2025 Municipal Election: Key Dates and Information

Election Day: The next general election for 5 - Councillors will be held on Monday, October 20, 2025. Polls will open at 10:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m.   

Nomination Period: January 1, 2025 – September 22, 2025   

Nomination Day Deadline: September 22, 2025, at 12:00 p.m.   

2025 Election Timeline and Key Dates

Legislative Changes for the 2025 Municipal Election                                                                                                                                  On October 18, 2024, Municipal Affairs proclaimed the Municipal Statutes Amendment Act which made several amendments to the Local Authorities Elections Act (LAEA) and the Municipal Government Act (MGA). The amendments related to municipal elections came into effect on October 31, 2024.

Key Legislative Changes (Effective Oct. 31, 2024)

• Automated Voting: Prohibited.
• Nomination Period: Extended from Jan. 1 to Nomination Day (Sept. 22, 2025).
• Campaign Limits: Alberta-wide limits introduced.
• Third-Party Advertising: Registration and financial disclosure required; capped at $5,000.
• Campaign Contributions: Union and corporate donations permitted.
• Voter Identification: Vouching allowed only for address.
• Recall Petitions: Validation responsibility transferred to Minister.
• Electors Register: Municipalities must create a Permanent Electors Register in partnership with Elections Alberta.
• Councillor Training: Orientation training is now mandatory.
• Special Ballots: Expanded application eligibility for electors unable to vote at Advanced polls or on Election Day.

Notice of Intent to Run 

The Notice of Intent to Run process is new for the 2025 municipal election and differs from the Nomination process. Prospective candidates must file the Notice of Intent to Run form before accepting campaign contributions or incurring campaign expenses. Once the Returning Officer receives the completed form, the candidate's name will be added to the Register of Candidates on the Town’s website.  

 After January 1, 2025 candidates can submit their Nomination forms and Notice of Intent to Run at the same time. Nomination forms cannot be submitted without a Notice of Intent to Run.

Notice of Intent to Run

Please note that submitting a Notice of Intent to Run does not replace the nomination process, which begins on January 1, 2025, nor does it mean a candidate is officially nominated.   

Should there be any changes to the information provided in the Notice of Intent to Run, the candidate must notify the Returning Officer within 48 hours. 

The campaign period for the 2025 municipal election is October 31, 2024 until December 31, 2025. 

Candidates must follow the election finance rules set out in Part 5.1 of the Local Authorities Election Act and the Expense Limits Regulation. 

Register of Candidates 

The Town is required by the Local Authorities Election Act to maintain a register listing all individuals who have filed a Notice of Intent to Run in the upcoming general election. The register will be publicly available on the Town's website until December 31, 2025.

*Currently, there have been no Notices of Intent to Run filed.*

Below is a current listing of candidates which have submitted to their Notice of Intent to Run or Nomination Papers to the Returning Officer. This list will be continuously updated. 

Notice of Intent and/or Register of Candidates 

Am I Eligible to Run?

Eligibility - LAEA s. 21(1)

A person is eligible to be nominated as a candidate in any election if on nomination date they are:

• Eligible to vote in that election;
• A resident of the local jurisdiction and the ward, if any, for 6 consecutive months immediately preceding nomination day, and;
• Not otherwise ineligible or disqualified.

Ineligibility - LAEA s. 22(1)

A person is not eligible to be nominated as a candidate in the election if on nomination day:

• The person is the auditor of the local jurisdiction for which the election is to be held;
• The person is an employee of the local jurisdiction for which the election is to be held unless the person takes a leave of absence;
• The person is indebted to the municipality of which the person is an elector for taxes in default exceeding $50, excluding from that amount ( i ) any indebtedness for current taxes, and (ii) any indebtedness for arrears of taxes for which the person has
  entered into a consolidation agreement with the municipality, unless the person is in default in the payment of any money due under the agreement;
• The person is indebted to the local jurisdiction for which the election is to be held for any debt exceeding $500 and in default for more than 90 days;
• The person has, within the previous 10 years, been convicted of an offence under the LAEA , the Election Act , the Election Finances and Contributions Disclosure Act or the Canada Elections Act (Canada).

Time Commitment

During your four year term as a Councillor, you will be required to attend many meetings and events which can be demanding on your time. These include:

• Regular Village Council meetings, which are held on the third Wednesday of the month at 5:30pm
• Meetings of other boards and agencies to which you are appointed as a council representative;
• Various other conferences (e.g. AUMA and FCM), conventions, seminars and workshops for training and discussion.

A Councillor must also spend time reading the agenda and preparing for the respective meetings, as well as, speaking with members of the public , the Chief Administrative Officer and other parties related to the municipality. There may also be events promoting Warner where Councillors receive invitations to attend.

During their term(s), Councillors sit on a range of specialized Boards & Committees which fulfill a number of important functions within the Village of Warner and the surrounding region.

Duties of Council 

Under section 153 of the MGA, all Councillors have the following duties:

• To consider the welfare and interests of the municipality as a whole and to bring to council’s attention anything that would promote the welfare or interests of the municipality;
• To promote an integrated and strategic approach to intermunicipal land use planning and service delivery with neighbouring municipalities;
• To participate generally in developing and evaluating the policies and programs of the municipality;
• To participate in Council meetings, Council Committee meetings, and meetings of other bodies to which they are appointed by the Council to obtain information about the operation or administration of the municipality from the Chief Administrative Officer or a person designated by the Chief Administrative Officer;
• to keep in confidence matters discussed in private at a Council or Council Committee meeting until discussed at a meeting held in public;
• to adhere to the Code of Conduct established by the council under section 146.1(1);
• to perform any other duty or function imposed on Councillors by this or any other enactment or by the Council.

FAQ's for Candidates 

How Do I Know if I’m Eligible to Run? 

Anyone considering running for office should confirm their eligibility as a first step. To be eligible, a prospective candidate must be: 

• At least 18 years old on Nomination Day (September 22, 2025) 
• A Canadian citizen 
• A resident of Warner for the 6 consecutive months immediately before Nomination Day 
• A resident of Warner on Election Day (October 20, 2025) 
• Not otherwise ineligible or disqualified under the Local Authorities Election Act 

It is a candidate’s responsibility to confirm eligibility before engaging in the nomination process. 

Is Submitting a Notice of Intent to Run the Same as Submitting Nomination Forms? 

No. Submitting a Notice of Intent to Run is one step in the process and does not mean you have been nominated and will appear on the ballot. 

Once a prospective candidate’s Notice of Intent to Run submission is complete and they are added to the Register of Candidates, they can accept campaign contributions and incur campaign expenses. 

To become a nominated candidate and appear on the ballot, a candidate must complete the nomination process during the Nomination Period from January 1 to September 22, 2025. 

What is the Register of Candidates? 

The Register of Candidates is a record of all candidates who have given notice to the Village of Warner that they intend to seek nomination for office in the next general election, as required by the Local Authorities Election Act. 

Is a Deposit Required to File a Notice of Intent to Run? 

No, a deposit is not required when filing a Notice of Intent to Run. 

When is a Disclosure Statement Required to be Filed? 

Candidates are required to file a disclosure statement with the Returning Officer, on or before March 1 of each year, if contributions were received in the previous year. If contributions are collected and/or expenses incurred in 2024, a disclosure statement must be filed on or before March 1, 2025. For contributions collected and expenses incurred in 2025, a disclosure statement must be filed on or before March 1, 2026. 

TIP: Make sure to keep complete and detailed records of your contributions and expenses. This will be important for completing your disclosure statement(s). 

Forms

Nomination Forms are available here : Form 4 - Nomination Paper & Candidate's Acceptance

Candidate Financial Information Form: Form 5 this is required to be handed in with your nomination papers

Please visit A Candidate's Guide: Running for Municipal Office in Alberta for more information about running for municipal office in Alberta. 

The Village of Warner does not charge a fee for Nomination Applications.

There is mandatory training for candidates elected. Please check out the Elected Officials Education Program website for up to date information on this required training after elected for council. 

 To view the Local Authorities Election Act please click here.

Information for Voters

New for 2025: With the proclamation of the Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, 2024 municipalities are required to maintain a Permanent Electors Register of residents who are eligible to vote. Any individual who wishes to vote on Election Day must first be registered. 

 Elections Alberta maintains a provincial register of electors and provides VoterLink for municipal voters to register, update information, or verify their registration. 

Information from the Permanent Electors Register will be shared with Elections Alberta and the Village of Warner as per the LAEA section 49.  The information collected and may only be used to verify the identification of an elector when compiling or revising the Permanent Electors Register.

More information to come.