New Brunswick · City of Moncton

How to run for Council in Moncton

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

Election day: Monday, May 11, 2026
Population (2021)
80,080
Council seats
10 seats
Term
4 years
Wards
4

Step 1

Are you eligible?

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

  • A Canadian citizen.
  • At least 18 years old.
  • A resident of Moncton, OR a non-resident owner or tenant of land in Moncton (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 Moncton 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
Councillor-at-Large24 yrsElected by the whole city
Councillor (Ward 1)24 yrsElected by Ward 1 voters only
Councillor (Ward 2)24 yrsElected by Ward 2 voters only
Councillor (Ward 3)24 yrsElected by Ward 3 voters only
Councillor (Ward 4)24 yrsElected by Ward 4 voters only

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 Moncton.
  • 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 Moncton — *not* City Hall. The provincial Chief Electoral Officer administers the vote. Confirm the local Returning Office address via the Elections NB schedule page.

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 Moncton

  • Vacant mayoralty. Arnold's mid-term Senate appointment means the 2026 mayoral race is fully open — no incumbent is on the ballot. Higher-than-usual candidate count reflects this.
  • Bilingual campaigning is the norm. Successful citywide candidates produce bilingual signs, brochures, and social media. Ward 4 (north end) skews francophone; Ward 2 (downtown / Riverview-adjacent) is the most anglophone.
  • Sign bylaw. Moncton By-law A-1207 governs election signage on public property; signs cannot go up earlier than the writ (March 11, 2026) and must be removed within 5 days after election day. Verify current text on moncton.ca before printing.
  • DEC ballot is separate. Voters in Anglophone East and Francophone Sud receive a distinct DEC ballot at the same polling station; this is a frequent source of confusion at the door.

Ballot

Other roles on the same ballot

Voters in Moncton also choose:

  • Mayor — At-large; head of council
  • Anglophone East DEC member — Same ballot, separate race
  • District scolaire francophone Sud DEC member — Same ballot, separate race

Sources

Official resources

Related guides

Also running in Moncton?

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