Information for Municipal Candidates

Candidates who are funding their campaign via contributions may spend up to $1/person based on the population of Medicine Hat. The population of Medicine Hat is 63,271 people (as per the most recent available data), thus you may spend a maximum of $63,271 on your campaign.

Candidates who incur $50,000 or more in campaign expenses or receive $50,000 or more in campaign contributions, are required to file a review engagement along with their disclosure statement.

If you are self-funding your campaign, the self-funding limit is $10,000. You must submit a notice of intent before you incur any expenses. See section 147.1 of the Local Authorities Elections Act.

An allowable campaign expense includes an expense incurred for, or a non-monetary contribution in relation to:

• The production of advertising or promotional material.
• The distribution, broadcast or publication of advertising or promotional material in any media or by any other means during the election period, including by the use of a capital asset.
• The payment of remuneration and expenses to or on behalf of a person for the person's services as a chief financial officer or in any other capacity.
• The securing of meeting space, or the conduct of election surveys or other surveys or research during an election period.
• Expenses also include in-kind (unpaid).

What qualifies as a campaign contribution?

Campaign contributions include money, personal property, real property or service that is provided for the benefit of a candidates election campaign without fair market compensation, but does not include a service provided by an individual who voluntarily performs the services and receives no compensation, directly or indirectly. 

Tracking campaign contributions and expenses

All candidates must open a campaign account at a financial institution (s. 147.3 LAEA) in their own name, or the name of the campaign. It is advised that candidates open this account as soon as they submit their notice of intent, however it MUST be done as soon as the amount of contributions exceeds $1000 in aggregate (s.147.3(1) LAEA). All contributions must be deposited in that account, and the money is to be used only for campaign expenses.

In-kind contributions are assessed based on their fair market value at the time they are provided. If a candidate receives personal property, real property, a service, or the use of personal or real property at a price below its fair market value, the value of the contribution is the difference between the fair market value and the discounted price offered.

Who can and cannot contribute to your campaign?

Section 147 of the LAEA sets out the rules regarding who can contribute to your campaign and identifies those who cannot. It is important you understand the rules regarding contributions, whether monetary or contributions in–kind.

Trade unions, corporations, and Alberta employee organizations (any organization that bargains collectively for employees in Alberta, and for the purposes of this Act all branches in Alberta of an employee organization are deemed to be one employee organization) can now contribute to municipal elections.

Contribution limits

Campaign contributions by any person to a candidate shall not exceed $5,000 in any year. Only an Alberta resident can contribute to a campaign.

Contributions by a corporation, other than a prohibited organization, by an Alberta trade union or by an Alberta employee organization shall not exceed during the campaign period:

(a)    $5000 in the aggregate to all candidates for election as a councillor in a particular municipality,

(b)    $5000 in the aggregate to all candidates for election as a school board trustee of a particular public school division under the Education Act, and

(c)     $5000 in the aggregate to all candidates for election as a school board trustee of a particular separate school division under the Education Act.

All candidates who have received campaign contributions will be required to file a campaign disclosure statement.

All Campaign Disclosure Statements Must:

1. Be submitted in Form 26 – Campaign Disclosure Statement and Financial Statement.
2. Be filed with the Returning Officer.
3. Include the following information:
   1. The total amount of all contributions received that did not exceed $50 in the aggregate from any single contributor;
   2. The name and total amount contributed by each contributor whose contributions exceeded $50 in the aggregate;
   3. Total amount of contributions from the candidate’s own funds and not reimbursed from the candidate’s campaign account (see section 147.2 (4) of the Local Authorities Election Act for more information);
   4. The total amount received from fund-raising functions;
   5. The total amount of other revenue received;
   6. The total amount of campaign expenses incurred;
   7. An itemized campaign expense report setting out the campaign expenses incurred by the candidate;
   8. The total amount paid by the candidate.

File Review Engagement Requirement

If a candidate required to file a disclosure statement has incurred campaign expenses or received contributions of $50,000 or more in the period to which the disclosure statement applies, the candidate must file a review engagement with the disclosure statement.

Corrections to Previously Inaccurate or Incomplete Disclosure Information: Candidate Requirements

The candidate must, within 30 days of becoming aware of the issue, submit a supplementary statement in the prescribed form (Form 26) to the Returning Officer of the City of Medicine Hat.

Download Form 26 - Campaign Disclosure Statement and Financial Statement

A candidate who incurs a deficit in campaign finances must eliminate that deficit within 60 days after filing their disclosure statement. An amended disclosure statement must be filed within a further 30 days s.147.52 LAEA.

A candidate may make a contribution from their own funds that does not exceed $10,000 to reduce a campaign deficit shown on their disclosure statement. During the 60 day period, a candidate may accept a contribution for the purpose of eliminating the deficit that does not exceed $5000 from any single contributor. 

Candidates with a surplus that is equal or greater than $1000 shall donate the amount to a registered charity that reduces the deficit to being less than $1000. If the amount is less than $1,000 the candidate may donate any portion to a registered charity or retain all or any of the amount. If the candidate donates an amount to a registered charity, an amended disclosure statement must be filed within a further 30 days s.147.5. LAEA.

A candidate whose campaign is entirely self-funded by no more than $10,000 in a campaign period:

• Must open a bank account in the name of the candidate or campaign name, when their own contributions exceed $1,000.
• Are required to file their nomination papers and notice of intent before incurring any campaign expenses.
• Must review the definitions of ‘contributions' and provisions of s.147.1 LAEA and decide when they need to file their nomination papers.

A candidate may choose to appoint an official agent on their nomination form (this is not mandatory), or fill out and submit the Statement of Official Agent or Scrutineer Form to the Returning Officer. Statement Forms are included in the Nomination Package found on the Municipal Candidates page. The duties of an official agent are assigned by the candidate. A person who has, within the previous 10 years, been convicted of an offense under the Local Authorities Election Act, the Election Finances and Campaign Disclosure Act or the Canada Elections Act is not eligible to be appointed as an official agent or scrutineer, and an agent may only act as an agent for one candidate s. 68.1 LAEA.

Agents and scrutineers must sign the Statement Form to indicate that that they will maintain and aid in maintaining the absolute secrecy of the vote, and also bring with them a statement of representation signed by the candidate to the presiding deputy of the voting station before they will be recognized as such at the voting station. The presiding deputy shall not permit the concurrent presence in the voting station of an agent and scrutineer, or the candidate and agent or scrutineer. The presiding deputy may designate the place in the voting station from where they may observe the election procedure s. 69 LAEA.

There are no limitations on when a candidate may start campaigning in the Local Authorities Election Act

What are the rules regarding campaign signage?

Election signs do not require a permit, but still must comply with the Land Use Bylaw #4168

• No sign is allowed that in the opinion of a Development Authority may create a hazard to public safety or health. 
• No sign may obstruct the line of sight of a pedestrian or the driver of a vehicle with respect to access to or egress from a road, alley or driveway, or detract from the visibility or effectiveness of any Traffic Control Device. 
• No sign shall obstruct ingress to or egress from a fire escape door, window or other required exit under the Alberta Building Code. 
• No sign other than a Traffic Control Device may display words such as "STOP", "LOOK", "DANGER", "ONE WAY" or "YIELD" or any similar words, phrases, symbols, lights or characters used in a manner which may mislead, confuse or otherwise interfere with pedestrian or vehicle traffic on a road. 
• No sign may incorporate a searchlight or strobe lights. 
• No sign other than a Specialized Sign is allowed on a roof or completely above the parapet of a Building. 
• No sign may be painted on, or affixed in any manner to, a tree, stone, cliff or other natural object. 
• No sign other than a Specialized Sign, Sandwich Board, or Portable Sign shall be placed or erected on a Site unless the sign is permanently set into the ground or permanently affixed to a Building. 
• No sign other than a Traffic Control Device shall face an Interior Side Property Line or Rear Property Line that is adjacent to a residential District. 
• No sign is allowed within a Corner Visibility Triangle if it blocks or interferes with a line of sight for pedestrians or drivers of vehicles, from any direction.

There are rules regarding whether you can place signs:

Along the highway

Alberta Transportation Guidelines

Along boulevards and rights of ways

Any campaign sign located on a city boulevard, right of way or other location so as to constitute a traffic hazard will be removed immediately by the City and the candidate may be billed with the cost. Signs must not be placed in the ground so as to damage irrigation systems. (Schedule D Land Use Bylaw #4168)

Electrical poles and light poles

Electrical utility system poles and structures shall be kept free of all materials and equipment not required for the system (s.2-012 Alberta Electrical Utility Code)

On a street

Campaign signage should not be placed where it can cause a hazard to traffic and/or pedestrians (s.69 Public Roads Bylaw #4346: Schedule D Land Use Bylaw #4168)

On a tree 

No sign may be painted on, or affixed in any manner to, a tree, stone, cliff or other natural object (Schedule D Land Use Bylaw #4168)

In a park

In a park or recreational area, no person shall, without prior written approval from the Parks Manager or his designate:

• place or erect any signs or billboards for the purposes of advertising;
• distribute any handbills or circulars;
• use any audible advertising device; (s.6 Parks and Recreational Areas Bylaw #2527)

At voting stations 

Candidates are prohibited from any type of campaign activities and any actions considered to be an attempt to solicit or influence votes in and on the property surrounding a building used as a voting station. Those found guilty may be subject to a fine of up to $500 (s.152.1 LAEA). The Returning Officer has the authority to stop such activity with the assistance of a Peace Officer. 

A person to whom an enumerator, a candidate, an official agent or a campaign worker on behalf of a candidate has produced identification that meets the requirements of the regulations, indicating that the person is an enumerator, a candidate, an official agent or a campaign worker shall not

• obstruct or interfere with, or;
• cause or permit the obstruction or interference with;
• the free access of the enumerator, candidate, official agent or campaign worker to each residence in a building containing 2 or more residences or to each residence in a mobile home park, (s.52 LAEA).

The Local Authorities Election Act (LAEA) was amended in 2018 to address third-party advertising in municipal elections. Additional changes to the LAEA related to third-party advertising came into force on September 1, 2020 and made further changes to third-party advertising.

Know the rules