Nova Scotia · Municipality of Municipality of the County of Kings

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

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

Election day: Saturday, October 21, 2028
Population (2021)
47,918
Council seats
9 seats
Term
4 years
Wards
9

Step 1

Are you eligible?

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

  • A Canadian citizen.
  • At least 18 years old.
  • A resident of Municipality of the County of Kings, OR a non-resident owner or tenant of land in Municipality of the County of Kings (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 Kings 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
Councillor94 yearsOne per district.

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 Kings.
  • 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 Kings, 87 Cornwallis Street, Kentville, NS B4N 2E5. Nominations filed in person with the Municipal Clerk during the posted window.

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 Kings

  • Mayor (not Warden): Kings County moved to a directly-elected Mayor model in 2016. Peter Muttart was first mayor (2016–2024); Dave Corkum elected 2024.
  • Geography: the municipality wraps around but does not include the Towns of Kentville, Wolfville, and Berwick — candidates and voters must check whether they fall inside the county or one of the three towns.
  • Voting method 2024: electronic (internet/telephone) and paper at advance polls.
  • Annapolis Valley: wine country, agricultural land, and the Acadia University area (Wolfville is a separate town).

Ballot

Other roles on the same ballot

Voters in Municipality of the County of Kings also choose:

  • Mayor — Elected at-large; Kings is an exception to the typical "Warden" model used by most NS county municipalities.
  • Deputy Mayor — Selected by council from among councillors.
  • CSAP trustee — French-language only.

Sources

Official resources

Related guides

Also running in Municipality of the County of Kings?

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