Candidates

Candidates may run for Mayor, District Councillor, or for School Board Trustee for one of the four area school boards.

If you want to run for municipal office, you need to be nominated and meet certain requirements. See who can and can't be a candidate, and how to get nominated. 

Who can run for office

To qualify as a candidate, you must:

  • Be a Canadian citizen
  • Be at least 18 years old
  • Live in Kingston, or own or rent property in Kingston (or be married to someone who does)
  • Not prevented from voting by any law

Who can't run for office

The following are not eligible to be candidates in the municipal election:

  • A municipal employee, unless they take an unpaid leave starting the day they are nominated, and resign if they are elected. The employee must give the Clerk proof of their leave and its start date when filing their nomination.
  • A judge of any court
  • A member of the provincial legislature, Senate, or House of Commons
  • Someone serving a prison sentence
  • Someone who is no longer a Canadian citizen
  • Someone who doesn't live in Kingston, doesn't own or rent property there, and isn't married to someone who does
  • Someone who isn't allowed to vote under the law
  • A candidate in a previous election who did not file the required campaign expense documents, did not pay to the clerk a surplus from a previous campaign, or exceeded allowable expenses.

Potential Candidates

Thinking of running? Get election-ready with free training sessions from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO).

Focused specifically on underrepresented candidates, this 90-minute workshop provides valuable insights and strategies to support you in getting your name on the ballot.

To learn more or register, visit the AMO's Underrepresented Candidate page.

This program equips candidates with the tools, resilience, and confidence to meet today's political challenges head-on.

The series is offered in two streams: one for first-time candidates and one for candidates considering re-election. The courses provide a supportive, skills-focused environment to strengthen your leadership foundation and reconnect with the values that guide public service. Each stream includes four sessions.

For more information or to register, visit AMO's Healthy Democracy Page.

These sessions will provide insights and strategies to help you build your understanding and confidence as a candidate and as you run a campaign.

To learn more or register, visit the AMO's Information Sessions for Youth page.

Facilitated by Melanie Pilon, the first Indigenous Mayor of the Municipality of Wawa and member of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory and William Morin, member of Michipicoten First Nation and founder and leader of The First Peoples National Party of Canada (2004-2013). These sessions will provide insights and strategies to build your understanding and confidence in becoming a candidate and running a campaign.

For more information or to register, visit the AMO's Information Session for Urban Indigenous Peoples page.

File your nomination

Here's how to file your nomination papers:

  • You have to fill out an official nomination form. You can't raise or spend any campaign money until you've filed it.
  • You can file your nomination between 8:30 a.m.and 4:30 p.m. at the Elections Office (first floor, City Hall) between Friday, May 1, 2026 and Friday, Aug. 21, 2026
  • On Nomination Day (Friday, Aug. 21, 2026), you can file your papers at the Election Office from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • You or your agent must file the nomination papers in person and show ID. You can book an appointment to file your nomination beginning in April.
  • When filing your nomination, you must:
  • You are responsible for making sure your nomination form is complete and accurate. Do not sign any forms before filing your nomination.
  • You need at least 25 people to sign your nomination (Form 2). Each person who signs:
    • Can support more than one candidate.
    • Must be eligible to vote in Kingston on the day they sign.
  • The City Clerk has to approve all nominations.
  • You can withdraw your nomination in writing before 2 p.m. on Nomination Day (Friday, Aug. 21).

Note: You'll get your nomination fee back if you file your campaign financial statement on time. Nomination papers are public - anyone can view them at the Election Office.

1 - Download the file to your device to complete the application. You may not be able to view the file if attempting to open it in your web browser.

Withdraw your nomination

Here's how to withdraw your nomination papers:

  • Withdraw your nomination in writing before 2 p.m. on Nomination Day (Friday, Aug. 21, 2026)
  • Submit your withdrawal in person. You might need to show ID.

Campaign Rules

Kingston has rules about when and where you can put up election signs, and when to take them down. Check the Election Signs Bylaw for details.

You or someone from your team can go into apartment buildings, condos, co-ops, and gated communities to campaign from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Landlords or condo boards can't stop tenants or owners from putting up election signs where they live, but they can set rules about sign size and say no signs in shared areas.

You can't campaign in or near a voting place on Advance Voting Days or Voting Day. That means no campaign buttons, signs, or handing out materials inside or right outside. This includes parking lots and nearby streets. You also can't park cars with campaign signs in those areas.

Campaign donations and expenses

There are specific rules for candidates regarding donations and expenses. 

After filing their nomination paperwork, candidates will receive information from the Elections Office outlining the maximum amounts they may donate to their own campaign and the maximum amount they may receive from eligible donors.

Candidates will also receive information and forms regarding financial statements that must be filed at the end of the campaign period. 

More information on campaign finances can be found in the Municipal Elections Act and the 2026 Candidates' Guide. 

Candidate resources

The following links are intended to provide additional information for election candidates.

Contact Us

City of Kingston
City Hall
216 Ontario Street
Kingston, ON K7L 2Z3
Canada
contactus@cityofkingston.ca
Phone: 613-546-0000

The City of Kingston acknowledges that we are on the traditional homeland of the Anishinabek, Haudenosaunee, and the Huron-Wendat, and thanks these nations for their care and stewardship over this shared land.

Today, the City is committed to working with Indigenous peoples and all residents to pursue a united path of reconciliation.

Learn more about the City's reconciliation initiatives.