Prince Edward Island · Municipality of Malpeque Bay

How to run for Council in Malpeque Bay

A plain-English guide to the 2026 cycle — eligibility, deadlines, paperwork, and key local contacts for councillor candidates in Malpeque Bay, Prince Edward Island.

Election day: Monday, November 2, 2026
Population (2021)
1,191
Council seats
6 seats
Term
4 years
Wards
None

Step 1

Are you eligible?

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

  • A Canadian citizen.
  • At least 18 years old.
  • A resident of Malpeque Bay, OR a non-resident owner or tenant of land in Malpeque Bay (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 Malpeque Bay 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
Councillor64 yearsAt-large. Council appoints Deputy Mayor from among councillors.

Step 3

The nomination process

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 Malpeque Bay.
  • Government-issued photo ID showing your name and qualifying address.
  • Filing fee: None at the provincial level. Charlottetown sets its own deposit by bylaw.

Where to file

Rural Municipality of Malpeque Bay — the office is administered from the CAO's home; nomination filings handled by appointment with CAO Joanne McCarvill. See malpequebay.ca for contact details.

Step 4

Key dates — 2026 cycle

DateEvent
November 2, 2026Election day
November 22, 2026New term of council begins

Step 5

Campaign finance

PEI has no province-wide campaign-finance regulation. Charlottetown has a $1,575 contribution cap; most other municipalities have none.

Local

Specific to Malpeque Bay

  • Office runs out of the CAO's home — typical for small PEI rural munis. Schedule nomination filings well in advance of the October 7–16 window.
  • Summer/fall meetings rotate between community halls; winter meetings are held in Kensington Town Council Chambers.
  • All councillors are volunteers (unpaid).

Ballot

Other roles on the same ballot

Voters in Malpeque Bay also choose:

  • Mayor — At-large.

Sources

Official resources

Related guides

Also running in Malpeque Bay?

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

This page is a plain-English summary, not legal advice. Always confirm details with the municipal CAO / Returning Officer and the most recent provincial candidate guide before filing. Last reviewed 2026-05-01.

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