Get Involved! Guelph

Municipal election

Election resources

Election events, explainers on what council and the mayor actually do, and tools for getting out the vote in Guelph's 2026 municipal election.

On this page

Upcoming election events

September 24
Event: Guelph Mayoral Candidate Town Hall
Hosted by: Guelph Wellington Coalition for Social Justice

This event has already taken place, but you can listen to the 2-hour audio recording of the 2026 Guelph Mayoral Candidate Town Hall, hosted on the CFRU 93.3fm website.

Monday, September 28
Event: Hungry for Answers: Food Security & Affordable Housing
Hosted by: Justice and Outreach, Dublin Street Church and KAIROS Guelph
When: Monday, September 28, 2026 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Where: Dublin Street United Church, 68 Suffolk Street

Thursday, October 1
Event: Old University Neighbourhood Mayoral Debate
When: Thursday, October 1 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Where: Harcourt Memorial United Church, 87 Dean Avenue

Friday, October 2
Event: Realtors Association Mayoral Debate
When: Friday, October 2 at 8:30 a.m.
Where: Italian Canadian Club, 135 Ferguson Street, Guelph

October 7
Event: Mayoral Candidates Debate
Hosted by: Guelph Chamber of Commerce
When: Wednesday, October 7, 2026 at 6:00 p.m.
Where: 340 Woodlawn Road West, Unit 26, Guelph

October 8
Event: Ward 2 Candidates’ Debate
Hosted by: Community-led voter information for Ward 2, Pastor and executive director of Royal City Mission, Kevin Coghill, moderating
When: Thursday, October 8 at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Royal City Mission, 50 Quebec Street, Guelph

October 8
Event: Ward 5 Councillor Debate
When: Thursday, October 8 at 7 p.m.
Where: Harcourt Memorial United Church, 87 Dean Avenue, Guelph

October 15
Event: Ward 4 Councillor Debate
When: Thursday, October 15 at 6:15 p.m.
Where: Taylor Evans Public School, 271 Stephanie Drive, Guelph

October 19
Event: Ward 3 Candidates’ Conversation
When: Monday, October 19 at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Shelldale, 20 Shelldale Crescent, Guelph

What are the responsibilities of the different levels of government?

Check out this guide from Open Council to find out which level of government (municipal, provincial or federal) has what responsibilities. Scroll down for a quick, whimsical educational rap video that explains it all with a beat and rhymes. Looking for more? This page goes into more detail on municipal government responsibilities.

What is a member of council’s job?

A member of council’s job is to balance the dual responsibility of representing the interests of their constituents with ensuring the long-term well-being of the municipality. They must play 3 main roles:

Learn more: Municipal councillor job description

What is the mayor’s job?

The mayor is the head of council.

According to Open Council, the role of head of council is to:

  • Act as the municipality’s chief executive officer
  • Preside over council meetings such that business is carried out both efficiently and effectively
  • Provide leadership to the council
  • Provide information and recommendations to council on policies, practices and procedures, to ensure transparency and accountability
  • Represent the municipality at official functions

The Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) describes the mayor’s role this way:

The Head of Council acts as the leader of the municipality. Depending on the type of municipality they are called Mayor, Reeve, Warden, or Regional Chair. They preside over council meetings, represent the municipality at official events, and complete any other duties outlined in legislation.

How can municipal governments build liveable communities?

The Alliance for a Liveable Ontario lists 10 actions municipal governments can take to help build liveable communities. See Building a Liveable Ontario Roadmap for Municipalities for the details, or download the roadmap.

Check out their YouTube channel to see podcasts and videos about the Roadmap.

How can I help to get out the vote (GOTV)?

Guelph Healthy Democracy Toolkit

Whether you’re an individual or a community organization, the first thing you can do is help to get out the vote: engage members of the community in the election and improve voter turnout. The Guelph Healthy Democracy Toolkit makes that information more accessible and digestible. The toolkit “provides a step-by-step process to help you identify your audience, determine the most effective ways to engage them, and encourage greater participation in local elections.”

Here are the six steps.

Step What it means
1 Know Your Audience Think about who is in your network and how you can engage them.
2 Start the Conversation Raise awareness and connect with your audience.
3 Get Informed Share information about the issues, candidates, and the voting process.
4 Make a Plan Help people decide when, where, and how to vote.
5 Get Out the Vote Vote and encourage others and provide direct support to voters.
6 Keep the Momentum Going Celebrate engagement and stay engaged in the community.

Visit the complete Guelph Healthy Democracy Toolkit for helpful, detailed information to navigate each step, or check out the Quick Guide.

More resources from Get Involved! Guelph