Results from the 2018 municipal elections for each of the 3 townships surrounding Big Rideau Lake are posted below.
Elections for municipal government in Ontario are held every four years on the fourth Monday of October. The next municipal election will be held Monday, October 22, 2018. Voters in the province of Ontario will elect mayors, councillors, school board trustees and all other elected officials in all of the province's municipalities.
If you are a resident, owner or tenant of property in Ontario, a Canadian citizen and 18 years of age you are eligible to vote in Ontario’s municipal and school board elections. This includes cottagers who do not live full-time at their lake properties.
The area surrounding Big Rideau Lake crosses the boundaries of three different townships: Rideau Lakes, Tay Valley and Drummond North Elmsley. Both Rideau Lakes and Tay Valley are using an electronic system for this year’s election; Drummond North Elmsley is using the traditional paper form of ballot.
We hope you’ll find the following resources helpful in deciphering the election process and becoming informed about the candidates running for election in your area. We will continue to update this page throughout the upcoming weeks to check back again if the information you’re looking for isn’t yet posted.
Which township is your cottage located in?
Click the relevant link below, for information about how the process works and the candidates for election in your area.
Rideau Lakes
Internet and telephone voting will be available throughout the voting period of Monday, October 15th at 10:00 through to Monday, October 22nd at 8:00 p.m.
A Voter Information Letter was mailed to eligible electors in late September, which gave details on options for voting and locations of Voter Help Centres. It also contained a Personal Identification Number, or PIN, to allow access to the electronic voting system.
Tay Valley
Electors in Tay Valley Township will be voting electronically in the 2018 Municipal Election, by internet or telephone. There will be no paper ballot.
A Voter Information Letter was mailed directly to electors at the end of September/early October, providing a voter with a PIN which will allow individuals to vote 24 hours a day for 8 days (October 15 - 22), from any telephone or any device connected to the internet.
Drummond North Elmsley
The municipal/school board trustee election is Monday, October 22, 2018. The 2018 Election will be traditional paper ballot voting only.
The office of Reeve as well as several of the trustee positions have been acclaimed; still up for election are 4 councillors and 1 French Catholic school trustee.
Do you have questions for the candidates?
A number of organizations, news outlets and neighbouring lake associations have presented lists of questions to local candidates about a variety of issues. We have provided links below to the results of some of those efforts.
BRLA Questions & Responses - Mayoralty Candidates (added Oct 16)
URLA Questions & Responses - Mayoralty Candidates
Candidate Profiles - Ward 1 (updated Oct 17 to include 4 candidates: Carolyn Bresee, Kimberly Dawn Brown, Marcia Cannon, Cathy Livingston)
Otter Lake Landowner’s Association Election Newsletter (Q&A candidates for Wards 1 & 2 and Mayor - added Oct 18)
Township of Drummond North Elmsley
Putting a Face to the Name
The Hometown News for Lanark Leeds and North Grenville has published a central source for details on who’s running in the municipal elections, and what they wish to accomplish on behalf of their ratepayers, and includes photos of many of the candidates. Most of the candidates in the areas served by the Big Rideau Lake Association are included in this survey; click the link for the Hometown News website.
Not sure if you’re on the Voters’ List?
Log into voterlookup.ca to confirm you’re on the voter’s list. If you’re uncertain or having trouble with the voting process, contact your local township (information on the Township page above).
