Nova Scotia · Municipality of West Hants Regional Municipality

How to run for Council in West Hants Regional Municipality

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

Election day: Saturday, October 21, 2028
Population (2021)
19,509
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 West Hants Regional Municipality, you must be:

  • A Canadian citizen.
  • At least 18 years old.
  • A resident of West Hants Regional Municipality, OR a non-resident owner or tenant of land in West Hants Regional Municipality (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 West Hants Regional Municipality 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.

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 West Hants Regional Municipality.
  • Government-issued photo ID showing your name and qualifying address.
  • Filing fee: $200 (refundable on financial disclosure).

Where to file

West Hants Regional Municipality, 76 Morison Drive, Windsor, NS B0N 2T0. Nominations filed in person with the Municipal Clerk during the posted nomination 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 West Hants Regional Municipality

  • 2020 amalgamation: WHRM is one of the newest NS municipalities, formed by merging the Town of Windsor with the Municipality of the District of West Hants on April 1, 2020. Both founding bodies dissolved.
  • Voting method 2024: electronic plus paper at advance polls.
  • District residency: as a regional municipality, WHRM may by by-law require district-residency for council candidates; check the latest district by-law before filing.
  • Lake Pisiquid controversy: WHRM was at the centre of the Windsor Causeway / Lake Pisiquid environmental and First Nations rights issue (2021–2024); a major political topic in the 2024 election.

Ballot

Other roles on the same ballot

Voters in West Hants Regional Municipality also choose:

  • Mayor — Elected at-large across WHRM.
  • Deputy Mayor — Selected by council from among councillors.
  • CSAP trustee — French-language only.

Sources

Official resources

Related guides

Also running in West Hants Regional Municipality?

Considering a different office? We have plain-English guides for every position on the West Hants Regional Municipality 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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