The deadline for candidate registration in the upcoming provincial election is approaching fast. Individuals interested in running for mayor, councillor, or school board trustee in the 2026 municipal election scheduled for October 26 have until 2 p.m. on August 21 to submit their nominations.
In Hamilton, it is likely that Ward 5 and more than half of the school board trustee positions will be uncontested if no additional candidates come forward within the next four days. Currently, Ward 5 stands out as the sole district with just one registered candidate, the incumbent councillor, Matt Francis, who assumed office in 2022.
Across the public and Catholic school boards, a significant number of seats have only one candidate registered. In the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB), wards 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 14, and 15 have sole candidates, with several of them being incumbent trustees. Similarly, within the Catholic board, five out of nine seats have only one candidate, including Wards 1, 2, and 15, where the current trustee was acclaimed in 2022. Other wards with single candidates include 3, 4, 5, 8, 14, 9, and 11.
For a detailed list of registered candidates in Hamilton, you can refer to CBC Hamilton’s compilation. August 21 also marks the deadline for candidates to withdraw their nominations. Notably, some candidates have already opted to withdraw, such as current Ward 10 councillor Jeff Beattie, who withdrew to contest for the Progressive Conservatives in the Hamilton East—Stoney Creek byelection scheduled for September 3.