181 municipal candidates certified, 10 appointed unopposed
Posted Aug 23, 2026 10:37:58 AM.
The nomination period for 2026 Municipal Election candidates has closed for Ottawa, and 181 candidates have now been certified, with 10 candidates being automatically elected by acclamation.
Ottawa’s candidate nomination period was open for nearly four months, as individuals around the city were considered for a variety of positions in municipal office. The nomination period began on May 1, and concluded at 2:00 p.m. on Aug. 21.
According to the City of Ottawa, 181 candidates were certified in total for all office positions, with the City Clerk having certified each as per the Municipal Elections Act (MEA) of 1996. The MEA requires the City Clerk to examine each nomination to ensure it and the candidate meets the requirements of the MEA. Each candidate who has been certified will appear on the ballot in the 2026 Municipal Elections, with the exception of candidates who were automatically elected by acclamation.
Candidates nominated via acclamation
Candidates who are nominated in certain office seats unopposed are automatically elected by acclamation. Ten certified candidates were elected by acclamation in the 2026 cycle, and those candidates are as follows:
Office of City Councillor
- Riley Brockington, Ward 16 River
- David Brown, Ward 21 Rideau-Jock
Office of School Board Trustee
- Scott Phelan, Ottawa Catholic School Board, Zone 1
- Sandra Moore, Ottawa Catholic School Board, Zone 2
- Brian Coburn, Ottawa Catholic School Board, Zone 3
- Joanne MacEwan, Ottawa Catholic School Board, Zone 5
- Mark D Mullan, Ottawa Catholic School Board, Zone 8
- Dan Boudria, Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est, Zone 8
- Johanne Lacombe, Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est, Zone 9
- André J. Thibodeau, Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est, Zone 11
A full list of nominated candidates for mayor, city councillor, and school board trustee positions can be found at the City of Ottawa’s nominations portal.
Ottawa’s advanced municipal voting day will take place on Oct. 16. Voting day for the 2026 Ottawa Municipal Elections will take place the following week on October 26, 2026.
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