Elections

ELECTIONS 2026

Elections for municipal government are held every four years on the fourth Monday of October. The length of term for municipal elected officials is four years. The current term started in 2022 and ends in 2026. 
 
In municipal elections in Ontario, unlike other levels of government, candidates are not elected to represent a political party. 
 
Eligible voters for municipal elections must be: 
  • A Canadian citizen and at least 18 years old
  • A resident OR a property owner or tenant OR the spouse of an owner or tenant in the municipality
Eligible candidates for municipal elections must be:
  • A Canadian citizen and at least 18 years old 
  • A resident of the municipality, a non-resident owner or tenant of land in the municipality or the spouse of such non-resident owner or tenant
  • Not legally prohibited from voting; and not disqualified by any legislation from holding municipal office.
Nominations for the the next municipal election open on Friday, May 1, 2026. Candidates are required to make an appointment to file their nomination as well as pay a fee of $100 ($200 for head of council).
 
The next municipal election will be held Monday, October 26, 2026. 
 
Check if you're on the Voters List at Elections Ontario
 

Thinking about running?

The Nomination Period opens May 1, 2026. Nomination Papers can be picked up at the Municipal Office and filed with the Clerk until Friday, August 21, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. (Nomination Day). 

To be a candidate, you must be:

  • A Canadian citizen
  • 18 years of age or older
  • An eligible voter in the Town of Rainy River

Voter Information

The Voters List revision period begins September 1, 2026. Residents will need to show ID with name and address when voting. A full list of acceptable ID will be available on our website.

Elections Ontario will deliver the Preliminary List of Electors to municipalities in August, and we’ll share reminders for residents to check their information.

ELECTIONS 2022:

Resources

 

  • Municipal Elections Act

  • The forms and guides for the 2026 Municipal Election have been updated by the province.

    Forms

    The updated Provincial forms for the 2026 Municipal Election are listed below and can be accessed here(External link).

    • Form 1 - Nomination Paper
    • Form 2 - Endorsement Of Nomination
    • Form 3 - Appointment For Voting Proxy
    • Form 4 - Financial Statement Auditor's Report Candidate
    • Form 5 - Financial Statement Subsequent Expenses
    • Form 6 - Notice Of Extension Of Campaign Period
    • Form 7 - Notice Of Registration Third Party
    • Form 8 - Auditor's Report Third Party
    • Form 9 - Declaration Of Identity

    Troubleshooting PDF Forms

    If you experience issues opening a form in a web browser (e.g., Chrome), please follow these steps:

    • Download the form and select “Save link as” to save it to your desktop.
    • Open the saved form directly with Adobe Acrobat Reader (do not open in a browser).
    • If the above steps do not work, you can access the forms directly from the Ontario Central Forms Repository here(External link)

    • Guides

      The updated Provincial guides for the 2026 Municipal Election are listed below and can be accessed here(External link).

      • 2026 Candidates Guide
      • 2026 Voters Guide
      • 2026 Third Party Advertisers Guide