Municipal Elections

Overview of Thorold

The next Municipal and School Board Elections will take place on October 26, 2026. 

Candidate Nominations will open on Friday May 1, 2026.

Are you on the Voters' List?

Elections Ontario maintains the Permanent Register of Electors for Ontario, also known as the “voters' list”.

The voters' list contains information for individuals eligible to vote in provincial and local municipal elections in Ontario. To learn more about the voters' list and to add or update your information, please visit the Election Ontario's Register to Vote page. 

If you or your spouse own or rent property other than your home address in Ontario, you may be eligible to vote in more than one municipal election.

School Support

The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) is legislatively required to collect school support designations. 

Update your school support through MPAC’s Online School Support page. As a property owner or tenant in Ontario, you are required to support a school system, even if you do not have children or your children are not currently attending school. 

This information can be found on your Property Assessment Notice.

For more information about school support designations, visit the MPAC website.

The City Clerk is responsible for conducting the Municipal and School Board elections for the City of Thorold. If you have any questions, please contact the City Clerk at elections@thorold.ca or 905-227-6613.

Municipal Elections FAQs

When is Voting Day?

Monday, October 26, 2026 from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Who can vote?

You are eligible to vote in the election for municipal council if you meet all of the following requirements:

  • You are a Canadian citizen
  • You are aged 18 or older
  • You qualify to vote in the municipality

There are three (3) ways that you can qualify to vote in a municipality:

  1. As a resident elector if you live in the municipality. You may own, rent, live in shared accommodation where you do not pay rent or live in the municipality but do not have a fixed address. Being a resident elector is the most common type of eligibility.
  2. As a non-resident elector if you own or rent property in a municipality, but it’s not the one where you live. You can be a resident elector in only one municipality. However, you can be a non-resident elector in any other municipality (or municipalities) where you own or rent property.
  3. As the spouse of a non-resident elector if your spouse owns or rents property in the municipality or municipalities other than the one where you live.

What are we voting for?

Council Members

  • Mayor: One (1) to be elected, at large within the City, also serves as a member of Niagara Regional Council.
  • City Councillors: Eight (8) to be elected, at large.
  • Regional Councillors: One (1) to be elected, at large within the City, represents the City of Thorold at Niagara Regional Council.

School Board Trustees

  • English Language Public District School Board (Areas of Pelham/Thorold): One (1) to be elected at large.
  • English Language Catholic District School Board (Areas of St. Catharines – Merritton/Thorold): One (1) to be elected at large.
  • French Language Public School Board: One (1) to be elected at large.
  • French Language Catholic School Board: One (1) to be elected at large.

How do I vote? 

Voters will be able to cast their ballot in advance through the internet or in-person during three advanced voting days and on Voting Day (October 26, 2026).

More information will follow regarding how and where to vote in the 2026 election.

 
How do I become a candidate?

Prospective candidates must first be nominated before raising any campaign funds or incur expenses. Nomination papers must be filed with the City Clerk, or his designate, during regular office hours between Friday, May 1, 2026, to Thursday, August 20, 2026 or on Friday, August 21, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 

 

Can I work the election?

Yes! We will be hiring for various positions for the 2026 election. Interested individuals may apply for various positions for the election consisting of:

  • Supervising Deputy Returning Officers (SDRO)
  • Deputy Returning Officers (DRO)
  • Tabulating Deputy Returning Officers (TDRO)
  • Information Assistants (IA)

More information regarding working the election will follow closer to Voting Day.

Contact Us

© 2018 The Corporation of the City of Thorold, 3540 Schmon Parkway, PO Box 1044, Thorold ON, L2V 4A7

Phone: 905-227-6613

Fax: 905-227-5590

TTY: 905-227-6206

Email us

Hours of Operation: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday

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