Nova Scotia · Municipality of Halifax Regional Municipality

How to run for Mayor in Halifax Regional Municipality

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

Election day: Saturday, October 21, 2028
Population (2021)
439,819
Head of council
1 Mayor
Term
4 years
Wards
16

Step 1

Are you eligible?

On the day you file your nomination paper for mayor in Halifax Regional Municipality, you must be:

  • A Canadian citizen.
  • At least 18 years old.
  • A resident of Halifax Regional Municipality, OR a non-resident owner or tenant of land in Halifax 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 mayor do?

The Mayor is the head of council in Halifax Regional Municipality — chairs council meetings, is the public face of the city, and votes alongside councillors on by-laws, the annual budget, and major staffing decisions.

N/A — HRM is its own one-tier regional municipality.

RoleSeatsTermNotes
Mayor14 yearsElected at-large; chairs council and votes as one of 17 members. No Ontario-style strong-mayor powers.
Deputy Mayor11 year (convention)Selected by council from among councillors. Stands in for the Mayor when absent or vacant.

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

Where to file

HRM Election Office, c/o Municipal Clerk, Duke Tower, 5251 Duke Street, 4th Floor, Halifax. Nomination filings are by appointment with the Returning Officer.

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 Halifax Regional Municipality

  • Voting method 2024: parallel internet/telephone (Simply Voting) + in-person paper ballots. 69% of votes were cast digitally (62% internet); the remaining 31% in-person at advance polls or on polling day.
  • Eight rookie councillors elected in 2024 — the highest number on record for HRM. Five incumbents did not re-offer; some others (Cathy Deagle Gammon, Becky Kent, Trish Purdy, Sam Austin, Tony Mancini, Kathryn Morse) won re-election.
  • Sign by-law: HRM's *Sign By-law S-800* sets size, placement, and removal rules for political signs. Removal required within 7 days of election day.
  • Boundary review: the UARB-mandated district boundary review occurs at least once every 8 years (next review window opens before the 2028 election).
  • CSAP overlap: CSAP trustees are elected on the same day in some HRM districts but with a separate ballot administered by CSAP, not HRM.

Ballot

Other roles on the same ballot

Voters in Halifax Regional Municipality also choose:

  • Councillor — One per district. Candidates must be ordinarily resident **in the district** they seek to represent (stricter than the MGA default for counties).
  • CSAP trustee — Conseil scolaire acadien provincial trustees in HRM districts that overlap CSAP areas (e.g. Districts 8, 11, 13). Filed separately with CSAP returning officer.

Sources

Official resources

Related guides

Also running in Halifax Regional Municipality?

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