Candidates for School Trustee
The following is a summary of information and considerations that all potential candidates for School Trustee should be aware of before seeking election.
Eligibility
Persons eligible to be a candidate for School Trustee must meet all of the following criteria:
- a Canadian citizen;
- 18 years old or older on election day, October 28, 2026;
- a resident in the school division since April 28, 2026; and
- not be disqualified by law.
Becoming a candidate for School Trustee now involves two important steps:
- Registration Process; and
- Nomination Process
Registration process
Candidates for School Trustee must register with the Senior Election Official before soliciting donations or incurring any campaign expenditures. Further details will be available prior to commencement of the campaign period.
Candidates must complete a registration form and all applicable consent forms. Candidates must submit these, in-person, to the Senior Election Official.
Resources:
Nomination process
Nomination papers
Candidates seeking election for School Trustee must submit nomination papers which provide evidence of support from eligible voters.
Nomination papers may be obtained in person from the City Clerk’s Department, Main Floor, Susan A. Thompson, 510 Main Street, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Nomination papers for the Office of School Trustee must have a minimum of 25 signatures of voters whose names appear on the voters list for the school division ward in which they are seeking election. Names will be subject to verification on the voters list and candidates should obtain extra names to ensure that the minimum number of voter signatures is met. The names of voters signing a candidates nomination paper will be verified when the candidate files their nomination paper.
Filing nomination papers
All nomination papers must be filed in-person with the Senior Election Official during the nomination period which begins on Wednesday, September 16, 2026 and ends at 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, September 22, 2026.
In person appointments are required and must be made in advance. Email elections@winnipeg.ca to book an appointment during the following hours:
- Wednesday, September 16 to Friday, September 18 – 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Saturday, September 19 – 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Sunday, September 20 – 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Monday, September 21 and Tuesday, September 22 – 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
All nomination papers will be available for public inspection. A list of nominated candidates will be available on this website.
The deadline to file nomination papers is 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, September 22, 2026.
Campaign Period
The campaign period is the time during which a registered candidate can, or any person acting on their behalf can, accept contributions or incur campaign expenses.
The campaign period commences upon registration and ends 90 days after election day. It is only during this period that candidates can solicit contributions and expend funds for the purposes of election. The campaign period for candidates for School Trustee begins Tuesday, June 30, 2026 and ends on Wednesday, March 31, 2027.
It is recommended that candidates read the following guides for detailed information:
- School Trustee Candidate’s Guide
- Manitoba School Boards Association - School Boards and Trusteeship in Manitoba (PDF, 1.6MB)