FAQs

The Town of Aylmer is governed by a 7-member Council, made up of: 1 Mayor, 1 Deputy Mayor, and 5 Councillors. Council members help shape local policies, approve the municipal budget, and make decisions that affect daily life in Aylmer. In the 2026 municipal election, residents can run for Mayor or a Councillor position. The Deputy Mayor is appointed from among the elected Councillors. All Council members serve four-year terms.

Beyond regular Council meetings, Aylmer’s elected officials also represent our town on local and regional boards and committees, helping guide decisions on key community priorities. These include but are not limited to: Aylmer Area Secondary Water Board, Business Improvement Area (BIA)/Mainstreet, Catfish Creek Conservation Authority Board, and the Police Service Board.

Serving on these committees allows Council Members to work more closely with residents, regional partners, and subject experts, ensuring your voice is heard where it matters most. Community members can get involved too! Keep an eye out for calls to join advisory committees or task forces.

The voting period is Monday October 19, 2026 to Monday October 26, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Eligible voters will receive a voting card in the mail that provides instructions for voting. These will arrive closer to the voting period. Please contact us if you do not receive a voting card - this does not prevent you from voting.

1. Vote online.
2. Vote by phone.
3. Vote at the Voter Assistance Centre (25 Centre Street).

As of August 13, 2026, additions and changes to the Voters List must now be completed in person at Town Hall.

1. If you're unsure whether you're registered, you can still check online(External link). This website will remain available throughout the election period.
2. If you need to register or update your information, visit us at Town Hall, 46 Talbot Street West, Monday-Friday 8 AM - 5 PM.
   Please bring identification showing both your name and home address. Acceptable ID includes a driver's licence, Ontario Photo Card, bank or credit card statement, utility bill, cheque stub, and more(External link).
   Eligible voters may still register up to and during the voting period.

You can vote if you are:

• A Canadian citizen
• At least 18 years old on election day
• Living in Aylmer, or own or rent property here, or are the spouse of an owner or tenant in Aylmer

You cannot vote if you are:

• A person who is serving a sentence of imprisonment in a penal or correctional institution
• A person acting as executor or trustee in any other representative capacity, except as a voting proxy in accordance with section 44
• A person who was convicted of the corrupt practice described in subsection 90(External link)(3), if voting day in the current election is less than five years after voting day in the lection in respect of which he or she was convicted

In order to become a candidate, you must file a Nomination Paper with the Municipal Clerk. Nominations can only be filed during the nomination period, which is:

1. Friday May 1, 2026 to Thursday August 20, 2026 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (excluding weekends and holidays); and

2. Nomination Day: Friday August 21, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Please call the Clerk's Office, at 519-773-3164 ext. 4913 or email clerks@town.aylmer.on.ca(External link) to make an appointment to receive a Candidates Package or to file your nomination.

You can file your nomination paper at:

Town of Aylmer Municipal Office
46 Talbot Street West
Aylmer, ON

A person may be nominated for an office only if, as of the day the individual files a nomination paper, they are:

• 18 years of age or older; AND
• A Canadian citizen; AND
• A resident of the Town of Aylmer OR an owner or tenant of land in the Town of Aylmer OR the spouse of such a person AND
• Eligible to vote.

Employees of the Town of Aylmer who wish to run for Council must take an unpaid leave of absence before filing a nomination paper. A person shall not be considered an employee of a municipality or local board for the purposes of this section by reason only of being a volunteer firefighter as defined in the Fire Protection and Prevention Act.

Persons who are disqualified from being elected to municipal office:

• Any person not eligible to vote in the municipality;
• A judge of any court;
• A member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, a Senator or a member of the House of Commons;
• An inmate of a penal or correctional insitution under sentence of imprisonment;
• Any person who by reason of any violations of the election campaign financial requirements or violations for note filing the financial statements pursuant to the Municipal Elections Act.

A person may be nominated for an office by filing a nomination in the Clerk’s Office, in person or by an agent.

25 Endorsement Signatures Required: The nomination for an office on Council must be endorsed and signed by at least 25 persons:

• Each person who signs the candidate’s endorsement may endorse more than one nomination;
• All persons endorsing a nomination must be eligible to vote in an election for an office within the Town of Aylmer, if a regular election was held on the day that the person endorses the nomination;
• Endorsements must be completed and signed on Form 2 (print multiple copies, as Form 2 only allows for 5 endorsements);
• Collecting more than 25 endorsements is good practice in case one endorsement is completed incorrectly;
• School Board Trustee candidates do not require endorsements.

Requirements for Nomination: The nomination must be completed in full and filed in person by the candidate or an agent of the candidate and includes:

1. Identification for proof of identity (eg: Driver’s Licence, Passport, Birth Certificate, etc.)
2. A completed copy of the Nomination Paper (Form 1)
3. A declaration of qualification (Form 2) from each of the 25 people endorsing the nomination (for Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Council candidates only)
4. The filing fee

If filing by agent, the agent must present a commissioned Agent Appointment Form