Election Candidate Information
There is a Provincial by-election occuring on January 29, 2024. Visit the Provicial election website for details: https://www.elections.gov.nl.ca/elections/
The next municipal election in the town of Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s is Tuesday, September 25, 2025.
Nomination Dates
Nomination period was from August 24-31, 2021.
Notice of Candidates 2021 NOTICE OF CANDIDATES
Candidate Qualification
A resident is qualified to be nominated as a candidate for Council who:
(a) is eligible to vote in an election held under the Municipal Elections Act in the municipality in which he or she is nominated to serve as a Councillor;
(b) is not in arrears of taxes or other charges payable to the municipality; and
(c) is ordinarily a resident for a period of 30 days before the commencement of the nomination period either in the municipality or in an area that on election day is part of a municipality.
Nomination procedure
A candidate for the office of PCSP Councillor shall be nominated by two residents who are eligible to vote. A nomination shall be in writing; shall state the name and civic address of the candidate; be signed by the proposer and seconder, both of whom shall be present together with the candidate who shall also sign signifying his or her acceptance. Note: the requirement to be present may change due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Click here to view a sample candidate nomination form
A candidate for mayor shall be nominated in the same manner as a Councillor but shall run as a candidate for mayor only.
A candidate at the time of his or her nomination shall deposit a sum of $10 with the Returning Officer and that sum is not refundable.
The Returning Officer will provide a Candidate Information booklet to take home for reference.
The Returning Officer shall give notice of the names of the candidates, the time of the election, how to vote by mail, and the location of polling booths, by publishing in our local newspaper, in the town hall and in other public places.
Before running for office
To better understand and prepare for the election, and potentially the position of Councillor, a candidate may wish to consider:
- Attending Regular Public Council Meetings and see how they operate (every second Tuesday, virtually at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83378401222 at 7:00 p.m.);
- Currently Council meetings are held virtually via Zoom.
- Review a copy of the Council’s strategic plan and annual budget;
- Speak to past Mayors and Councillors; and
- Research areas of importance and become more involved in the activities of the community.
- Develop a platform to run on. A platform consists of the ideas, goals and beliefs a candidate is campaigning for. It lets the voters know what position they have on issues.
When developing a platform you can:
- Do research on prevalent issues;
- Talk and listen to the residents including youth and elders;
- Make only factual statements that you believe in;
- Take a stand on issues, but do not make promises;
- Do not limit yourself to one issue; and
- Commit to standing behind certain community projects and issues.
Candidates are responsible for understanding all legislation concerning elections, including nomination, eligibility, campaigning restrictions, campaign finance and disclosure, election offences and prohibitions at voting stations.
Time Commitment of a Councillor
Council holds a Regular Public Council Meeting every two weeks and each Councillor is assigned by the Mayor to be on three committee meetings which meet every two weeks on the opposite week of Regular Public Council Meeting.
As a Councillor, you can expect a minimum of 10 hours per week, however depending on additional responsibility’s and/or council activities some weeks will require more time and effort. A Councillor may also volunteer to represent Council at meetings of other organizations, community events and other locations.
Check out makeyourmarknl for campaigning resources.
Campaigning
Campaigning is an opportunity to convince voters that you are the best candidate. A campaign usually involves talking and listening to residents, distributing promotional materials, using websites and social media and attending a ‘Meet the Candidates’ forum hosted by the town. Many of the usual campaign practices may be impacted by Covid-19.
Election signs policy is available here and states signs may be erected on or after nomination day on public property, i.e. August 24, 2021 to September 30, 2021.
A candidate shall not campaign or distribute campaign materials in an area that is less than 30 metres from the entrance to a polling station or a vote by mail drop box.
Successful Candidates
The votes are counted and shared on election night in Council Chambers. This may change due to Covid-19.
If a recount is held, the notice must not be more than 3 days after the date of the election and the Returning Officer shall commence the requested recount not more than 3 days after receiving that request.
A candidate elected shall, not more than 90 days after the election, file with the Returning Officer a statement with the total amount of the contributions received by him or her and the amount of the contributions donated to his or her campaign by contributors that exceed $100 and the contributors of those amounts.
Newly Elected Council Members
Council meetings and Standing Committee meetings will be scheduled by the Mayor, with each Councillor’s schedule in mind, and commence within two weeks of the election. The Town Clerk will provide an information package for each Councillor to take home for reference. Multiple trainings will be provided by the town, as well as by the Department of Municipal and Provincial Affairs.
A successful candidate shall sign an oath of office, a conflict-of-interest statement and campaign contribution form.
Contact Our Staff
