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• 2022 Voters’ Guide - Ontario municipal council and school board elections
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• Ontario School Board Elections Website
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• VoterLookup.ca
  Determine if you are on the voter's list for the upcoming Municipal election.

Election Signs - General Requirements

• Signs must meet the requirements of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, as amended.
• Sign permits are not required.
• Signs must not be visible from any voting place.
• Signs must not be illuminated, animated, rotating, flashing or have moving lights or other electrical features.
• Signs must meet the requirements of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, as amended.
• Election signs for provincial or federal elections or by-elections are permitted only within the respective election period.
• Signs must be removed with five (5) days after the election period closes. 

Village of Merrickville-Wolford By-law 24-2010 reads:

S. 2.13 – 'Election Sign' means any sign advertising or promoting the election of candidates and does include a portable sign.

S. 2.37 – 'Sight Triangle' means an area free of buildings or structures, which area is to be determined by measuring, from the point of intersection of street lines on a corner lot, a distance of 5 metres (16 feet) along each such street line and joining such points with a straight line. The triangular shaped land, between the intersecting street line and the straight line joining the points the required distance along the street lines, is the ' Sight Triangle'.

S. 4.1 – Regarding Permit Exemptions – “No permit under this By-Law shall be required for the following however all other regulations of the By-Law shall be adhered to: a) any poster, banner, or sign of a candidate in a Municipal, Provincial or Federal election.”

Please note also that:

• Signs must meet the requirements of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, as amended.
• Sign permits are not required.
• Signs must not be visible from any voting place.
• Signs must not be illuminated, animated, rotating, flashing or have moving lights or other electrical features.
• Signs must meet the requirements of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, as amended.
• Election signs for provincial or federal elections or by-elections are permitted only within the respective election period.
• Signs must be removed with five (5) days after the election period closes. 

Elections signs are prohibited on:

• Any municipally-owned property including, but not limited to:
  • The Village Municipal Office and Fire Hall;
  • Merrickville Community Centre;
  • Merrickville Fairgrounds;
  • Merrickville Outdoor Ice Rink;
  • Merrickville Public Library;
  • Merrickville Toboggan Hill;
  • Centennial Hall and the adjacent outdoor sports facilities;
  • Wolford Municipal Garage;
  • Village Waste Disposal Site;
  • Village water and wastewater facilities; and,
  • Merrickville Cenotaph.
• Any public or private property that:
  • Are within one (1) metre of a fire hydrant;
  • Obstruct or detract from any traffic control device or signage;
  • Obstruct the line of vision at an intersection; or
  • Are placed in a manner that may constitute a hazard to pedestrians, cyclists or vehicles.

Village of Merrickville-Wolford By-law 24-2010 reads:

S. 5.3 – General Regulations – Persons may, with the written permission of the Corporation attach any sign, poster, hand bill, notice or advertisement to any pole, subject to obtaining the written consent of the utility company or any others owning such pole on any highway.

S. 5.5 – General Regulations – No person shall attach any sign, poster, notice or advertisement to any tree in the Municipality located on municipal property.

S. 5.8 – General Regulations – No person shall erect or maintain any sign within the area of a comer lot defined as the Site Triangle which would obscure vision.

Please note also that signs are prohibited on:

• Any municipally-owned property including, but not limited to:
  • The Village Municipal Office and Fire Hall;
  • Merrickville Community Centre;
  • Merrickville Fairgrounds;
  • Merrickville Outdoor Ice Rink;
  • Merrickville Public Library;
  • Merrickville Toboggan Hill;
  • Centennial Hall and the adjacent outdoor sports facilities;
  • Wolford Municipal Garage;
  • Village Waste Disposal Site;
  • Village water and wastewater facilities; and,
  • Merrickville Cenotaph.
• Any public or private property that:
  • Are within one (1) metre of a fire hydrant;
  • Obstruct or detract from any traffic control device or signage;
  • Obstruct the line of vision at an intersection; or
  • Are placed in a manner that may constitute a hazard to pedestrians, cyclists or vehicles.

Election Signs - General Enforcement

• Election signs shall not be installed until after 4:00pm on Monday August 22, 2022 which is the deadline for certification of nominations by the Clerk.
• Signs installed in prohibited areas will be removed by Village of Merrickville- Wolford staff.
• Where there are immediate safety concerns or damage to municipal property, Village of Merrickville-Wolford staff will immediately remove the signs.
• The Village of Merrickville-Wolford will assume no responsibility for any damage to election signs where they are removed by Village of Merrickville- Wolford staff in prohibited locations.

Village of Merrickville-Wolford By-law 24-2010 reads:

S. 12.1 – Administration – This By-Law shall be administered by the Chief Building Official or as assigned by the Chief Administrative Officer.

S. 12.4 – Administration – Any sign in contravention of this By-Law may for the first offence be picked up and brought to the Municipal offices. The owner shall be notified that they may claim and pick up the sign at the Municipal office. The owner shall be given a written caution/notice that a first offence has been committed and if any further offences against the Sign By-Law are committed the sign shaJI only be returned upon payment of an administrative fee.

S. 12.5 – Administration – Any sign in contravention of this By-Law shall for the second offence shall be picked up and brought to the Municipal office. The owner shall be notified that they may claim and pick up the sign at the Municipal office upon the payment of an administrative fee of twenty ($20.00) dollars.

S. 12.6 – Administration – Any sign in contravention of this By-Law shall for the third offence be picked up and brought to the Municipal office. The owner shall be notified that they may claim and pick up the sign at the Muni cipal office upon the payment of an administrative fee of fifty ($50.00) dollars.

S. 12.7 – Administration – Any sign in contravention of this By-Law shall for the fourth offence be picked up and brought to the Municipal office. The owner shall be notified that they may claim and pick up the sign at the Municipal office upon the payment of an administrative fee of two hundred ($200.00) dollars. Any further offences against the Sign By-Law the sign shall be returned only upon payment of an administrative fee of the same amount ($200) for each repeat offence.

S. 12.8 – Administration – Every person who contravenes any of the provisions of this By-Law is guilty of an offence and upon conviction is liable to a court fine not less than $100.00 and not more than $2,000.00 exclusive of costs.

Please note also that:

• Election signs shall not be installed until after 4:00pm on Monday August 22, 2022 which is the deadline for certification of nominations by the Clerk.
• Signs installed in prohibited areas will be removed by Village of Merrickville- Wolford staff.
• Where there are immediate safety concerns or damage to municipal property, Village of Merrickville-Wolford staff will immediately remove the signs.
• The Village of Merrickville-Wolford will assume no responsibility for any damage to election signs where they are removed by Village of Merrickville- Wolford staff in prohibited locations.

• is a Canadian citizen; is at least 18 years old;
• is a resident of board's area of jurisdiction;
• is a supporter of that school board; and
• is not prohitibed from voting.

Despite the above, the following people are disqualified from being elected as a school board trusteel or from holding office on any school board:

• an employee of the school board unless he or she takes an unpaid leave of absence beginning the day they are nominated and resigns if elected to the office;
• a clerk, treasurer, deputy-clerk or deputy-treasurer of any municipality within the area of jurisdiction of the school board except those on an unpaid leave of absence;
• a member of the Provincial Legislature, the Federal House of Commons or Senate who has not resigned from their office by the close of nominations. Proof of resignation must be provided by the close of nominations or the Clerk will not certify the nomination; and
• a candidate who failed to file the necessary financial statement(s) in the last Municipal election or by-election.

Eligible electors who are not on the official Elector List will have to go to a location designated by the Election Official and complete the required form to have their name added to the Elector List. Once this is completed you will be given a VIL by the Election Official.

All qualified electors on the official Municipal Elector's List provided by the municipality.

All campaign financial statements are due no later than 2 PM on Friday, March 31, 2023.

Candidates who filed a Notice of Extension of Campaign Period (Form 6) are required to submit a supplementary financial statement reflecting their total campaign no later than 2 PM on Friday, September 29, 2023.

Grace Period

Candidates who have not filed their financial statements by the applicable deadline may file their statement within 30 days of this date if they pay the Village a $500 late filing fee by 2 PM on Monday, April 24, 2023 (initial statement) or Monday, October 30, 2023 (supplementary statement).  Candidates who fail to file a statement by the end of the applicable 30-day grace period and who have not applied to the Superior Court of Justice for an extension prior to the deadline are subject to the penalties outlined in the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, as amended.

A third party advertisement is an advertisement in any broadcast, print, electronic or other medium that has the purpose of promoting, supporting or opposing a candidate in the election, or a “yes” or “no” answer to a question on the ballot.