Registration Info Released For Municipal Council and School Board Elections 

Brandonites will be going back to the polls this fall for two separate elections. Along with the election dates the City of Brandon released candidate registration Info for the Municipal Council and School Board elections. Both will be held in the Wheat City on Wednesday, October 26th, 2022.

If you'd like to register as a candidate you can get more details here.

INFORMATION FOR POTENTIAL CANDIDATES

Qualifications

In order to qualify as a candidate for municipal council, a person must be:

• At least 18 years of age on the day of the election
• A Canadian citizen
• A resident or property owner in the city of Brandon for at least six (6) months before Election Day – April 26, 2022

You may not run for council if:

• you are an employee of the City of Brandon unless you have been given a leave of absence
• a candidate running for office in another municipality
• a candidate running for school trustee
• a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba or the Senate or House of Commons of Canada
• a provincial judge or a justice of the peace
• a judge of the Court of Queen’s Bench or the Court of Appeal
• you are disqualified from running in 2022 due to failing to file your 2018 Election Finance Statement in time
• you have been previously convicted of an election offence or failed to pay a fine after being convicted of other offences under The Municipal Act or any other Act.

Campaign Period and Registration

A requirement for the 2022 municipal election is that all prospective candidates must register in person with the Senior Election Official during the registration period before they begin their campaign. 

Candidates must fill out a Registration Form available from the Senior Election Official which includes their name and address and the office they are seeking.  Anyone who will be accepting contributions or spending money on their campaign must include the name and address of the financial institution they will be using for the purpose of their election campaign.  Once registered, candidates must notify the Senior Election Official, in writing, of any changes in the information provided in their registration form.

The registration period is:

For candidates for Mayor – between May 2, 2022, and September 20, 2022

For candidates for Councillor – between June 30, 2022, and September 20, 2022

Note:   A registered candidate does not become a candidate in the election until he/she files nomination papers with the Senior Election Official.

Note:   All registered candidates, even those who withdraw, MUST FILE an Election Finance Statement even if no contributions were accepted or no expenses were incurred.

Campaign Expenses and Contributions

The current maximum amount of campaign expenses that can be incurred by a registered candidate is:

$19,100 for Mayor

$  4,800 for Councillors.

Contributions

• only residents of Manitoba are allowed to contribute to municipal campaigns).
• Union, corporate and anonymous donations are banned
• $1,500 (per contributor) limit to a candidate for head of council and a councillor elected at large
• $750 (per contributor) limit to a candidate for a councillor elected by ward.
• Contribution limits also apply to the amount that a candidate and their spouse may contribute to their own campaign.
• Gifts in kind are considered donations and their value must be considered in the contribution limit.

** NEW

Restrictions On use of Candidate’s Title

A registered candidate who is a member of a council must not use their incumbent position as their title in an election communication. This means that candidates may not refer to themselves as “Mayor (Candidate’s Name)” or “Councillor (Candidate’s Name)” in election communications. However, all candidates can refer to the office they are running for - e.g. “(Candidate’s Name) for Mayor / Councillor”.

A candidate cannot use:

• "Re-elect Mayor [candidate's name]"
• "Re-elect Councillor [candidate's name]"

A candidate can use:

• "Re-elect [candidate's name] for Mayor"
• "Re-elect [candidate's name] for Councillor"

This restriction applies to election communications, which are defined as any communication that is a campaign expense for the registered candidate during the election. If the communication does not create a campaign expense for the registered candidate, then the restriction does not apply.

Nominations

All candidates must file nomination papers, available from the Senior Election Official, in order to run in the election.

Public notice will be given of the date, time and location where nomination papers can be dropped off. 

The Nomination Period shall be from September 14 to 20, 2022.

Completed nomination papers must include:

• Your name or the name you commonly go by. This will be the name that is shown on the ballot.

• Home address and telephone number where you can be contacted

• The office you are seeking – mayor or councillor

• A declaration taken under oath that you are qualified to be nominated and that the information provided is true. The declaration can either be made in advance or administered by the Senior Election Official when the nomination papers are filed.

• The names, addresses and signatures of a least twenty-five (25) voters of the municipality for mayor, and twenty-five (25) voters of the ward for councillors.

• Candidates may want to obtain a few extra signatures, in case a person who signs your nomination papers is not eligible to do so.

• Once nomination papers are filed, a candidate may withdraw if they are no longer able to run. The withdrawal must be signed in the presence of a witness and filed with the Senior Election Official no later than 24 hours after the close of nominations (September 21, 2022) and there are enough candidates to fill the office that was being sought.

Responsibilities of Elected Officials

Serving as an elected official requires commitment and dedication.  You will be part of a team that will represent your community and chart a course for the future.  Before deciding to run, you may want to attend a council meeting or talk to a current council member about their experiences. 

There are a few things to expect if elected:

Term of Office - As a member of council, you will serve a four-year term to 2026.  Officially your term begins at noon, October 27, 2022.  You must take an oath of office before you can undertake any duties as a member of council.

Time Commitment – Brandon City Council normally holds regular meetings every two weeks on Monday evenings, however, you will also be required to attend special meetings, committee and board meetings, and various public meetings and functions.  Most of these meetings will occur in the evenings.

Remuneration – Members of council receive an indemnity and other remuneration in recognition of the time and energy they devote to their communities.  Remuneration rates are established in City of Brandon Indemnity By-law No. 6830.  Council members are also allowed to claim expenses related to municipal work. 

Conflict of Interest – All elected officials are subject to long-standing conflict of interest legislation.  These rules are to ensure that decisions made by City Council are free of any outside influence.  The provincial legislation requires an elected official to file a statement disclosing all assets and interests.  This statement is available to the public for inspection during regular office hours.

Further information on the general role and duties of members of Council can be found in City of Brandon Organizational By-law No. 6650. 

Download candidate registration forms via this link.