Frequently Asked Questions
This section provides a brief overview of the requirements for running for office in the Town of Edson. Candidates are responsible for understanding all legislation concerning elections. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.
Note: Click on a heading to expand or collapse the accordion panels.
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.
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 Edson for the 6 consecutive months immediately before Nomination Day
- A resident of Edson 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.
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.
No, a deposit is not required when filing a Notice of Intent to Run.
Yes, The Town of Edson’s Elections Bylaw requires a candidate’s nomination papers to be accompanied with a Criminal Record and Vulnerable Sector Check. The Criminal Record Check and Vulnerable Sector Check must have been completed within the previous six months from the date that the candidate files their nomination papers. It must be completed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Criminal Record Checks and Vulnerable Sector Checks will not be accepted if they are conducted by a third-party provider.
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).
Every Candidate must complete and provide the following nomination papers to the Returning Officer by noon on September 22, 2025:
- Notice of Intent to Run
- Form 4 - Nomination Paper and Candidate’s Acceptance
- Form 5 - Candidate Financial Information
- Criminal Record Check and Vulnerable Sector Check
- Minimum of 5 signatures from eligible electors in the Town of Edson
Written Acceptance:
Form 4 contains a candidate’s written acceptance and must be commissioned by the Returning Officer or a Commissioner for Oaths. To complete the candidate acceptance, the candidate must be familiar with the following sections of the LAEA:
- Section 21 - Qualification of Candidates
- Section 22 – Ineligibility
- Section 23 & 23.1 – Disqualification of Candidate
- Section 27 – Form of Nomination
- Section 47 – Eligibility to Vote
- Section 68.1 – option for Official Agent
- Section 151 – Offence
- Part 5.1 - Election Finances and Contributions Disclosures
You must sign the nomination paper in the presence of a Commissioner for Oaths or the Returning Officer.
You can make an appointment with the Returning Officer or Commissioner for Oaths to have your signature witnessed by emailing elections@edson.ca.
Commissioner for Oaths services are also available through any law office.
A person nominated as a candidate may withdraw as a candidate at any time during the nomination period and up to 24 hours after the close of the nomination period. However, as per LAEA Section 32(3) the returning officer shall refuse to accept further withdrawals if, after one or more candidates have withdrawn, the number of remaining candidates does not exceed the number of vacancies to be filled.
At a basic level, a “campaign expense” is an expense a candidate makes during the course of a campaign to help get elected. Technically, this includes any expense incurred, or nonmonetary contribution received, by a candidate to the extent that it is used to directly promote or oppose a candidate during a campaign period. Campaign expenses include:
- Advertising or promotional material;
- The distribution, broadcast or publication of advertising or promotional material in any media or by any other means during a campaign period, including by the use of a capital asset;
- The payment of remuneration and expenses to or on behalf of a person for the person’s services on the campaign;
- Securing a meeting place; or
- The conduct of opinion polls, surveys or research during a campaign period.
Newly elected Town Councillors are mandated to attend orientation sessions to prepare for their term of office on Council. Attendance at the orientation sessions is required by the MGA and the Town of Edson Council Code of Conduct Bylaw, as amended.
The following are some of the topics that are required to be covered in the orientation sessions, which will be held after the 2025 municipal election:
- The role of municipalities in Alberta
- The organization and function of municipalities
- Budgeting and financial administration
- The roles and responsibilities of Councillors
- The roles and responsibilities of the CAO and Town of Edson employees