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2026 ‐ Candidate Guide Page
Develop a page on waterlooregionvotes.org that supports candidates by:
- sharing resources developed by others on how to run a campaign
- providing a "101 digital presence" checklist for candidates
There are no parties in Ontario provincial elections, this means all candidates are running independently of a party that can provide support and direction for their campaign.
At the time of submitting their nomination form (usually early May of an election year), most candidates do not have a fully fledged digital presence. Candidates will submit their address, phone number, and email address on the nomination form. Some municipalities also request a website from candidates. This information is often published on municipal websites early in the campaign process and can be difficult to amend later.
As the communications and technical skills of candidates vary widely, the information available about each candidate to voters is inconsistent.
The nomination period is ~May-Aug 2026.
We recommend that candidates work to have a fully developed web presence by the time they submit their nomination form.
The less you have to change mid-campaign, the easier it will be for you to reach voters.
It is possible to create a robust digital presence using free tools that are designed for beginners to navigate.
TOP TIP: Keep it consistent
- As much as possible, keep your addresses/handles consistent across platforms.
- Campaign email address
- Create an email address for your campaign. Free email addresses are available from a wide array of providers including Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, Protonmail.
- Campaign social media accounts with consistent handles
- Use a tool like BrandSnag, DNS Checker to check the availability of your handles across social media platforms.
- Set up accounts on relevant social media platforms.
- Note: You do not have to be active on every social media channel. Social media accounts can be used as placeholder to direct people to where you would like them to go to learn about you.
- Campaign website
- Create website for your campaign. You can use a free website builder like Google Sites or Canva.
- Note: Free websites often have a non-custom domain name.
- High quality headshot
- Most smart phones are capable of taking a high quality headshot *Guide for iPhone users: https://headshots-inc.com/blog/how-to-take-professional-headshots-at-home/
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Municipal Elections Act: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/96m32
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Ontario Municipal Elections information: https://www.ontario.ca/page/municipal-elections
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AMO Municipal Elections information: https://www.amo.on.ca/about-us/municipal-101/municipal-elections
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2022 Nomination form: https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/regional-government/resources/2022-Election/2022-Municipal-Election-Form-1---Nomination_Form.pdf
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Endorsement of Nomination Form
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Region of Waterloo Election information: https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/regional-government/elections.aspx
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City of Cambridge Election information: https://www.cambridge.ca/en/learn-about/Elections.aspx
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City of Kitchener Election information: https://www.kitchener.ca/en/council-and-city-administration/election.aspx
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City of Waterloo Election information: https://www.waterloo.ca/en/government/elections.aspx
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Township of North Dumfries Election information: https://www.northdumfries.ca/township-services/municipal-elections/
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Township of Wilmot Election information: https://www.wilmot.ca/township-office/elections/
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Township of Wellesley Election information: https://www.wellesley.ca/council-and-administration/election/
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Township of Woolwich Election information: https://www.woolwich.ca/learn-about/election/
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Register of Future Voters: https://www.registertovoteon.ca/register-of-future-voters
#Ideas for groups running surveys
- Collaborate! COnnect with other groups
- Here's what we suggest about sharing the results
- collective list of groups to reach out to