Candidate and Third Party Advertiser Registration for Markham Municipal Election Opens this Friday

MARKHAM, ON – April 27, 2026 – Candidate and third party political advertiser registration for the 2026 Markham Municipal Election opens this Friday, May 1.

Nominations can be filed with Elections Markham for the following offices:

• Mayor (1 position)
• Regional councillor (4 positions)
• Ward councillor (8 positions)
• York Region District School Board trustee (4 positions)
• York Catholic District School Board trustee (2 positions)

Eligible persons looking to make a difference in their community are encouraged to run for elected office. Local governments and school boards deliver important services that residents and businesses rely on every day.  

• A person can be a candidate in the 2026 Markham Municipal Election if they are:
• At least 18 years old; and,
• A Canadian citizen; and,
• A resident, landowner, or tenant of Markham or the applicable school board jurisdiction; and,
• Not legally prohibited from running for office.

Candidates can submit their nomination online or book an in-person appointment through Election Markham’s secure nomination portal until August 21 at 2 PM. Step-by-step instructions are available at Elections Markham Candidate Registration page.

Candidates will be required to show ID as proof of eligibility and pay a refundable registration fee. Before registering, candidates running for Markham City Council are required to collect at least 25 original handwritten endorsement signatures from eligible Markham voters using the form available from Elections Markham.

Nominations are also being accepted for French-language school board trustee offices (Conseil scolaire Viamonde and Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir), which represent all of York Region. Nominations for these offices can be filed with the City of Vaughan. For more information, visit Vaughan's election page.

Have something to say about the election? Any person, corporation or trade union that plans to engage in paid activity that supports or opposes a candidate in the election needs to register as a third party advertiser. Instructions on how to register and the rules around political advertising are available at Elections Markham's Political Advertising page. The deadline to register as a third party advertiser is October 23, 2026 at 5 PM.

Not sure if running for office is right for you? Elections Markham will be hosting a free information session on May 11 (12 PM – 2 PM) for persons thinking about becoming a candidate and third-party advertiser.

• In Person: Markham Civic Centre (Council Chambers), 101 Town Centre Boulevard, Markham, Ontario  
• Online: Zoom (Register here)

Visit ElectionsMarkham.ca throughout the year for the latest and most reliable information about the 2026 Markham Municipal Election.

Key Dates:

• May 1, 2026, 9 AM – Candidate and third party advertiser registration opens
• August 21, 2026, 2 PM – Candidate registration closes
• October 23, 2026, 5 PM – Third party advertiser registration closes

Useful Links:

• Candidate Registration
• Political Advertising
• Register to Vote
• Donating to a Candidate’s Campaign

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All media inquiries for Elections Markham:

media@markham.ca

About Elections Markham: Elections Markham is an independent non-partisan division of the City of Markham responsible for delivering City Council and local school board elections, by-elections and referendums. Markham is a leader in multi-platform election services, being Canada’s first city to vote online and maintaining one of North America’s longest-running remote online voting programs.

About the City of Markham: Markham, an award-winning municipality with over 370,000 residents and the largest of nine communities in York Region, is home to over 650 corporate head offices and more than 1,500 high tech and life science companies. Markham is a leader in attracting foreign direct investment with more than 234 foreign companies located in the City. Founded in the 1790s, today Markham is Canada’s most diverse community and enjoys a rich heritage, outstanding community planning and services, and a vibrant local economy.

Stay Connected: Visit our Newsroom or subscribe to MarkhamNOW for the latest information on City programs, services and events.