How to run for Mayor in Stratford

On the day you file your nomination paper for mayor in Stratford, you must be:

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

The Mayor is the head of council in Stratford — 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 — PEI has no county or upper-tier councils. The *Charlottetown Area Municipalities Act* governs some shared planning topics with Charlottetown and Cornwall.

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 Stratford.
• Government-issued photo ID showing your name and qualifying address.
• Filing fee: None at the provincial level. Charlottetown sets its own deposit by bylaw.

• Stratford is the fastest-growing PEI municipality (suburban bedroom community across the Hillsborough River from Charlottetown). Capital-region planning and transit issues are recurring election topics.
• Two-councillor-per-ward layout is unusual on PEI; most towns elect councillors at-large.
• Town has a sign bylaw with an election-sign removal deadline; check with the Town Office.

Voters in Stratford also choose:

• Councillor — Two per ward, three wards. Council appoints a Deputy Mayor from among councillors after each election.

• Stratford elections page
• Current Mayor and Council
• Prince Edward Island 2026Candidates' Guide
• Municipal Government Act

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

• How to run for Council in Stratford
• Browse every Canadian municipality