The time to file a nomination to fill the vacant County of Brant Ward 5 Council seat will officially close on Thursday, January 30, 2026 at 2 p.m.
The upcoming by-election, which will be held on Monday, March 16, 2026, will fill the seat left by former Councillor Christine Garneau after she resigned from her position on Monday, October 20, 2025.
In a post made to social media on October 17, Garneau explained that the resignation was due to an “irreconcilable conflict between my duty to the municipality and what was in the best interests of my business.”
As per the Municipal Elections Act, Council had 60 days to fill the seat after declaring it vacant on October 28, and later authorized the by-election on December 2.
A candidate information and nomination package has since been released online and provides details on eligibility requirements and the nomination process, and should be read thoroughly before proceeding to file a nomination.
Those who intend to register as a candidate must be 18-years of age, a resident of the County and a Canadian citizen, and will have to complete a selection of forms and get endorsed by 25 people as part of the nomination process.
Nomination forms may be filed in person by appointment with the Clerk from Mondays to Fridays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., however on nomination day itself (January 30), forms may only be filed between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.
It should be noted that campaign contributions/expenses cannot commence before nomination papers are filed.
As of Tuesday, January 13, only two candidates have filed nominations so far; Ella Haley (who ran for the Ward 5 seat in 2022) and Joanne Dorr.
Once the nomination period closes on January 30, eligible candidates will be certified and campaigning will officially begin.
As far as election day, voting will be conducted exclusively online, however, an in-person polling option will be available for those who need it.
The County of Brant website states that “voters who attend in person will cast their ballot using electronic devices (online voting), with staff on site to provide assistance as needed.”
The successful candidate will be sworn into office on Tuesday March 24, 2026, at the regular Council meeting. The tenure of the position is limited to the remainder of the 2022-2026 term of Council. The last meeting of the current Council is scheduled for Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
