Elections

As updates and information become available for the 2025 Municipal Election, this page will be updated.

Municipal Election Information, 2025:

The next municipal election in the town of Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s is Thursday, October 2nd, 2025. Casting a ballot for one Mayor and a ballot for six Councillors allows residents to participate in electing officials who will make decisions on behalf of the Town and its residents. In person or mail in ballot options are available for all residents (proxy certificates are permitted).

The Returning Officer is Claudine Murray, Town Clerk, and is responsible for all aspects of the Municipal Election. Contact information is [email protected], or (709) 895-8000 ext. 223.

Are you on the Voters List?

To determine if you are on the Voters List: voter services and registration

If you are, you may request a Vote-By-Mail kit use the following online form: vote-by-mail

Election Staff

In preparations for the 2025 Municipal General Election, and to ensure the electoral process is successful, contract positions will be available for interested persons on polling days. Please submit your interest for the following positions to the Returning Officer:

Deputy Returning Officer,
Poll Clerk,
Check-in Supervisor,
Vote-by-Mail Supervisor,
Door Guard.

Information available on this page – please click the highlighted links, or scroll to the sections below:

- Candidate Information
- Voter Information
- 2025 Polling Locations
- Register to Vote by Mail
- Helpful Resources and Forms

Candidates may begin campaigning once their Declaration of Qualification form is accepted. People hoping to be nominated may go out in the community and meet residents, or announce their intentions, as long as they are not misrepresenting themselves as a candidate. All signage must follow Section 77.(2) of the PCSP Development Regulations and Section 36.(2) of the Municipal Elections Act.

Election Overview

Important Dates

What to Expect When Elected Session
Thursday, August 14th
PCSP Recreation Centre at 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
(Registration required via [email protected])

Nomination Period
Thursday, August 28 to Thursday, September 4th (excluding weekends & holidays)
Town Hall at 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day
(The nominee with two eligible nominators come to Town Hall.
No appointment necessary, but welcome to make one via the Returning Officer).
Deadline to Request a Vote-By-Mail (VBM) Kit
Thursday, September 4th at 4:00 p.m.
via the following online form: vote-by-mail
Deadline to Return your Completed Vote-By-Mail (VBM) Kit
- Via any Canada Post mailbox: Mail by Wednesday, September 24th
  (to guarantee it’s received in time)
- Via VBM drop-box at Town Hall (back entrance): No later than Wednesday, October 1st at 8:00 p.m.
  (Drop off your completed VBM kit.)
Meet the Candidates Session
Thursday, September 18th
PCSP Recreation Centre 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm

Advance Poll (in-person voting)
Thursday, September 25th
Town Hall at 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Election Day (in-person voting)
Thursday, October 2nd
Assigned voting locations by street at 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
– Royal Canadian Legion, Branch #10, 5 Legion Road in Portugal Cove
– PCSP Recreation Centre, 3 Rainbow Gully Road located next to PCSP Town Hall (located on 1119 Thorburn Road)

Returning Officer: Claudine Murray, Town Clerk

Alternate Returning Officer: Tracy Simmons, Director of Corporate Services

Contact: [email protected]

The vote for Mayor is held in the same manor as Councillor positions, however a candidate can only be nominated for one position or the other. The Deputy Mayor is selected by the newly elected Councillors at their first Council meeting.

Voter Information

Voter Eligibility

To vote, you must:

Be a Canadian citizen;
Be 18 years or older;
Have resided in PCSP for the 30 days prior to Election Day.

Residency Rules:

a) a person shall be a resident of the place where he or she or they lives and sleeps and to which, when absent, he or she or they intends to return;

b) residency is not lost by a person who leaves that resident for temporary purposes only; and

c) the place where a person’s family resides shall be his or her or their resident unless that person commences and continues to live at some other place with the intention of remaining there, in which case, the person shall be considered to be resident in the place which he or she or they intends to reside.

d) a person shall have only one place of residency.

Voter Registration (Deadline Monday, September 1st 2025)

Determine if you are on the Voters List: voter services and registration
If you experience any problems using the registration portal, residents can contact the Returning Officer, Claudine Murray at 709-895-8000 ext. 223 to confirm they are on the voters list or to register.
Not on the list? Contact Claudine Murray at 709-895-8000 ext. 223 or [email protected] before Monday, September 1st where the Returning Officer shall, upon satisfactory proof being provided to her, correct that error by inserting the name onto the list.
Missed the deadline? On election day, a resident whose name does not appear upon the voters list and is qualified to vote may vote upon taking an oath or affirmation in the required form.
Optional: Complete the Voluntary Authorization to Update Provincial and Federal Voter Lists (MEF-13A) for future elections. This is the only way to permanently remain on the Voters List produced by Elections NL. You can submit the form by email to [email protected], bring it with you on Election Day, or ask to full out a form at your polling station. If not, you’ll have to register again for the PCSP Voters List in 2029.

Vote-by-Mail

Vote-by-Mail is available to all residents upon request. How to request a Vote-by-Mail Kit:

Use the following online form: vote-by-mail
Email [email protected]
Call (709) 895-8000 ext. 223
Drop by the Town Hall with proof of residency, view the acceptable forms of identification here.

What’s in the Kit

Your Vote-by-Mail Kit will include:

Instruction Guide.
A ballot for Mayor, and up to six Councillors.
Declaration Form.
Secrecy Envelope for Ballot.
Postage-Paid Envelope.

Vote-by-Mail Deadlines and Delivery

If you registered to Vote-by-Mail, your return envelope from your Vote-by-Mail kit must be received by 8:00 pm on the day prior to Election Day to be accepted. Otherwise, you can void your Vote-by-Mail kit (return it to the polling station workers) and vote in-person on Election Day.

Request deadline: Thursday, September 4th 2025 4:00 pm
Missed the deadline? Reach out to the Returning Officer for assistance.

Return Options:

Mail: Place in a Canada Post box by Wednesday, September 24th, 2025
Drop-Off: Town Hall secure drop box (Planning/Library entrance back of Town Hall building, 1119 Thorburn Road) from 9:00 am on Thursday, September 25th to 8:00 pm on Wednesday, October 1st, 2025.
In-Person: Void your Vote-by-Mail kit and vote at the polls on Election Day.

Use the following online form to request a Vote-by-Mail kit: vote-by-mail

Polling Locations

Vote In-Person

Election Day: Thursday, October 2nd, 2025 (8:00 am to 8:00 pm)

Location to cast your vote on Election Day, October 2nd:

PCSP Recreation Centre: 3 Rainbow Gully Road (next to the Town Hall located at 1119 Thorburn Road)
Royal Canadian Legion, Branch #10: 5 Legion Road

Advance Poll: Thursday, September 25th, 2025 (8:00 am to 8:00 pm)

Location to cast your vote during Advance Poll, September 25th:

PCSP Town Hall Council Chambers: 1119 Thorburn Road

2025 Voting Location Election Map or check here: voter services

Proxy Voting

If you are unable to vote at the Advance Poll or on Election Day, you are considered an impeditive voter and may use Vote-by-Mail or Vote-by-Proxy certificate. To vote-by-proxy simply means that another qualified voter in the same municipality is able to vote on your behalf.

Submit your Proxy Voting Application by Wednesday, October 1st 2025 at 4:00 pm, application can be viewed here.
Once approved, a proxy certificate will be issued.
The designated proxy must present the certificate at the polling station to vote on your behalf.
Note: No more than one proxy certificate may be issued for any one impeditive voter.
Note: A person may not be proxy for more than one impeditive voter at any one election.

Candidate Information

Candidate Information Package

Meet the Candidates

Click here to view our Elections 2025 Booklet (available after September 4th)
The booklet features information on how to vote, where to vote, and bios for each of the nominated candidates.

Candidate Eligibility

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.

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 or they 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 Process

PCSP MEF-01-Nomination-of-Candidates-Public-Notice-2025-Final Posted

Nominate using the official form here
Two qualified voters must nominate you in person, and nominators must be both present at the same time.
A $10 non-refundable fee is required upon nomination.
Candidates will receive a Candidate Information Booklet from the Returning Officer.
Candidates must provide a bio a maximum length of 500 words and headshot photo within 24 hours of submitting nomination.
Nomination period will take place from Thursday, August 28th to Thursday, September 4th.

Before you Run, Consider the Following

Attend public Council meetings (or attend virtually via Zoom).
Review past Council minutes, strategic plans, and annual budgets.
Speak with past elected officials.
Research areas of importance and become more involved in the activities of the community.
Develop a platform (ideas, beliefs, goals).

Campaigning

Campaigning is an opportunity to convince voters that you are the best candidate.

Allowed only after official nomination if accepted (Thursday, August 28th to Thursday, September 4th).
No signs or materials within 30 metres of a polling station or Vote-by-Mail drop box.

Campaign Finance

Submit a campaign contributions disclosure form within 90 days of the election.
List the total amount of the contributions received by him/her/they.
List the amount of the contributions that exceed $100, and the contributors of those amounts.

Meet the Candidates

September 18th, 2025, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
PCSP Recreation Centre, 3 Rainbow Gully Road.
Additional details to follow.

After the Election – For Successful Candidates

Votes will be counted and shared on election night. The results will begin at 8:30 pm, and will be shared on our official Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/townofpcsp and our website.
If requested within 3 days of the election, a recount will occur within 3 days of request.
Newly elected member must: sign an oath of office, declare any possible conflict-of-interest matters, and submit campaign financial disclosures.
Council and Committee meetings begin within two weeks of the election as scheduled by the Mayor.
Councillors will receive an information package and participate in training by the Town and the Department of Municipal and Community Engagement.

Time Commitment