Information for Candidates

An individual who intends to be nominated or has been nominated to run for election in a local jurisdiction as a candidate must give written notice to the Town of Vermilion.  Candidates intending to run in the Town of Vermilion municipal election must fill out the Notice of Intent form. Please note, candidates must submit the Notice of Intent form prior to accepting campaign contributions or incurring campaign expenses. Submitting a Notice of Intent does not replace the nomination process, nor does it mean you are officially nominated or will appear on the ballot. 

The Nomination period runs from January 1, 2025, through to September 22, 2025, with the deadline to submit papers being 12:00 p.m. (noon) MST on September 22, 2025. Nomination forms are available to be picked up from the Town of Vermilion, Administration Office located at 5021 - 49 Avenue. 

Nomination forms must be handed in by appointment to the
Returning Officer, Shannon Kennedy on or before
September 22, 2025. 

There are several forms candidates need to complete to run in the municipal election, including the Notice of Intent, Candidate Information and the Nomination Papers.

1. Notice of Intent

a. An individual who intends to be nominated or has been nominated to run for election in a local jurisdiction as a candidate must give written notice to the local jurisdiction in which the individual intends to run or has been notified. This form should be completed first, and submitted to the Returning Officer, before starting the nomination paperwork.

b. Notice Of Intent Form

    2. Candidate Information

a. Candidates must fill in the Candidate Information form.

b. Candidate Financial Information

    3. Nomination Paper and Candidate Acceptance

a. Nominations must be signed by a minimum of five electors. These electors must be residents of the local jurisdiction on the date they signed the form and must be eligible to vote in the lection. The electors who sign the nomination form must also be a resident of the ward for which the candidate is being nominated.

b. Nomination Paper And Candidates Acceptance

It is essential to recognize that serving as a Council member demands a significant amount of time and effort. Being elected as a Councillor is a four year commitment to public service, requiring substantial hours to fulfill your duties and responsibilities.

Over the course of your four year term as Councillor, you will need to attend numerous meetings, conferences, conventions, training workshops, and social events. A considerable amount of your time will be spent reading and preparing for meetings to make well-informed decisions. You will also be expected to attend various functions and events, representing the municipality as a dignitary, official, or spokesperson, often during the day, in the evenings, and on weekends.

To help manage these responsibilities, meeting agendas and materials are made available electronically to Council members. You will be expected to use a smartphone, computer, or tablet to receive emails, access Council agendas and correspondence.

Being a Council member becomes a way of life, as you are constantly engaging with the community while representing the municipality. As a public figure, people will frequently approach you to discuss Town of Vermilion matters. You will receive calls during both business hours and after hours, including evenings and weekends. This heavy demand on your time should be carefully considered, as you will need to balance your duties with your personal life and other commitments.

The Town of Vermilion Council generally meets twice a month for regular Council meetings. Additionally, they may meet once a month for Committee of the Whole meetings. Although these meetings are typically held in the evening, administration will be proposing that they be changed to the afternoon beginning in November 2025. 

In addition to regular meetings, Special Council meetings, such as Budget Meetings and Strategic Planning sessions, may be booked as required, typically three or four meetings a year.

Each Council member will also be appointed by Council to serve as members on various committees and as alternate members on other committees. Committee meetings may or may not be held during day-time hours, and there will be evening meetings to attend as well. Some committees meet more often than others.

These meetings can have lengthy agenda packages averaging 200 pages to 600 pages per agenda package that must be reviewed prior to meetings.

Immediately after the official results of the election have been released,  all Council members (whether returning or newly re-elected) will be required to attend mandatory orientation training sessions in the following days after the election.

If elected you will be required to follow all pertinent Federal and Provincial, plus additional legislation pertinent to local governments which are contained in the Alberta Municipal Government Act, and other pertinent legislation. This is important to note as municipal leaders have various rules and regulations that must be followed.

As part of your role as a Councillor, you must attend mandatory training after you are elected.  The Town of Vermilion has training booked for:

• Saturday, October 25, 2025, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Munis 101 Online Training via Zoom. Registration has already been completed. Here is the link for more information 

  Summary - Munis 101 - October 25 - Virtual

• Thursday, October 30, 2025, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm that ALL Councillors must attend.  Training will take place at the Vermilion Regional Centre alongside the newly elected Councillors for the County of Vermilion River and Villages of Marwayne, Paradise Valley and Kitscoty.

Mandatory training will take place on December 17, 2025 for Local Authority Emergency Management with our regional partners. This session will be in the afternoon and is being hosted in Kitscoty. 

This web resource features materials developed by Alberta Municipalities (ABmunis), as well as materials developed by Alberta Municipal Affairs. The provided resources offer key insights for candidates and potential candidates considering running for municipal office and address key questions, including what it is like to be an elected official, how to run for municipal office, and where to access relevant information about running for office.

View Resources Here

Local Authorities Elections Act - Open Government

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