Nova Scotia · Municipality of Municipality of the County of Annapolis

How to run for Council in Municipality of the County of Annapolis

A plain-English guide to the 2028 cycle — eligibility, deadlines, paperwork, and key local contacts for councillor candidates in Municipality of the County of Annapolis, Nova Scotia.

Election day: Saturday, October 21, 2028
Population (2021)
18,834
Council seats
11 seats
Term
4 years
Wards
11

Step 1

Are you eligible?

On the day you file your nomination paper for councillor in Municipality of the County of Annapolis, you must be:

  • A Canadian citizen.
  • At least 18 years old.
  • A resident of Municipality of the County of Annapolis, OR a non-resident owner or tenant of land in Municipality of the County of Annapolis (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 Municipality of the County of Annapolis 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
Councillor114 yearsOne per district. The previous Warden and Deputy Warden both lost their seats in the 2024 election; council selected new ones.

Step 3

The nomination process

Filing happens at the municipal 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 from eligible electors of Municipality of the County of Annapolis.
  • Government-issued photo ID showing your name and qualifying address.
  • Filing fee: $200 (refundable on financial disclosure).

Where to file

Municipality of the County of Annapolis, 752 St. George Street, Annapolis Royal, NS B0S 1A0 (administrative office in Lawrencetown / 396 Main Street, Lawrencetown). Nominations filed in person with the Municipal Clerk.

Step 4

Key dates — 2028 cycle

DateEvent
Aug 29Nomination period opens
Sep 12Nomination period closes (last day to file)
October 21, 2028Election day
November 10, 2028New term of council begins

Step 5

Campaign finance

Outside of Halifax Regional Municipality (which has By-law C-1100), Nova Scotia has no campaign-finance caps. Only contributions over $50 must be disclosed via Form 41.

Local

Specific to Municipality of the County of Annapolis

  • Significant turnover 2024: seven new councillors and a new Warden; the previous Warden and Deputy Warden both lost their seats — one of the largest councils-wide turnovers in NS in 2024.
  • Two-town donut: the County wraps around the Towns of Annapolis Royal (oldest European-settled town in Canada north of Florida) and Middleton.
  • Voting method 2024: electronic plus paper at advance polls.
  • 2017 dissolution debate: Annapolis County had publicly debated dissolution / amalgamation in 2017–2019; remained intact.

Ballot

Other roles on the same ballot

Voters in Municipality of the County of Annapolis also choose:

  • Warden — **Not directly elected** — chosen by councillors.
  • Deputy Warden — Chosen by councillors.
  • CSAP trustee — French-language only.

Sources

Official resources

Related guides

Also running in Municipality of the County of Annapolis?

Considering a different office? We have plain-English guides for every position on the Municipality of the County of Annapolis ballot:

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

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