Candidates

General information on time commitment can be found as referenced on page 13 of the Candidate Information Package (in the drop down below) which states the following:

"The time commitment can be significant. In addition to two council meetings per month, this may include sitting on committees, public meetings and events to take part in, as well as considerable time spent talking with and responding to the residents.

The amount of time required to prepare for a Council or committee meeting can be several hours per week due to the number of lengthy reports to be read in advance. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor also sit on Grey County Council which requires additional meetings and research time.

The Grey Highlands Council current time commitment consists of (but is not limited to):

• • Council Meetings held the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month at 1 pm;
  • Committee of the Whole Meetings held the 4th Wednesday of each month at 9am or as required;
  • -Budget Meetings & Workshops as required (generally in the fall);
  • Statutory Public Planning Hearings held the 4th Monday of each month at 5 pm;
  • Attendance at extra Committees that a Councillor can be expected to be appointed to by Council (OACA, PSB, etc.);
  • Telephone calls and contact with constituents; and  
  • Reading agendas and research time (draft agendas generally provided to Council 1 week in advance of the Council meeting)."

The above list is required for all members of Council, however individual members may be appointed to other committees and organizations on behalf of Council. In addition to what is included in the Candidate Information Package, information is provided below based on appointments as of May 2022. 

The number of Grey Highlands appointments varies based on interest and the number of Committees that Council deems required. Appointments are divvied up among the Council members.

The current list of Committees and Boards includes:

• Grey Highlands Police Services Board (bi-monthly on Tuesdays @ 10 am)
• Grey Highlands Public Library Board
• Committee of Adjustment (monthly on Tuesdays @ 5 pm)
• Museum and Heritage Advisory Committee (quarterly on Thursdays @ 1pm)
• Community Development Advisory Group (quarterly – Mondays @ 5pm)
• Joint Waste Disposal Site Committee (minimum 4 meetings/year)
• Seniors Advisory Committee (minimum 4 meetings/year – usually bi-monthly)
• Sign By-law Sub-Committee (generally held every 2 weeks until task is complete on Tuesdays @ 2 pm)
• Natural Gas Expansion Task Force (as called by the Chair – generally monthly on Mondays @ 2 pm)
• Financial Assistance Program Committee (bi annually to review CGP)

Council also appoints members to external organizations. If appointed to an external organization, meeting dates, times and locations will vary. The current list of external appointments by different members of Council include:

• Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority
• Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority
• Grey Sauble Conservation Authority
• Joint Community Safety and Well Being Program Committee
• Grey Highlands Chamber of Commerce
• Grey County Farm Safety Council
• Grey Highlands Community Endowment Fund Committee (Community Foundation Grey Bruce)
• Kimberley Forest Steering Committee
• South East Grey Community Health Centre (if approved)
• Multi-Municipal Wind Turbine Working Group
• Blue Mountain Physician Recruitment Committee
• Local Immigration Partnership

Candidate Information Package

Notice of Nomination/Registration - Candidates and Third Party Advertisers

Click here for Nomination Papers.

Click here for Endorsement Papers. 

Note: Nomination Papers must be accompanied by at least 25 signatures of endorsement. See the Candidate Information Package for more information.

Understand Candidate Campaign Finances 

Election Sign By-Law

Use of Corporate Resources Policy A-09-C-04 

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing - 2022 Candidates Guide

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing - 2022 Third Party Advertisers Guide

2022 Municipal Election, Candidate and Third Party Advertiser Information Session

On April 20, Clerks from Grey County and the local municipalities hosted an information session for potential municipal candidates. The session included presentations from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC), and Grey County.

You can find a full recording of the session here or for more information check the County of Grey's website.

On April 20, 2022 Council updated the Council Compensation Policy as well as the Council Conference, Education and Training Policy to come into effect upon the commencement of the new term of Council. 

For the 2022-2026 Council Term, Members are provided with an annual base salary based on position. The annual base salary is provided to members to compensate for the work of the member in order to discharge the official duties including but not limited to attendance at meetings related to Departmental Liaison duties; up to 60 meetings inclusive of Council, Committee of the Whole, Special Council, Public Planning Hearings; optional special events, engagements, functions; constituent meetings; and invited attendee meetings.

The annual base salary for 2022-2026:

Mayor: $39,500

Deputy Mayor: $29,500

Councillor: $22,500

*Note: The Mayor and Deputy Mayor also sit on Grey County Council and are provided additional compensation from the County. 

In addition to the annual base salary, Members also receive mileage and a per diem amount for attendance at meetings of committees, boards and external organizations to which they are appointed by Council and mileage for attendance at meetings included in the annual base salary. 

The full policies are available below:

Council Compensation Policy

Council Conference, Education and Training Policy

Running for Municipal Council

You must be eligible to vote in the municipality in order to run for a position on council. (See Voters page for eligibility)

On the day you file your nomination, you must be a Canadian citizen aged 18 or older, and qualify as a resident or non-resident elector. 

You must be eligible to hold office on the day you file your nomination. For example, a person who is 17 years old but will turn 18 before the end of the nomination period must wait until they have turned 18 to file their nomination.

You must file Form 1 (nomination paper) and Form 2 (25 endorsements) when you submit your nomination along with the appropriate fee.

Running for School Board Trustee

In order to run for a trustee position on a school board you must be a resident within the jurisdiction of the board, and you must be eligible to vote in a school board election. 

On the day you file your nomination, you must be a Canadian citizen aged 18 or older, and you must meet any other qualifications to vote for the school board (for example, being a Roman Catholic, or holding French language rights). 

You must file Form 1 (nomination paper) and pay the appropriate fee when you submit your paperwork. 

Nominations for specific schoolboards can be filed at the following Municipal Offices:

• English Public (Bluewater District School Board) - Grey Highlands
• English Separate (Bruce Grey Catholic District School Board)- Hanover
• French Public (Conseil Scolaire Viamonde) - Barrie
• French Separate (Conseil Scolaire Catholique Providence) - Sarnia

Running for Election as a School Board Trustee Information Package

When and how is nomination done?

Candidates who intend to run in the 2022 Municipal Election must file all of the necessary documentation along with the required filing fee during the nomination period, which runs from Monday, May 2, 2022 through Friday August 19, 2022 at 2 pm. 

Nomination Day on Friday, August 19, 2022 is the last day to file a nomination, by 2:00 pm sharp. 

Filing must be done in person or by an agent (not by mail, email or fax) with the Clerk at 206 Toronto Street South Markdale, ON during regular business hours (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).  

Nomination forms are now available on our website.

Please ensure you bring your completed Form 1 and Form 2 when you attend the office to file your nomination. When filing, we will also request that the following forms are filled out:

• Declaration of Qualifications - to be signed in front a commissioner
• Candidate's declaration - proper use of voters list
• Consent to release personal information 

What positions can I run for?

The 2022 Municipal Election is for the following positions: 

• 1 Mayor 
• 1 Deputy Mayor 
• 5 Councillors 
• 1 Trustee for the English Language Public District School Board
• 1 Trustee for the English Language Catholic District School Board
• 1 Trustee for the French Language Public School Board
• 1 Trustee for the ​French Language Catholic School Board

Can I nominate myself?

Yes, you may nominate yourself. Even if another person recommends you for the position, you must complete all the paperwork and be present to file your nomination or file through an agent. You must also obtain and submit the signatures of 25 people eligible to vote in the 2018 Grey Highlands elections who support your nomination.

What if I change my mind after I have submitted my nomination paperwork and want to withdraw or switch to a different position?

A person may withdraw his or her nomination by filing a written Withdrawal of Nomination in the Clerk's Office before Friday August 19, 2022 at 2 pm. 

If you wish to run for a different position, you must re-file your nomination paperwork in the Clerk's Office before Friday august 19, 2022 at 2 pm, which will trigger your original nomination to be withdrawn. ​You do not need to submit different signatures from the ones you submitted with your initial nomination.

Can I use the Grey Highlands logo or photos from a Municipal website or social media site on my campaign materials?

No, candidates may not use the municipal logo or other corporate images on their own websites (including social media), campaign literature, lawn signs, buttons, clothing or other campaign material. 

Candidates MAY re-tweet/share a municipal social media post or share a link from the Grey Highlands websites on their own websites including social media. Candidates wishing to share information/pages from the Grey Highlands official websites must do so by providing links rather than screen captures.

Can I campaign at public events?

You may not campaign at events that are hosted by the Municipality. These include but are not limited to  public information sessions or open houses.  Wearing a campaign T-shirt, hat, button or other apparel is considered campaigning. You may campaign at private events hosted on rented public property with the permission of the event organizer. 

Can I have a campaign office?

You may set up a campaign office on private property. Please be aware that you may not put up signs on the exterior or in the windows of the office that promote your candidacy prior to the date when signs are permitted. Prior to that date, signs may state your name only.

When can I begin campaigning?

Your campaign period begins as soon as you file your nomination papers with the Municipal Office. After your paperwork is filed you can commence your campaign, however you cannot place your election signs in the Municipality until after Nomination Day on August 19th as per the Election Sign By-law.  

All Forms

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing Forms

Form 1 - Nomination Paper

Form 2 - Endorsement of Nomination

Form 4 - Financial Statement - Auditor's Report Candidate

Form 5 - Financial Statement - Subsequent Expenses

Form 6 - Notice of Extension of Campaign Period

Form 7 - Notice of Registration - Third Party

Form 8 - Financial Statement - Auditor's Report Third Party

Form 9 - Declaration of Identity

Grey Highlands Forms

GH-EL02 - Declaration of Qualifications - School Board Trustee

GH-EL12(A) - Appointment of Scrutineer by Candidate

GH-EL12(B) - Oral Oath of Secrecy

GH-EL14 - Candidate's Declaration - Proper Use of Voters' List

GH-EL15 - Application of Amend Voters List

GH-EL19 - Withdrawl of Nomination

GH-EL35 - Notice of Offence - Notice of Corrupt Practice

GH-EL37(All final - 2022 Max Campaign Expenses Final

GH-EL52 - Consent to Release Personal Information

What is involved in being on Municipal Council?

As a Councillor, you have representative, policy-making and stewardship roles to play in your municipality. Often these roles will overlap. You will be called on to consider and make decisions on issues that will sometimes be complex and controversial. Most of those decisions will have long-term consequences for your municipality that extend beyond your four-year term of office, and should be made in the context of your municipality’s directions for the long-term health and welfare of your community. 

The time commitment can be significant. In addition to two council meetings per month, this may include sitting on committees, public meetings and events to take part in, as well as considerable time spent talking with and responding to the residents. The amount of time required to prepare for a Council or committee meeting can be several hours per week due to the number of lengthy reports to be read in advance.

The Mayor and Deputy Mayor also sit on Grey County Council.

I know that candidates are not allowed to campaign on municipal property, however, am I allowed to rent a municipal facility for a meet and greet?

Policy A09-C-04 provides that no candidates shall use the facilities, equipment, supplies,
services, staff or other resources of the Municipality for any election campaign or campaign
related activity, nor can any candidate undertake any campaign related activities on Municipal
property during regular working hours (not including privately rented facilities).

Are the completed Nomination Forms and Endorsement Forms public information?

According to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, both of these forms must be made available for public inspection. These forms will not be posted on the municipal website, however they are available for viewing at the Municipal office. 

Can businesses display my campaign signs without registering as a third-party advertiser? 

There is no restriction on who can display one of your signs. Third Party Advertisers are those that spend money and do their own campaign for or against a candidate running in the election. 

Do we needed to include information on who is responsible for signs and other advertisements on our campaign material?

After consulting with the Ministry, some municipalities are requesting specific information to be included on candidate election signs, however it is not necessary based on the wording of the legislation.

The additional wording was put into the legislation in order to ensure distinguishing between third party advertising and candidate signs.

Third party advertisers are required to put specific information on their signs: specifically
“Mandatory information in third party advertisements
88.5 (1) No registered third party shall cause a third party advertisement to appear during the restricted period unless the advertisement contains the following information:
1. The name of the registered third party.
2. The municipality where the registered third party is registered.
3. A telephone number, mailing address or email address at which the registered third party may be contacted regarding the advertisement. 2016, c. 15, s. 48.”

This requirement is not spelled out for candidate election signs. The Municipal Elections Act S. 88.3 states:

Mandatory information in advertisement

(2) An election campaign advertisement purchased by or under the direction of a candidate shall identify the candidate. 2016, c. 15, s. 47.

The Municipality provides equal information to all candidates. If one candidate asks a question, all candidates will receive the information provided. The information contained below was emailed to all candidates through the email address on file on the date indicated.  

2022-10-25

Good afternoon,

Voting Day is over and the results have been announced. You can see them here: https://www.greyhighlands.ca/en/elections/elections-2022.aspx

 I would like to thank everyone for running and being a part of the 2022 Grey Highlands Municipal Election. Congratulations to our new Council-elect and I look forward to working with each of you in the 2022-2026 Term. You can look for a separate email from me coming soon with details on what you can expect.

For those that were not elected, your role in Municipal government does not have to end. We are currently recruiting for members on a number of Boards and Committees. Applications will be received until November 15, 2022. If you are interested in putting your name forward please visit: Employment Opportunities - Grey Highlands and scroll down to the Committee Member Application Form.

Wrapping up your Campaign

After voting day, remove any election signs that have been put up and take down your campaign website, if you have one. If you would like to keep using your website, remove any references to the campaign. Websites that say “Vote for me” which are left up for years after the election can make it look like you are attempting to campaign for the next election early. Usually, campaigns must end on December 31. However, since December 31, 2022 is a Saturday, the deadline moves to January 3, 2023. Your campaign must end on January 3, 2023 unless you have a deficit and inform the clerk in writing that you are going to extend your campaign. Once your campaign has ended, you should close your campaign bank account and prepare your campaign financial statement. Financial statements must be filed with the clerk by 2 p.m. on Friday, March 31, 2023. Once your campaign financial statement has been received by the deadline, the Municipality will mail you a cheque to refund your nomination fee paid.  

Campaign Finances:

All Candidates, regardless of outcome of the election, are required to submit their campaign finance report to the Municipality. Campaign finance report must be completed on the supplied form. The form may be submitted electronically by email to clerk@greyhighlands.ca. If accepted, you will receive a reply email indicating it has been accepted. If the form is not legible in electronic format, you may be required to bring it in in-person. 

If you fail to file a financial statement by the end of the 30-day grace period or fail to apply to the court before March 31, 2023 for an extension by the filing deadline; or

If your financial statement shows that you exceeded your spending limit; or

If you fail to turn over your surplus to the clerk when you file your financial statement

You automatically forfeit your office (if you won the election) and you become ineligible to run or be appointed to fill a vacancy until after the 2026 election.

Q: If I throw an after-election party, can I use donations to help cover costs and do I need to declare all expenses for the party? What can be included as a party expense?

A: S.88.19 (3) of the MEA: “Without restricting the generality of subsections (1) and (2), the following amounts are expenses:… 6. The cost of holding parties and making other expressions of appreciation after the close of voting”.

You were provided with the maximum amount you can spend for parties on your campaign maximum form. Your use of the term donation, I am assuming you mean contributions to your campaign and contributions can be used to pay for expenses. The Municipality can not advise on what is and isn’t classified as an expense beyond what is included in the MEA: “88.19 (1) For the purposes of this Act, costs incurred for goods or services by or under the direction of a person wholly or partly for use in his or her election campaign are expense.”

Q: Can donations go towards gas used to travel to meetings, door knocking, signage, etc?

A: In this answer, I am going to assume that by donations – the inquiry was meaning contributions to the account:

As per the MMAH 2022 Candidates Guide: “Campaign contributions are any money, goods or services that are given to you for use in your campaign, including money and goods that you contribute to yourself. Only a contribution that is $25 or less can be made in cash and you may accept such donations without keeping track of who gave them to you. You will have to report the total amount of money that you received from these donations on your financial statement. All contributions above $25 must be made by cheque, money order or by a method that clearly shows where the funds came from (such as certain debit, credit or electronic transfer transactions). You must issue a receipt for every contribution you receive. The receipt should show who made the contribution, the date and the value.”
Your Contributions can be used towards your Campaign Expenses. The guide provides a definition for campaign expenses being: “Campaign expenses are the costs that you incur (or that a person such as your campaign manager incurs under your direction) during your campaign.”

The Municipality can not advise on what specifically is and isn’t a campaign expense.

Q: If I have a surplus of donated money, what do I do with it?
This response comes directly from the MMAH 2022 Candidates Guide:
“If your campaign has a surplus after you have refunded contributions made by yourself or your spouse, you must pay the surplus over to the clerk when you file your financial statement. The surplus will be held in trust, and you can use it if you incur expenses related to a compliance audit. If the surplus is not needed for these expenses it becomes he property of the municipality or the school board. If your campaign expenses are greater than your campaign income, your campaign will be in deficit.

Note: Ending your campaign with a deficit may result in questions being raised about how expenses were paid for, and whether you contributed more than your self-funding limit by paying outstanding expenses with personal funds.”

Campaign Signs

Q: When do my campaign signs have to be removed?

A: Election Signs must be removed within 7 days of the Election. Therefore, signs must be removed by October 31, 2022. If you have collected your signs and notice some are unaccounted for, please contact the Municipal Office as some may have been turned in if they had been collected due to blowing over or other such issues. (We still have some here from the advanced Voting day as well). If you do not collect your signs from the Municipal Office by November 3, 2022, they will be discarded.

Helpful guides:
MMAH 2022 Candidates’ Guide: 2022 Candidates’ Guide – Ontario municipal council and school board elections

Municipal Elections Act: SO 1996, c 32, Sch | Municipal Elections Act, 1996 | CanLII

Please let me know if you require anything further. 

2022-10-21

Good afternoon Candidates,
It is the final weekend of the Election. After 4 in person Advanced Voting Locations, 1 in person voting station for Grey Gables and 14 days of online voting completed, we are sitting at just under 19% for a voter turnout – which equates to just under 2000 votes cast so far – approximately 400 paper and approximately 1600 online.

I will be checking emails throughout the weekend in case anyone needs assistance with the voting process or getting a Voter Information Letter. 

What can you expect on Voting Day? 

The Municipal Office is open from 8:30 am until 8:00 pm on Monday October 24, 2022.

Any elector who is unable to vote electronically, or has not received the Voter Information Letter with their voting credentials can attend the Municipal Office during that time and we will assist them to obtain a Voter Information Letter, or allow them to vote by paper ballot.

At 8:00 pm, the doors to the Office will be locked. Any Candidate (or their scrutineer) that wishes to be in attendance for the close of vote and announcement of the results MUST be present at 8 pm.

***We will be LIVE STREAMING the results reporting process on our website***

Results will be tabulated no sooner than 8:15 pm. This allows time for any elector who is inside the doors as of 8 pm, or who have logged into the online system just prior to 8 pm, time to complete their vote before the system is closed.

As soon as possible after 8:15 pm, we will go live and the results will be printed from both the tabulator and the online system. Staff will input the tabulated numbers into the spreadsheet which will be shown to all on the screen in real time as the tabulation occurs. 

The unofficial results will be posted immediately to the Municipal Website here: https://www.greyhighlands.ca/en/elections/elections-2022.aspx

The direct link to the live stream can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3owFKHzDqJQ

Let me know if you have any questions. 

2022-10-20

Good morning,
In accordance with section 33.1 of the Act, please see the attached notice for your information.

<Attached Form GH-EL31 notice of Penalty>
 

2022-10-18

Good afternoon Candidates,

Less than a week until Election Day!!!

Some info:
Election Day Results:  I am working to be able to provide you with a live stream of the Election Results. As you know, either you or your scrutineer can attend in person, but we will also be offering the live stream so everyone has the ability to witness the results being tallied at the same time on Election night. If you are going to be in attendance, please make sure you are in the door at the Municipal Office at 7:55 pm as the door will be locked at 8 pm. If you are appointing a Scrutineer to be here on your behalf, please make sure they have the appropriate signed form and ID when they show up.

Voter Assistance - If you come across any electors who have not yet received their Voter Information Letters, have them call the Municipal Office (519) 986-2811 ext. 0 or email clerks@greyhighlands.ca and we will assist them. The easiest method is if they are able to come in to the office, but if that is not possible, we have can offer other accommodations as may be needed. If someone wants to vote before Monday but does not have internet, they can attend the Municipal Office during regular business hours where we have a tablet available for online voting or they can attend the Library where there is a dedicated computer for voting purposes.

In-person Voting on Election Day: With Election Day on Monday, the in-person voting is only at the Municipal Office from 10 am – 8 pm. We do not know what to anticipate for the number of people wanting to vote in person on that day and are really hoping the online voting numbers increase over the coming week so we do not have long lines on Election day at the Municipal Office. For information, we have had over 1400 electors vote already.   I do not know how that compares to this point in previous elections as we do not have that data from previous years.

Voter’s List: MPAC has provided the Voter’s List for this election. It is anticipated that this will be the last time that MPAC compiles the list, as Elections Ontario is slated to create the Municipal Voter’s list moving forward.

Important Dates:

Monday, October 24 – Paper ballots can be cast at the Municipal Office from 10 am to 8 pm. Unofficial results released ASAP after the close of voting.

Wednesday, November 2, 2022 – potential Training Day for Council Elect

Wednesday, November 16, 2022 - potential Training Day for Council Elect

Wednesday, November 23, 2022 - potential Training Day for Council Elect

Wednesday, November 30 – Joint Council Orientation Day 1 - hosted by Grey County

Thursday, December 1, 2022 – Joint Council Orientation Day 2 - hosted by Grey County

Monday, December 5, 2022 @ 7pm – Inaugural Council Meeting (Ceremonial Swearing-In of Office)

Wednesday, December 7, 2022 @ 1 pm – First regular Council meeting of the new term of Council.

Tuesday, January 3, 2023 – End of Election Campaign Period

Friday, March 31, 2023 – Deadline for Filing Campaign Finance Report

As always, if you have any questions, please let me know.  

2022-10-14

Good afternoon Candidates,

For your information, just over 700 people have already voted in the 2022 Grey Highlands Municipal Election.

This weekend staff will be at the Rocklyn Community Centre on Saturday and the Flesherton Kinplex on Sunday from 10am – 2pm.
The following services are available to electors at the Advanced Voting Locations:

• Paper Ballot Voting
• Internet Voting Kiosk
• Amending the Voter’s List
• Distributing Voter Information Letters that were returned to the Municipality due to improper mailing addresses
• Voting Assistance

Remember to remove your signs from the advanced voting location before the date of the advanced vote. 

2022-10-12

Good afternoon Candidates, 

Election Signs: If your sign was removed from the vicinity of the Osprey Arena and Community Centre during the Advanced Vote on Saturday, you can pick it up at the Municipal Office during regular business hours.

Signs are not to be placed within 100m of  voting place. This weekend the voting places will be at Rocklyn on Saturday and Flesherton on Sunday. Please make sure that you do not have any signs within 100m of the voting location before 9:30 am on those dates. The Voting Place includes the property and parking lots and is not just based on the door. I have attached a print out from the County GIS system showing a 100m buffer around each of the properties for your reference.

Third Part Advertising: The Municipality currently does not have any Third-Party Advertisers registered. The definition of Third Party Advertiser is as follows: “third party advertisement” means an advertisement in any broadcast, print, electronic or other medium that has the purpose of promoting, supporting or opposing,

(a) a candidate, or

(b) a “yes” or “no” answer to a question referred to in subsection 8 (1), (2) or (3).” 

What is the process for challenging whether or not something is 3rd Party advertising? Response: Someone would have to petition the courts.

Strike Off List: As candidates, you have access to a strike off list on a weekly basis. The first strike off list will be available on Friday and the second list will be available the following Friday.

The strike-off list will provide you with the names of those that have already voted thus far in the Municipal Election. The list will be available to be loaded onto your USB stick or can be printed for you in a paper version. You must attend the Municipal Office to obtain your strike off list.

Online Voting: Residents can vote anytime until 8pm on Monday October 24th using the ID and Pin they received in the mail. Internet voting is also available (in addition to paper ballots) at our advanced voting locations. The Grey Highlands Public Library also has a dedicated voting terminal for those that wish to vote electronically but do not have internet access at home.

Advanced Voting Locations: There are only 2 more advanced voting days in Grey Highlands but residents can vote anytime online.

Rocklyn on Saturday October 15th from 10 am - 2 pm

Flesherton on Sunday October 16th  from 10 am - 2 pm

Regular Voting Day: October 24, 2022 from 10 am – 8 pm at the Municipal Office. We will have a tablet for online voting as well as accepting paper ballot voting as well.

Returned Voter Information Letters: We have had quite a few Voter Information Letters returned by Canada Post due to incorrect mailing addresses. Remember, the Voter’s List is provided to the Municipality from MPAC and is not created by Municipal Records. It is also not the same list as Elections Ontario (yet). If you come across a resident who has not yet received their VIL, please advise them to come to the Municipal Office with ID and we can make sure they can vote. Alternatively, they can also attend the advanced vote locations and staff can assist them as well.

FYI: Copies of every Candidate Information Email I send is available on the Municipal elections website under the candidates tab.

As always, if you require any assistance, please let me know. 

2022-10-04

Good evening Candidates,

**PLEASE NOTE TIME CHANGE TO 1:00 PM FOR LOGIC AND ACCURACY TESTING
DATE: THURSDAY OCTOBER 6, 2022

TIME: 1:00 PM

LOCATION: COUNCIL CHAMBERS – 206 TORONTO STREET SOUTH, MARKDALE 

In reply to the most recent email regarding Logic and Accuracy Testing scheduled for Thursday, I have been notified that a Candidate that attended the all candidates session on Saturday tested positive for COVID.

In light of this, I would like to remind you all that you have the ability to appoint a Scrutineer to attend on your behalf if you were in contact with the candidate, are the candidate, or are uncomfortable in attending yourself.
We will also have sanitizer and masks available should they be required. Our staff in attendance will be masked although we were not in attendance on Saturday. 

If you would like to appoint a scrutineer, but are currently isolating, or can’t get the forms filled out, please let me know and I will send a certified digital signature document for you to fill out for them to be approved to be in attendance on your behalf.
Also we have had to delay the time for the L&A testing as we are still awaiting a shipment of supplies needed for the testing to occur.
 If you have any questions, please let me know.

2022-10-03

Good morning Candidates,

The Municipality will be testing the Logic and Accuracy of the Voting equipment on Thursday morning at 10 am.

Candidates OR their Scrutineers can attend to witness the testing if they like.
We will be feeding a sample number of ballots through the system to verify a pre-determined result. After the L&A testing is complete, the system will be flushed to start fresh for the open of voting on Friday morning.

On Friday morning, you are welcome to be in attendance for the opening of the internet voting. We will start the internet system and print the zeroes report which verifies that there are no ballots cast prior to the open of voting. You (OR your scrutineer) are welcome to be in attendance. You must be in attendance no later that 9:45 to witness.

We will also be providing the opening process prior to the opening of each advanced vote for tabulator review. At that time, you have the ability to verify that the ballot box is empty prior to opening the advanced vote, and verify the tabulator ballot count.

If you wish to provide your own seal (tape) to place on the ballot box to ensure there is no tampering, you may do so provided that the name of the candidate is not written anywhere on the seal. At the close of each advance voting period, you have the opportunity to see the total number of ballots cast for the day, and seal of the ballot drop portion of the box.
To be in attendance for any of the opening processes, you must be in attendance 15 minutes prior to the opening.
To be in attendance for any of the closing processes, you must be in attendance no later than 5 minutes before the close of voting.

Please note that either you OR your scrutineer can be in attendance but not both. If you are sending a Scrutineer on your behalf, please ensure that the Scrutineer arrives with the appropriate signed form completed by the Candidate and has ID – they must produce both of these items every time they enter a voting place.

I have attached the form that is required to appoint a scrutineer here for your reference. Please note that at no time may a candidate AND their Scrutineer be in a voting place at the same time, unless one or the other is only in attendance to vote.

Please also note that there is absolutely NO campaign materials permitted on the grounds of the voting place, which includes the parking lot.

No buttons or pins or any other insignia bearing a Candidates name is permitted to be on the grounds, and no election signs are permitted to be placed within 100 metres of any voting location. This means that any signs placed within 100m (almost 330 feet) of the Feversham Community Centre, Markdale Community Centre, the Rocklyn Community Centre and the Flesherton Kinplex MUST be removed before the voting occurs. This includes any road sides within that distance from the property. 

If you have any questions, please let me know.

2022-09-16

Good afternoon Candidates,

Today’s email provides some information that may be of use to you.

• Locating information on properties: The Municipality uses the County of Grey GIS system to locate information on properties in Grey Highlands. It can provide you with Zoning information, roads and addresses and more. You can access the link here: Grey County GIS
• Social Media: You are all responsible for your own social media and whether you want to respond or reply to posts that you may have been “tagged” in. Sometimes, however, people can get tagged in posts that they may not want to be tagged in, or are improperly tagged (i.e. your personal social media account is tagged instead of your campaign account or page). I have attached a document that can assist you in removing unwanted tags from posts and how to ensure you receive notification of posts you may be tagged in.

 << File: Tagging on Social Media.pdf >>

• A candidate posed the following question: If a person rents a commercial enterprise in Grey Highlands are they entitled to vote in Grey Highlands if they reside somewhere else? Response: I can not provide a legal opinion, however I can provide information on what the Municipal Elections Act states:
  s. 17 (2) A person is entitled to be an elector at an election held in a local municipality if, on voting day, he or she,

(a) resides in the local municipality or is the owner or tenant of land there, or the spouse of such owner or tenant;

(b) is a Canadian citizen;

(c) is at least 18 years old; and

(d) is not prohibited from voting under subsection (3) or otherwise by law. 2002, c. 17, Sched. D, s. 5 (2); 2005, c. 5, s. 46 (1).
s. 1(1) Definition: “owner or tenant”, in relation to an election, means a person who is the owner or tenant shown on the assessment roll of land assessed under the Assessment Act and a non-residential tenant of land assessed under the Assessment Act, whether or not the tenant is shown on the assessment roll, but does not include an owner or tenant of land who is entitled to use the land under a time share contract unless the person is entitled to use the land,
Furthermore, it is up to the elector to ensure they are aware of their own rights related to voting and s. 89of the Act provides that a person is guilty of an offence if they vote without being entitled to do so.

• Voter Information Letters (VILs) will be mailed out sometime between September 21st – 27^th. If anyone has not received their VIL by October 5^th, they can attend the Municipal Office or an advanced voting location with ID to receive their voting credentials or to vote by paper ballot.
• We have had a request from a member of the community who travels by way of Horse and Buggy along our roadsides. He has inquired if it was possible for candidates to make sure that their election signs are as far back from the gravel portion on highway 10 as they can be (while still being visible) so that they do not interfere with that portion of the road way. Oftentimes the horse and buggies need to travel the gravel portion to avoid other traffic on the road and if the signs are sticking out onto the gravel portion it can spook the horses. 
• Some of you have already been in to receive your Voter’s Lists. Please remember that you must return your copies back in to the office after the election.
• Withdrawal from the Election – Candidates are not able to formally withdraw from the election after Nomination Day at 2 pm. Should any member wish to withdraw after that time, there is no mechanism to do so under the Act and their name will still remain on the ballot. If anyone wishes to withdraw, they are responsible for informing the general public that they are no longer seeking election.
• We will be scheduling Logic and Accuracy testing of the voting equipment prior to the open of voting. When we have the date scheduled, all candidates will receive an email invitation to attend and verify the system works as it should. Stay tuned for more information on this.
• For Council Candidates: Reminder that November will be a month filled with training for the Council Elect. We know for sure that November 30 and December 1 is booked for joint Council Orientation hosted by the County of Grey for all of the Lower tier Council-elects. We are trying to keep our local training dates to Wednesdays which is our regular Council days, but nothing is finalized yet and we will be sure to keep you in the loop on that front.
• You may have noticed that the call for volunteers to serve on Grey Highlands Committees and Boards is currently active. Please be advised that we will be accepting applications through to the first week of November. This will allow time for any candidates that may not have been elected to submit their interest to serve the community in another way. 
• Some Dates to Remember:
• Friday, October 7 – 10 am electronic voting opens and continues 24/7 until Monday, October 24 @ 8pm.
• Saturday, October 8 – Advance Voting at Feversham Community Centre 10 am – 2 pm (for Paper Ballots)
• Sunday, October 9 – Advance Voting at Markdale Community Centre 10 am – 2 pm (for Paper Ballots)
• Wednesday, October 12 – Grey Gables Advanced Voting for Residents
• Saturday, October 15 - Advance Voting at Rocklyn Community Centre 10 am – 2 pm (for Paper Ballots)
• Sunday, October 16 - Advance Voting at Flesherton Kinplex 10 am – 2 pm (for Paper Ballots)
• Monday, October 24 – Paper ballots can be cast at the Municipal Office from 10 am to 8 pm.
• Wednesday, November 2, 2022 – potential Training Day for Council Elect
• Wednesday, November 9, 2022 - potential Training Day for Council Elect
• Wednesday, November 23, 2022 - potential Training Day for Council Elect
• Wednesday, November 30 – Joint Council Orientation Day 1 - hosted by Grey County
• Thursday, December 1, 2022 – Joint Council Orientation Day 2 - hosted by Grey County
• Monday, December 5, 2022 @ 7pm – Inaugural Council Meeting (Ceremonial Swearing in of Office)
• Wednesday, December 7, 2022 @ 1 pm – First regular Council meeting of the new term of Council. 

2022-09-07

The following question was asked by a candidate:

Question: When paying for promotional materials, etc. is it okay to pay via personal credit card, and then pay that credit card from my candidate's account? Or do I need a new and separate credit card?

Response:

The following information can be found in the MMAH 2022 Candidates guide: “Expenses must be paid from your campaign bank account. If you use a credit card to pay for purchases you should make sure that you keep clear records showing that the expense on the credit card was reimbursed from the campaign account.”

I have included a link to the 2022 MMAH Candidate guide for reference.

2022 Candidates’ Guide – Ontario municipal council and school board elections

2022-08-25

Good afternoon Candidates,
I have received some inquires over the last couple of days and wanted to provide the information to all of you.

1. Can a Candidate campaign on Municipal Property i.e. Fall Fairs, town events and farmers markets (arenas and parking lots etc)
1. If the property is rented by a private body and not hosted by the Municipality, you will need to obtain permission from that person or body to permit campaigning during their event. If the event is hosted by the Municipality, no campaigning is permitted. You should be aware that campaigning would not be permitted to overflow onto Municipal Property that is not part of the privately rented facility.
2. The Use of Corporate resources Policy provides: (c) Candidates may not use any municipally-provided facilities for any election related purposes. Neither campaign related signs nor any other election related material will be displayed in any municipally-provided facilities;
2. When is Voterlookup.ca available until?
1. Voterlookup is only available until August 31. (there is a part in the Voter information Package that states September 15, as that was the original date provided by MPAC, however that had been changed to August 31^st and I missed updating the FAQ portion of the Voter Notification Package.
3. Are there limits to how much a single person can donate?
1. Yes. As per S. 88.22 (1)(r) of the MEA: A Candidate shall ensure that: (r) each contributor is informed that a contributor shall not make contributions exceeding, (i) subject to subsection (2), a total of $1,200 to any one candidate in an election, and

(ii) a total of $5,000 to two or more candidates for offices on the same council or local board.

1. Can I pay for signs from my personal account and reimburse once I get donations?
1. Please review section. 88.22 (1) (b) and (d) of the MEA: A Candidate shall ensure that: (b) all contributions of money are deposited into the campaign accounts; and (d) all payments for expenses are made from the campaign accounts.
   The certificate of maximum expenses you received provides an amount to which you can contribute to your own campaign.
2. If you contribute to your own campaign, you must deposit the contribution to your campaign account and pay your expenses from that account.
2. Can I state that I am running for Grey Highlands Councillor as long as I do not use the Municipal Logo?
1. Yes. You are definitely permitted to use the name of the Municipality in your campaign, however you may not use the Municipal Logo.
2. The Use of Corporate Resources Policy states (l) The municipality’s logo, crest, coat of arms, slogan, etc may not be printed or

distributed on any election materials or included on any election campaign related website, except in the case of a link to the Municipal web site to obtain information about the municipal election;

1. Does the Municipality provide any financial or other support to Candidates?
1. No. The Municipality does not contribute in any way to any candidates campaign endeavours. S. 88.8(4)5 of the MEA states: Who cannot contribute and this includes:  The Crown in right of Canada or Ontario, a municipality or a local board
2. A contribution may take the form of money, goods or services and therefor the Municipality is not permitted to provide these supports to candidates.

I cannot stress how important it is for you all to familiarize yourselves with the Municipal Elections Act. I will be away until September 7^th, 2022. If you have any questions, please email clerks@greyhighlands.ca.
Also, please ignore the SharePoint email you may have received. The group was inadvertently created when it was simply supposed to be an email contact group. The sharepoint site has been deleted. 

2022-08-22

Good afternoon Candidates,
Please see below. This is how your name will appear on the ballot and Voter Information Letter.

Please let me know if there are any issues.

2022-08-22

Good morning Candidates,

Now that nomination period has completed, I would like to confirm that you have been certified to be included on the ballot for the 2022 Municipal Election.

A few reminders and information links for you to review:

• The Election
• Voters will have the option to vote either online or in person.
• Online voting opens at 10 am on October 7^th through to 8 pm on October 24^th
• In Person - at one of the advance voting centres or at the Municipal Office on October 24, 2022 from 10 am – 8 pm
• Advance Voting Dates and Locations:
• Sat. Oct. 8 – Feversham Community Centre 10 am – 2 pm
• Sun. Oct. 9 – Markdale Community Centre Arena 10 am – 2 pm
• Sat. Oct. 15 – Rocklyn Community Centre 10 am – 2 pm
• Sun. Oct. 16 – Flesherton Kinplex 10 am – 2 pm

• Campaign Finances
• You are responsible for administering your campaign in accordance with the Municipal Elections Act. I have linked the Act below for your reference.
• You will be refunded your nomination fee after you have filed your financial statement. (Blank financial statement is attached)
• Even if you have not spent any money on your campaign, you are still required to file a statement.
• You will be receiving an updated campaign spending limit after the voter’s list is prepared for 2022.
• The campaign period runs until January 3, 2023.
• The deadline to file a financial statement is March 31, 2023.

• Campaigning:
• Campaign signs that may be placed, must be placed in accordance with By-law 2018-030.
• The use of the Municipal logo on any candidate election material is prohibited, however candidates can link directly to Municipal Websites and share Municipal Social Media Posts, but can not screen capture and re-post as their own content.
• Candidates are not permitted to use the facilities, equipment, supplies, services or other resources of the Municipality for any campaign related activity.
• Campaigning is not permitted to occur on Municipal property during business hours (this includes arenas when they are open and staffed). *This does not include privately rented facilities)
• Candidates may not campaign at any event that is hosted by the Municipality.
• For greater certainty, wearing a campaign t-shirt, hat, button, discussing your campaign to groups of people or handing out information is all considered campaigning.

• Voter’s List
• Residents can still check to see if they are on the Voter’s List up until August 31 by visiting www.voterlookup.ca and add themselves if they are not. After that date, they will have to attend the Municipal Office.
• The Voter’s List will be provided to all candidates in the manner they requested on September 1, 2022. Candidates will also be provided with an interim list of changes that have occurred between September 1^st and September 26^th.
• As per a legal opinion received from the Municipal Solicitor regarding the Voter’s List access to candidates, candidates will receive “the part of the voters’ list that contains the names of the electors who are entitled to vote for that office” as per section 23(4) of the Municipal Elections Act.

Questions from a Candidate:

• A candidate inquired whether a fundraising event could be classified as a party.
• Response:  S. 88.19(3) paragraph 6 provides the following:  The cost of holding parties and making other expressions of appreciation after the close of voting.
• What constitutes a contribution at a fundraising event?
• Response: There is specific references in the Act to Fundraising Events and what constitutes a contribution. You should read s. 88.15(3) and (4). 

Please note that I am unable to provide any legal interpretation of the legislation for specifics related to your campaign expenses. The Ministry Candidate guide (linked below) is a great source of reference for you to use to determine what is and isn’t a contribution.

Useful Links:

ELECTION SIGN BY-LAW

USE OF CORPORATE RESOURCES POLICY A-09-C-04

MINISTRY OF MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS AND HOUSING – CANDIDATE GUIDE

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS ACT – (The campaign information starts at s. 88.1)

RUNNING FOR ELECTION AS A SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEE

-A Third Party Advertisement is a message in any medium, i.e., signs, billboard, newspaper, radio, etc. promoting or opposing a candidate, or a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to a question, referendum, or an issue associated with a person or political party participating in an election. 

Advertising that does not cost money to post or broadcast, such as comments made on social media or email, is not considered a Third Party Advertisement.​

Ontario's 2022 Third Party Advertisers' Guide