Municipal elections occur every four years on the third Monday in October. The next municipal election will be held on October 18, 2021.
Information on this website will be updated periodically to reflect any changes to legislation and to inform citizens of the electoral process.
Information for Candidates
Municipal leaders take on an important leadership role in our community. The professional and life skills as well as experience of municipal leaders help shape policy and decision making for our region. There is a significant time commitment involved.
- Candidates for the 2021 Election will find important information on the Municipal Affairs website.
To receive election updates and other relevant election information, interested candidates are asked to fill out the following form.
Potential Candidate Contact Information Form
For more detailed information, please review our Candidate Guide to Municipal Elections and our 2021 Candidate Nomination Package.
Candidate Guide to Municipal Elections
2021 Candidate Nomination Package
Preparing for your nomination
The Nomination Period runs from Monday, January 4, 2021 to 12 noon on Monday, September 20, 2021. To file your nomination, you must follow the below steps:
1. Meet all eligibility requirements |
To be nominated as a candidate in the 2021 General Election, you must be eligible to vote. You must be:
There may be other reasons you are ineligible to run as a candidate – refer to the Local Authorities Election Act (LAEA). If you wish to be nominated as a school board trustee, please review the Education Act in addition to the LAEA. For further information, please refer to the Nomination Process Checklist for Prospective Candidates.
|
2. Complete Form 4 and Form 5 |
|
3. Prepare the deposit |
When filing nomination papers, you must pay the required deposit:
The required deposit can be paid by cash, certified cheque, money order, debit card or credit card. Payments by credit card or debit card can only be made at in-person appointments. Do not send cash in the mail. |
4. File your nomination forms |
Mail / Courier your completed forms and deposit: Completed nomination papers and deposit can be sent by mail or courier to the Elections Office at:
Legislative Services Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo 9909 Franklin Avenue Fort McMurray, AB T9H 2K4
The Elections Office will email you to confirm that you have been accepted as a candidate. If you have filed your nomination papers via mail or courier, confirmation may take up to 5 business days from the date of receipt of your papers.
Make an appointment: Nomination papers and deposits can be filed in person with the Elections Office by making an appointment. If you choose to file your papers in person, you must comply with all public health orders, mandatory restrictions, complete the COVID-19 screening questionnaire, and comply with Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Bylaws, including the Face Covering Bylaw. For more information and to make arrangements to file your nomination:
The deposit may be paid by cash, certified cheque, money order, debit card or credit card. |
For more information
Please also find more important and helpful candidate information below:
Offices of Mayor and Councillor | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
There are 11 positions on Council: the Mayor, who is elected at large, and 10 Councillors, who are elected under a ward system as follows:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nomination Information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
You can run as a candidate for mayor, councillor or school board member. Nomination papers must be filed between January 4 and September 20, 2021, at noon. These forms can be found online on the Municipal Affairs website.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School Board Candidate Information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
If you are intending to run for your local school board, find relevant information at School Board trustee elections information. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Key Election Dates | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Candidate Information Sessions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Candidate Information Sessions may be offered by the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo prior to Nomination Day and details would be posted at www.rmwb.ca/elections. Candidate Orientation Training Sessions may be offered through Municipal Affairs and would be announced at a later date. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Local Authorities Election Act changes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In December 2018, Bill 23 – An Act to Renew Local Government in Alberta was passed and in July 2020, Bill 29 – Local Authorities Election Amendment Act, was passed. Both acts made changes to how municipal elections are conducted in Alberta.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
COVID-19 Guidance for Canvassing and Campaigning | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Government of Alberta has developed COVID-19 Guidance for Canvassing and Campaigning. This document and the guidance within it is subject to change and will be updated as needed. Current information related to COVID-19 can be found: https://www.alberta.ca/covid-19-information.aspx
|
This information is intended to assist potential candidates for the October 18, 2021 election, has no legislative sanction and is not inclusive of all the information related to the office of Mayor and Councillor, election procedures and election legislation. It is not a substitute for legal advice. It is recommended that you obtain a copy of the Local Authorities Election Act and other relevant legislation.
It is the candidate’s responsibility to read and understand all legislation concerning elections and to seek legal and accounting advice from professionals or to contact Municipal Affairs regarding requirements under provincial legislation.