Are You Interested in Running for Office?

Filing your Nomination

A person may only become a candidate by filing a nomination during the nomination period, which runs from Friday, May 1, 2026 to Friday, August 21, 2026 at 2:00 PM.

Nominations must be filed in person at the Clerk's Office during the following times:

• May 1 to August 20, 2026: Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
• Nomination Day: August 21, 2026, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM

To submit nomination papers, make an appointment with the Clerk’s Office through our Online Booking Service. Online bookings will be made available starting May 1, 2026.

Elected Offices

Eligible electors in the City of Orillia will vote for the following offices on Voting Day:

• City Council
  • One (1) Mayor
  • Eight (8) Councillors, two (2) elected in each ward
• School Board Trustees:
  • Simcoe County District School Board (English-Public)
  • Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board (English-Separate)
  • Conseil scolaire Viamonde (French-Public)
  • Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir (French-Separate)

Qualifications of a Candidate

A person must be qualified at the time they file their nomination paper in order to run for City Council or for a School Board Trustee position.

To run for City Council, you must be:

• A Canadian citizen;
• At least 18 years of age;
• A resident of the City of Orillia; or own or lease property (or be the spouse of the owner or lessee) in the City of Orillia;
• Not legally prohibited from voting; and
• Not disqualified by any legislation from holding municipal office.

To run for School Board Trustee, you must be:

• A Canadian citizen;
• At least 18 years of age;
• A resident in the area of jurisdiction of the board;
• Eligible to be an elector for the School Board in which the person is a candidate;
• Not legally prohibited from voting; and
• Not disqualified by any legislation from holding municipal office.