Prince Edward Island · City of Summerside

How to run for Council in Summerside

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

Election day: Monday, November 2, 2026
Population (2021)
16,001
Council seats
8 seats
Term
4 years
Wards
8

Step 1

Are you eligible?

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

  • A Canadian citizen.
  • At least 18 years old.
  • A resident of Summerside, OR a non-resident owner or tenant of land in Summerside (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 Summerside 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
Councillor84 yearsElected one per ward (Wards 1–8). Council appoints a Deputy Mayor from among councillors after each election.

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 Summerside.
  • 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

City Hall, 275 Fitzroy Street, Summerside, PE C1N 1H9 — by appointment with the City Clerk during the nomination period (October 7–16, 2026). The City Clerk acts as the Municipal Electoral Officer (MEO).

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 Summerside

  • Summerside owns and operates Summerside Electric, the city-owned utility — election issues frequently involve power-rate decisions and capital investments not seen in other PEI municipalities.
  • The mayor is elected at-large while councillors are elected by ward.
  • Summerside has its own municipal sign bylaw; election signs are restricted on city property and have a post-election removal deadline.
  • The 2022 mayoral race was contested (Kutcher defeated incumbent Basil Stewart).

Ballot

Other roles on the same ballot

Voters in Summerside also choose:

  • Mayor — Elected at-large.

Sources

Official resources

Related guides

Also running in Summerside?

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