Nova Scotia · Municipality of Municipality of the District of Chester

How to run for Warden in Municipality of the District of Chester

A plain-English guide to the 2028 cycle — eligibility, deadlines, paperwork, and key local contacts for warden candidates in Municipality of the District of Chester, Nova Scotia.

Election day: Saturday, October 21, 2028
Population (2021)
10,693
Head of council
1 Warden
Term
4 years
Wards
7

Step 1

Are you eligible?

On the day you file your nomination paper for warden in Municipality of the District of Chester, you must be:

  • A Canadian citizen.
  • At least 18 years old.
  • A resident of Municipality of the District of Chester, OR a non-resident owner or tenant of land in Municipality of the District of Chester (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 warden do?

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

RoleSeatsTermNotes
Warden(from council)4 years**Not directly elected.**
Deputy Warden(from council)variesChosen by council.

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

Where to file

Municipality of the District of Chester, 151 King Street, Chester, NS B0J 1J0. Nominations filed in person with the Municipal Clerk.

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 Municipality of the District of Chester

  • Village of Chester: the Village of Chester (the picturesque seaside hamlet) is a separate Village Commission within the Municipality, with its own elected commissioners on a different cycle.
  • Tourism / cottage country: seasonal residents create elector-list complexity ("ordinary residence" rules apply — see _common/NS.md).
  • Voting method 2024: electronic plus paper at advance polls.

Ballot

Other roles on the same ballot

Voters in Municipality of the District of Chester also choose:

  • CouncillorOne per district. Warden and Deputy Warden chosen at the first council meeting.
  • CSAP trusteeFrench-language only.

Sources

Official resources

Related guides

Also running in Municipality of the District of Chester?

Considering a different office? We have plain-English guides for every position on the Municipality of the District of Chester 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.

How RidingDesk helps

Running for Mayor in Municipality of the District of Chester? We built the platform for you.

RidingDesk is a Canadian-built campaign platform for municipal, provincial, and federal candidates. Hosted in Canada, MEA-compliant out of the box, and shaped by the way local campaigns actually run.

Collect your nominators online

Stand up a public nomination page in minutes. Supporters fill in their info from their phone — you witness their physical signature later when you bring the paperwork in.

Recruit and manage volunteers

Sign-up forms, shift scheduling, and a single place where the whole team knows what's next.

Canvass smarter

Door-knocking with turf cutting, pinned maps, and walk lists generated from the Municipality of the District of Chester voters list.

Fundraise inside the rules

Stripe-powered donation pages with built-in MEA contribution-limit and tax-receipt logic. Receipts signed by your registered Official Agent.

Free until October 26, 2026 — no credit card required.