The Town of Hanover is encouraging residents interested in running for local office or participating as third-party advertisers to attend a regional information session ahead of the 2026 municipal and school board elections. The free event will take place on April 22, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Grey County Council Chambers, located at 595 9th Avenue East in Owen Sound.
The session is open to all residents of Grey County and offers both in-person and virtual attendance options. Attendees will receive guidance from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, alongside presentations from Clerks on Call, a group of election and legislative procedure experts. The session aims to help potential candidates and third-party advertisers understand campaign finance regulations, nomination rules, and new requirements for handling the voters’ list, such as mandatory written acknowledgements and strict rules on destroying copies after a campaign ends.
The upcoming municipal election is set for October 26, 2026. For those planning to run, the nomination period opens May 1, 2026, and closes August 21, 2026. Individuals or groups planning to spend money to promote or oppose a candidate as third-party advertisers must register with their municipal clerk between May 1, 2026, and October 23, 2026. Regulations also limit contributions to these advertisers to a maximum of $5,000 per contributor within a municipality.
The current Hanover Town Council, which includes Mayor Sue Paterson, Deputy Mayor Warren Dickert, and Councillors Harold Fleet, Carol Hudson, Brandon Koebel, Susan Sakal, and Dave Hocking, is serving a term that concludes November 14, 2026. Both the Mayor and Deputy Mayor also represent Hanover on the Grey County Council. Registration for the information session is required and can be completed online at grey.ca/election-info-session.
