Candidates Questions and Answers

What information is required on campaign signs?

- Candidate's name, position being sought, an indication that the candidate is responsible for the sign.

Does a candidate need to give receipts for all contributions to his/her campaign?

-  Yes, information is to include who made the contribution, the date and the amount of the contribution.

Are contributions to municipal campaigns tax deductible?

- No they are not. 

How do names get on the Voters List? What if they rent a property?

- MPAC provides us with the Voters List. If someone voted in 2014 and haven’t moved, then in theory they should still be on the Voter’s List. Use the  “Voter Look Up” tool on the home page of township website to check. 

-  If someone rents a property in the township, they will not necessarily show up on the Voters List unless they were added previously and haven’ t moved since the last municipal election. They can be added when the timeframe opens up for additions to the Voters List by  providing proof of their residence (copy of a bill that shows their mailing address as being a SF property as an example.)  Once again, using the Voter Look Up tool to determine if they are listed or not is recommended. 

When opening a bank account for my election campaign, can my spouse be added? 

- A spouse's name could be added to the bank account in the role of acting as a finance officer for the campaign.

As an incumbent Council member, can I use or reference Township social media accounts in my campaign?

- As an existing Councillor you can reference South Frontenac social media accounts for ongoing township business, however if you are referencing social media accounts from your campaign as a candidate, this is considered inappropriate use of township resources.

If a constituent makes a home made sign in support of a candidate and the candidate includes on the sign that it is authorized by their own campaign, is this considered third party advertising?

- This would not be considered third party advertising, however the candidate MUST include the associated costs for the home made sign as part of their campaign expense (cost of material, paint, post etc). 

Where can a resident/eligible voter find out about the "Voterlookup.ca" link and voter eligibility clarification?

There is a separate page on voter eligibility that provides information about using the Voterlook up site. Select the "communications toolkit" for more information.  When you are campaigning you can provide the elector with the voterlookup.ca information. 

Are signs permitted to be located near village/hamlet signs?

Temporary signs, such as election signs are permitted so long as they do not block driver sight lines or otherwise create a safety hazard. A copy of By-law 2000-01 - Roads and Parking By-law - Section 8 - Signboards can be found here.  Please also note that if members of the public have questions about the placement of signs, they should be contacting the Election staff to determine any perceived violations.  Page 21 of the Candidates Guide provides direction on election signage as well.

How many eligible voters are there in each district? What was the participation rate in 2014?

The "preliminary list of electors" has been recieved and the Election staff are reviewing the data and making required changes. Once this is completed the "Voters List" will be available  (approximately September 2) for candidates and the number of eligible voters for the 2018 election will be known. The table below provides participation results from 2014:

Can Candidates Campaign in Township Facilities?

Candidates may NOT campaign (meet or talk for the purpose of promoting a candidate or a candidate’s views) or display or distribute campaign materials (signs, posters, pamphlets, buttons, business cards, hats etc.) in Township facilities, this includes Municipal offices and Garages, Council Chambers, Fire Halls and Recreation buildings and all corresponding parking lots.

 The only exception to the above is when a Facility has been rented by a group to host a function such as an all candidates meeting or campaign event.  At that time the Hall is considered to be under the control of the renter and not the Township and for the period of the rental.

What was the total budget for 2018? 

The total budget presented and approved by Council on December 5, 2017 can be found here.