Newfoundland and Labrador · City of St. John's

How to run for Council in St. John's

A plain-English guide to the 2029 cycle — eligibility, deadlines, paperwork, and key local contacts for councillor candidates in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Election day: Tuesday, September 25, 2029
Population (2021)
110,525
Council seats
9 seats
Term
4 years
Wards
5

Step 1

Are you eligible?

On the day you file your nomination paper for councillor in St. John's, you must be:

  • A Canadian citizen.
  • At least 18 years old.
  • A resident of St. John's, OR a non-resident owner or tenant of land in St. John's (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 St. John's 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
Ward Councillor54 yrsOne per ward (Wards 1–5). Must be resident in the ward at close of nominations.
At-Large Councillor44 yrsVoters pick up to 4 from a city-wide field.

Step 3

The nomination process

Filing happens at the town 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.
  • 2 nominators (a proposer and a seconder) from eligible electors of St. John's.
  • Government-issued photo ID showing your name and qualifying address.
  • Filing fee: $50 (cities) or $10 (towns).

Where to file

Access St. John's, City Hall, 10 New Gower Street. By appointment only — book through `[email protected]` or 709-576-3158.

Step 4

Key dates — 2029 cycle

DateEvent
September 25, 2029Election day
October 15, 2029New term of council begins

Step 5

Campaign finance

NL has minimal province-wide campaign-finance regulation: only contributions over $100 must be disclosed, and defeated candidates do not file. St. John’s has its own stricter Election Finance By-Law.

Local

Specific to St. John's

  • Sign by-law: Election signs may go up no sooner than the start of the nomination period (~28 days before the vote) and must be removed within 72 hours after polls close. No signs on city-owned property except at designated locations. No campaigning within 30 metres of a polling-station entrance.
  • Mail-in voting: Available by application to all eligible electors. Use of mail ballots was disrupted in 2025 by the national Canada Post strike — a primary cause of the city's one-week election postponement to October 8. Expect process changes for 2029.
  • Capital-city dynamics: Mayoral and at-large races routinely attract current/former MHAs and federal candidates. Media coverage is province-wide (CBC NL, NTV, VOCM, *The Telegram*).
  • Proxy voting: Not available. Voters must use a polling station or a mail-in ballot.
  • Online / telephone voting: Not authorized in NL.

Ballot

Other roles on the same ballot

Voters in St. John's also choose:

  • Mayor — At-large, directly elected.
  • Deputy Mayor — At-large, directly elected (separate ballot from Mayor). Unusual nationally — most cities appoint deputies from council.

Sources

Official resources

Related guides

Also running in St. John's?

Considering a different office? We have plain-English guides for every position on the St. John's ballot:

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

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