Prince Edward Island · City of Summerside

How to run for Mayor in Summerside

A plain-English guide to the 2026 cycle — eligibility, deadlines, paperwork, and key local contacts for mayor candidates in Summerside, Prince Edward Island.

Election day: Monday, November 2, 2026
Population (2021)
16,001
Head of council
1 Mayor
Term
4 years
Wards
8

Step 1

Are you eligible?

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

  • A Canadian citizen.
  • At least 18 years old.
  • A resident of Summerside, OR a non-resident owner or tenant of land in Summerside (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 Summerside — 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.

RoleSeatsTermNotes
Mayor14 yearsElected at-large.

Step 3

The nomination process

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

Where to file

City Hall, 275 Fitzroy Street, Summerside, PE C1N 1H9 — by appointment with the City Clerk during the nomination period (October 7–16, 2026). The City Clerk acts as the Municipal Electoral Officer (MEO).

Step 4

Key dates — 2026 cycle

DateEvent
November 2, 2026Election day
November 22, 2026New term of council begins

Step 5

Campaign finance

PEI has no province-wide campaign-finance regulation. Charlottetown has a $1,575 contribution cap; most other municipalities have none.

Local

Specific to Summerside

  • Summerside owns and operates Summerside Electric, the city-owned utility — election issues frequently involve power-rate decisions and capital investments not seen in other PEI municipalities.
  • The mayor is elected at-large while councillors are elected by ward.
  • Summerside has its own municipal sign bylaw; election signs are restricted on city property and have a post-election removal deadline.
  • The 2022 mayoral race was contested (Kutcher defeated incumbent Basil Stewart).

Ballot

Other roles on the same ballot

Voters in Summerside also choose:

  • Councillor — Elected one per ward (Wards 1–8). Council appoints a Deputy Mayor from among councillors after each election.

Sources

Official resources

Related guides

Also running in Summerside?

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

This page is a plain-English summary, not legal advice. Always confirm details with the municipal CAO / Returning Officer and the most recent provincial candidate guide before filing. Last reviewed 2026-05-01.

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