The race for seats around the Norfolk County council table officially begins today as nominations open for the 2026 municipal election. Residents interested in running for Mayor, council or school board trustee positions can now begin filing nomination paperwork with the County Clerk’s office ahead of the August 21 deadline.
Candidates can run for Mayor, one of eight council seats representing Norfolk County’s seven wards, or one of four school board trustee positions.
To qualify, candidates must meet eligibility requirements under Ontario’s Municipal Elections Act, including being a Canadian citizen, at least 18 years old, and meeting residency or property ownership requirements within the county.
School board trustee candidates must also meet additional board-specific voter eligibility rules.
Norfolk County says candidates are encouraged to complete nomination forms in advance and book appointments with the Clerk’s office to submit paperwork in person.
Nomination fees are set at $200 for mayoral candidates and $100 for council and trustee candidates.
As the nomination period officially opens, some current members of council have already indicated whether they plan to seek another term.
Back in January, Councillor Tom Masschaele confirmed he intends to run again in 2026. Councillor Kim Huffman also said she plans to seek re-election, citing several large projects currently underway that she wants to see continue into the next term of council. Councillor Adam Veri confirmed he will run again as well, pointing to ongoing work and progress in Ward 6 and across Port Dover.
Several others remained undecided at the time. Councillor Mike Columbus said he expected to make a decision sometime during the summer. Councillor Linda Vandendriessche said she was still weighing her options while expressing appreciation for serving Ward 2 residents. Councillor Alan Duthie also described himself as undecided earlier this year.
Councillor Chris Van Paassen initially declined to directly answer questions about his intentions in January, raising concerns about election rules and what he described as potential “grey areas” surrounding pre-campaign publicity and advertising before nominations officially opened. However, in an update this morning, Van Paassen confirmed to us he now has his nomination paperwork ready and an appointment scheduled for 10 a.m. to officially file for re-election.
We did not previously receive responses from Councillor Doug Brunton or Mayor Amy Martin regarding their intentions for the upcoming election.
