 am to Friday, August 21, 2026 at 2:00 pm. By appointment only. Walk in appointments will not be guaranteed.

Appointments to file nomination papers may be booked online by clicking the button below or by calling 807-475-3185 ext 3 (leave a message).

The Municipal Office is closed on Fridays however, will be open for appointments on May 1st, 2026 & August 21, 2026 between 9 am to 2 pm.

Online Appointment Booking

The deadline to file a nomination is 2:00 p.m. on Friday, August 21, 2026.

A person cannot raise or spend money on an election campaign until their filed nomination has been certified by the Clerk.

A digital nomination package may be downloaded by clicking the button below.

Nomination Package

Printed nomination packages may be picked up at the Municipal Office on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, between 9AM - 4PM. Closed for lunch between 12:00PM - 12:30PM.

 Qualifications to Run for Reeve or Councillor

• a Canadian citizen;
• at least 18 years old;
• a resident of Gillies Township, or an owner, or tenant of land in the township of Gillies, or the spouse of such person;
• not legally prohibited from voting;
• not disqualified by any legislation from holding municipal office.

The following people are disqualified from being elected or holding office as Reeve of Councillor: 

•  a judge of any court;
• a Senator, Member of Parliament or Member of Provincial Parliament who has not resigned from their office by the close of nominations; 
• a candidate who failed to file the necessary financial statement or exceeded the prescribed spending limit in the 2022 municipal election; or
• Township of Gillies employees, unless the candidate takes an unpaid leave of absence before filing a nomination paper.

Candidates filing a nomination must present identification showing their name, photo, qualifying Township of Gillies address, and signature.

One piece of ID or a combination of two pieces of ID as specified here will meet the ID requirement.

Acceptable ID includes:

• Ontario driver’s licence
• Ontario health card
• Canadian passport
• Certificate of Canadian Citizenship
• Certificate of Indian Status
• Veterans Affairs Canada Health Card
• Social Insurance Number Card
• Old Age Security Card
• Credit card
• Debit card
• Ontario motor vehicle permit, plate portion
• Cancelled personalized cheque
• Property tax assessment
• Mortgage, lease or rental agreement 
• Insurance policy
• Insurance statement
• Loan or financial agreement with a financial institution
• Employee Identification card
• Student Identification card issued by a post-secondary institution
• Union Identification card or professional licence card
• Income tax assessment notice
• Child Tax Benefit Statement
• Statement of Employment Insurance Benefits Paid T4E
• Statement of Old Age Security T4A OAS 
• Statement of Canada Pension Plan Benefits T4A P
• Canada Pension Plan Statement of Contributions
• Statement of Direct Deposit for Ontario Works
• Statement of Direct Deposit for Ontario Disability Support Program
• Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Statement of Benefits T5007
• Credit card, bank account, RRSP, RRIF, RHOSP or T5 statement
• CNIB Card or a card from another registered charitable organization which provides services to persons with disabilities
• Hospital card or record
• Utility bill for hydro, telephone, or a bill from a public utilities commission
• Cheque stub, T4 or pay receipt issued by an employer
• Transcript or report card from a post-secondary school
• Document issued or certified by a court in Ontario
• Any other document issued by the government of Canada, Ontario or a municipality in Ontario or from an agency of such a government
• Any document from a Band Council in Ontario established under the Indian Act, Canada

A campaign bank account must be opened for election campaign purposes prior to spending money or accepting contributions. All contributions of money, including contributions from yourself, must be deposited in the campaign account.  All campaign expenses must be paid from the campaign account.

You do not have to open a campaign bank account if you do not spend any money and do not receive any contributions of money. If you receive contributions of goods or services, but no contributions of money, you do not have to open a campaign bank account.

You cannot use your personal bank account for campaign finances, even if you are planning a very small campaign.

Candidates must keep records of:

• receipts issued for every contribution
• value of every contribution
• whether contribution is in form of money, goods or services
• contributor’s name and address
• every expense, including the receipts obtained for each expense

All campaign financial records must be retained until after November 15, 2030, when the next new council has been sworn in.

 Money, goods or services given to a candidate for their campaign are considered to be contributions. Candidates can accept contributions from:

• individuals who normally reside in Ontario
• the candidate and their spouse

Contributions to candidates from trade unions and corporations are prohibited in municipal elections.

Cash contributions may be accepted up to $25. Contributions over $25 must be by cheque or money order, or by a method that clearly shows where the funds came from. Receipts must be issued for each contribution and should include the name and address of the contributor, the amount and date of the contribution.

'Pass the hat' donations of under $25 received at fundraising events, may be given anonymously and the candidate is not required to issue receipts. These donations are still considered campaign income and the total amount must be reported on the candidate's financial statement.

The ticket price for a fundraising event is a contribution and the candidate must issue a receipt for the full amount.

The maximum amount an individual can contribute to a candidate's campaign is $1,200. Contributors may donate up to an aggregate total of $5,000 to any number of candidates running for the same council.

Candidates are required to inform contributors of contribution limits.

There is a limit on the amount that a candidate and their spouse can collectively contribute to the candidate's own campaign for a municipal council office.

The limit is based on the number of electors voting for the office, and is calculated as follows:

• $7,500 + $0.20 per elector for head of council, to a maximum of $25,000
• $5,000 + $0.20 per elector for Councillor, to a maximum of $25,000

Upon filing their nomination, a candidate will receive a certificate from the Clerk with a preliminary calculation of maximum self-funding amounts, based on the voters' list as of September 15, 2022. On or before September 30, 2026, the Clerk shall provide a final certificate. The number of electors used in the final calculation will be the greater of the number on the voters' list on September 15, 2022 or September 15, 2026.

A candidate's general spending limit applies only to expenses incurred until the end of Voting Day. The limit is based on the number of electors voting for the office, and is calculated as follows:

• Head of council: $7,500 + 85 cents per elector
• Councillor: $5,000 + 85 cents per elector

There is a separate spending limit for parties and expressions of appreciation after Voting Day, and that limit is 10% of the above calculated amounts.

The Clerk will provide candidates with two certificates of maximum campaign expenses:

• preliminary estimate – when filing a nomination form, based on the 2022 voters’ list
• final certificate, by September 30, with the higher of the calculated amount based on the 2026 voters’ list, or the amount on the preliminary certificate, noted above. 

A candidate may appoint scrutineers to represent them during voting and counting of the votes. Each candidate may appoint one scrutineer per ballot box in a voting place. A candidate is not required to appoint that many scrutineers, or any scrutineers at all.

Scrutineers may observe, but they are not allowed to interfere with voters, attempt to influence how they vote, or ask a voter how they voted.

The form and process for appointing a scrutineer will be updated once available. 

The Association of Municipalities of Ontario produces Lead Where You Live 2026: A Guide to running for municipal council. 

The Province of Ontario publishes a Municipal Councillor's Guide that provides an overview of the roles and responsibilities of an elected member of council.  

The Province of Ontario has released the 2026 Candidates' Guide - Ontario municipal council and school board elections to provide information on how to run as a candidate in Ontario municipal council and school board elections.

Candidates Responsibility and Debate Information

Getting information out to the voters is up to each candidate. It is the candidates responsibility to provide voters with their information, including their campaign information. The Municipal Clerk is not responsible for providing candidate contact information to voters.

The Municipal Elections Act, 1996 does not require candidate debates to be held. The Municipal Clerk is not responsible for organizing meetings or debates. Debates can be organized by community groups, media outlets, candidates or any other interested persons.