Hinton will hold a municipal by-election on August 27 to fill two empty seats on town council, following the death of one councillor and the resignation of another.
The town needs to replace Bill McDonald and Dewly Nelson, whose seats became vacant earlier this year. McDonald died in April after a year-long battle with cancer at age 60. Nelson resigned effective June 25 because he is moving to Cochrane.
Mayor Brian LaBerge said Nelson and his family had become an important part of the community. “I was saddened by the news that Dewly and his family had decided to make a move to Cochrane,” LaBerge said in a statement on the town website. “Not only was Dewly a real asset to Council, but he and his family had become an important part of the community.”
Both departing councillors were elected in the October 2025 municipal election. Nelson had previously served on council from 2017 to 2021. McDonald was a first-time councillor who owned a local shop called Lekkerwear and was known as a community organizer and coach.
Anyone interested in running can pick up nomination papers at the Government Centre at 131 Civic Centre Road. Candidates need signatures from at least five eligible voters in Hinton. The deadline to submit completed forms is noon on July 30. The official list of candidates will be announced after noon on July 31.
Advance voting is set for August 22. More information is available on the town’s by-election page. The two new councillors will be elected at large, meaning they represent all residents.
