Information for Candidates

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A candidate may file their nomination papers as of May 1, 2026 at 8:30 am. The last day to file is Nomination Day on August 21, 2026, closing at 2:00 pm.

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The upcoming Municipal Election to elect a Mayor, Ward Councillors and School Board Trustees will be held on Monday, October 26, 2026. This four (4) year Term of Office starts November 15, 2026 and will end on November 14, 2030.

Any individual looking to run for Municipal Office or for a School Board Trustee must be considered an eligible candidate and complete the prescribed nomination procedures. Please note that individuals filing a nomination and/or their agents will be required to provide identification that shows name and qualifying address. 

We strongly encourage you to call or email us in order to book an appointment to file your nomination papers. Once the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing finalizes the nomination forms, they will be published to this page.

Nominations for Office

Positions for Which a Person may File a Nomination Paper at the Municipal Office: 

Positions Available

Municipal Office

  • Mayor (1) Elected At Large
  • Councillors (6)
    • 2 Councillors - Ward 2 (RURAL)
    • 4 Councillors - Ward 1 (URBAN)

School Board Trustees

  • English Language School Trustee
    Two (2) Trustees to be elected for the combined area of Alnwick/Haldimand Township, Town of Cobourg, Hamilton Township and the Municipality of Port Hope.
    Nominations shall be filed in the Town of Cobourg Municipal Clerk’s Office, 55 King Street, West, Cobourg.
  • English Separate School Trustee
    One (1) Trustee to be elected for Northumberland County.
    Nominations shall be filed in the Town of Cobourg Municipal Clerk’s Office, 55 King Street, West, Cobourg.
  • Conseil Scolaire Viamonde - French Public School Trustee
    One (1) Trustee to be elected by French Public electors in the Regional Municipality of Durham, Counties of Northumberland, and Peterborough and Cities of Kawartha Lakes, Peterborough and Quinte West
    Nominations shall be filed in the City of Oshawa Municipal Clerk’s Office, 50 Centre Street South, Oshawa
  • Conseil Scolaire Catholique MonAvenir - French Language Separate School Trustee
    One (1) Trustee to be elected by all French Catholic Electors in the areas of the Region of Durham, County of Haliburton, County of Northumberland, County of Peterborough, City of Peterborough, City of Kawartha Lakes, and City of Quinte West.
    Nominations shall be filed in the City of Oshawa Municipal Clerk’s Office, 50 Centre Street South, Oshawa.

To qualify as a candidate you must be:

  • A Canadian citizen;
  • At least 18 years old;
  • A resident in the Municipality of Port Hope, or;
  • A non-resident of the Municipality of Port Hope and you or your spouse own or rent property in the municipality;
  • Not legally prohibited from voting; and
  • Not disqualified by any legislation from holding municipal office. 


You are not eligible to run as a candidate if you are:

  • A judge of any court; 
  • A member of the Provincial Legislature, the Federal House of Commons or Senate who has not resigned from their office by the close of nominations. Proof of resignation must be provided by the close of nominations or the Clerk will not certify the nomination; 
  • A candidate who failed to file the necessary financial statement or exceeded the prescribed spending limit in the last municipal election or by-election. 

Nomination Process

More information on the nomination process will be available soon!

To run for Mayor or Ward Councillor for the 2026 Municipal Election, you must file a nomination paper with the Municipal Clerk or Deputy Clerk, whose offices are located at 56 Queen Street. If you're running as a candidate for Mayor or Ward Councillor, you must gather at least 25 endorsements from eligible voters in Port Hope. 

We strongly recommend that you call or email to make an appointment for filing your nomination, so that staff can review the contents of the Candidate Information Package with you, and answer any questions that you may have. 

Note: Those wishing to run for school board trustee must file their nomination with the Town of Cobourg Municipal Office, located at 55 King Street West, Cobourg. If you're running for school board trustee, you don't need to provide endorsement. Those wishing to run for French school board trustee must file their nomination with the City of Oshawa Municipal Office, located at 50 Centre Street South, Oshawa.