How to run for Council in Winnipeg

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

• A Canadian citizen.
• At least 18 years old.
• A resident of Winnipeg, OR a non-resident owner or tenant of land in Winnipeg (or the spouse of one).
• Not legally disqualified from running.

Councillors in Winnipeg 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.

Filing happens at the Senior Election Official (SEO), 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.
• 1% of eligible voters in the ward / municipality (max 25, min 2) from eligible electors of Winnipeg.In Winnipeg, mayoral candidates need 250 signatures (Winnipeg Charter override).
• Government-issued photo ID showing your name and qualifying address.
• Filing fee: None.

Missing the financial-statement deadline can trigger automatic disqualification from running in the next cycle and forfeiture of your filing fee.

Winnipeg runs under Manitoba's Municipal Councils and School Boards Elections Act. The headline numbers for the 2026 cycle:

• Executive Policy Committee (EPC): Cabinet-style body the mayor appoints from sitting councillors (currently 6 members including the mayor). EPC members chair the Standing Policy Committees (Community Services; Finance & Economic Development; Property & Development; Public Works; Water/Waste/Environment & Riverbank Management) and effectively gate most major reports before they reach full council. The mayor's appointment power over EPC is the institutional backbone of Winnipeg's "strong mayor by appointment" model.
• No Bill-3-style override. Unlike Ontario's 2022 strong-mayor regime, the Winnipeg mayor cannot unilaterally table the budget or override council with a one-third minority vote. Council still budgets and legislates collectively.
• Voting method: Paper ballot, optical-scan tabulators. Multiple advance voting days at the Clerk's office and rotating community locations. Sealed-envelope (mail-in) voting available. No internet voting — Manitoba does not permit it.
• Six school divisions on the Winnipeg ballot: Louis Riel, Pembina Trails, River East Transcona, St. James–Assiniboia, Seven Oaks, Winnipeg. Voters elect trustees from the division covering their address.
• Sign by-law: City of Winnipeg Sign By-law No. 1100/77 governs election sign placement (timing, public-property restrictions). Confirm current rules at the City's planning/permits page before deploying signs.
• Apartment/condo door-knocking: No municipal blanket access right; candidates rely on the *Residential Tenancies Act* (provincial) and on case-by-case permission for condo buildings.

Voters in Winnipeg also choose:

• Mayor — At-large. Chairs council and **Executive Policy Committee (EPC)**; appoints EPC members and Standing Policy Committee chairs.
• School Trustee — Elected on same ballot but separate races. Six divisions overlap Winnipeg: Louis Riel, Pembina Trails, River East Transcona, St. James–Assiniboia, Seven Oaks, Winnipeg School Division.

• Winnipeg elections page
• Manitoba 2026Candidates' Guide
• Municipal Councils and School Boards Elections Act

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

• How to run for Mayor in Winnipeg
• How to run for School Trustee in Winnipeg
• Browse every Canadian municipality