How to run for Council in Belfast

On the day you file your nomination paper for councillor in Belfast, you must be:

• A Canadian citizen.
• At least 18 years old.
• A resident of Belfast, OR a non-resident owner or tenant of land in Belfast (or the spouse of one).
• Not legally disqualified from running.

Councillors in Belfast vote on by-laws, the annual budget, and local services like parks, transit, and zoning. They are the most direct point of contact between residents and city hall.

Filing happens at the municipal CAO / Returning Officer, in person during regular office hours and on nomination day until 2:00 PM. You'll need to bring:

• Nomination paper, signed in the presence of the clerk or a commissioner of oaths.
• 5 nominators (some bylaws raise to 10) from eligible electors of Belfast.
• Government-issued photo ID showing your name and qualifying address.
• Filing fee: None at the provincial level. Charlottetown sets its own deposit by bylaw.

• Belfast covers more land area than any other PEI municipality — geographically large, with several small communities (Eldon, Belfast, Garfield, Pinette, Wood Islands, etc.). Door-to-door campaigning is logistically intensive; candidates rely on community-hall meet-and-greets.
• Council meeting minutes are well-archived on the municipality website for prospective candidates to study issues.

Voters in Belfast also choose:

• Mayor — At-large.

• Prince Edward Island 2026Candidates' Guide
• Municipal Government Act

Considering a different office? We have plain-English guides for every position on the Belfast ballot:

• How to run for Mayor in Belfast
• Browse every Canadian municipality