New Brunswick · Municipality of Caraquet

How to run for Council in Caraquet

A plain-English guide to the 2026 cycle — eligibility, deadlines, paperwork, and key local contacts for councillor candidates in Caraquet, New Brunswick.

Election day: Monday, May 11, 2026
Population (2021)
8,125
Council seats
6 seats
Term
4 years
Wards
Multiple

Step 1

Are you eligible?

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

  • A Canadian citizen.
  • At least 18 years old.
  • A resident of Caraquet, OR a non-resident owner or tenant of land in Caraquet (or the spouse of one).
  • Not legally disqualified from running.
Common disqualifications include sitting judges, sitting MPs / Senators / MPPs (must resign before filing), municipal employees (must take an unpaid leave or resign), and people serving a sentence in a penal institution.

Step 2

What does the councillor do?

Councillors in Caraquet 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.

RoleSeatsTermNotes
Conseiller (by ward)64 yrsWard residency required

Step 3

The nomination process

Filing happens at Elections New Brunswick, 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.
  • 10 nominators from eligible electors of Caraquet.
  • Government-issued photo ID showing your name and qualifying address.
  • Filing fee: None — the deposit was eliminated in 2004.

Where to file

Elections NB Municipal Returning Office for Caraquet (operating in French).

Step 4

Key dates — 2026 cycle

DateEvent
Apr 10, 5:00 p.m.Nomination period closes (last day to file)
May 11, 2026Election day
May 31, 2026New term of council begins

Step 5

Campaign finance

New Brunswick has no campaign-finance regulation at the local level — no contribution caps, no spending limits, no financial-statement requirement.

Local

Specific to Caraquet

  • Campaigning in French. Anglophone candidates are extraordinarily rare; bilingualism is presumed but French is the actual working language.
  • Cultural / festival economy. The Festival acadien (August), Théâtre populaire d'Acadie, and the Acadian Cultural Centre define both the local economy and political agenda.
  • Fishing economy. Lobster, snow crab, and herring define livelihoods; quota and harbour-infrastructure issues are perennial.
  • Provincial profile. The current provincial Tourism, Heritage & Culture Minister is from Caraquet; the riding has high provincial-cabinet visibility.

Ballot

Other roles on the same ballot

Voters in Caraquet also choose:

  • Mayor (Maire) — At-large
  • District scolaire francophone Nord-Est DEC member — Same ballot

Sources

Official resources

Related guides

Also running in Caraquet?

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

This page is a plain-English summary, not legal advice. Always confirm details with Elections New Brunswick and the most recent provincial candidate guide before filing. Last reviewed 2026-05-01.

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