Campaign Resources
Managing your campaign
On this page, you will find useful resources and information about being a candidate or third party advertiser in Markham municipal and school board elections.
As a candidate or third party advertiser, you should review all laws, policies and procedures to manage your campaign successfully.
- Canvassing rules
Voting places
Canvassing is not permitted at facilities designated as voting places. During voting days, canvassing of any nature is prohibited in or on these premises, including the entire building in which the voting area is situated and the property on which the building is located.
While a voter is in a voting place, no one may display campaign material or otherwise try to influence how the voter votes, either directly or indirectly.
Access to apartments, condominiums and other multi-residential premises
From the day they register, candidates and their representatives are allowed to access to the doors of apartments, condominiums, non-profit housing cooperatives, and gated communities to canvass and distribute campaign material, subject to the following conditions:
- Access is limited to between 9 AM and 9 PM.
- Landlords, property managers, and condominium corporations cannot prevent an owner or tenant from displaying election signs on their unit or rented premises. However, they may set reasonable conditions on the size and type of sign that can be displayed and restrict signs from being displayed in common areas (e.g., lobbies, hallways, shared amenity spaces).
- It is against the law to falsely represent yourself as working for Elections Markham or a candidate to gain access to a residential building or complex.
The right of candidates and their representatives to access residential premises for the purpose of campaigning are protected by Ontario's Municipal Elections Act (sections 88.1 and 88.2), Residential Tenancies Act (section 28), Condominum Act (section 118) and Cooperative Corporations Act (section 171.24).
Elections Markham has prepared a letter describing the rights of candidates and their representatives to access residential premises, which may be presented to landlords and property managers when canvassing. Candidates and their representatives should also carry valid identification and present this to building staff upon entry.
Use of City logos and brand identifiers
Candidates are not permitted to use the City of Markham's corporate identifiers on their campaign materials, whether as graphics or as physical objects captured in photos or videos. This includes communications material, public art and structures where City logos, crests or other official marks are prominently displayed.
Prohibited identifiers include:
- All City logos (corporate, affiliate and program)
- Other official marks such as crests and coats of arms
- Digital media assets including proprietary videos, photos and images
Notwithstanding these restrictions, candidate materials may link to the City's official election website (ElectionsMarkham.ca).
Use of City of Markham resources
To support the professional and non-partisan use of City of Markham resources, Markham City Council has established a Use of Corporate Resources for Election Purposes Policy [PDF]. This policy contains rules designed to ensure that City resources are never used to support or oppose one candidate over another, whether through material advantage or perceived endorsement. Candidates and third party advertisers are expected to familiarize themselves with and comply with this policy.
City resources must never be used for any election-related activity at any time, whether to support one's own campaign or that of another candidate or political advertiser. City resources which are owned, controlled, funded or managed by the City and its affiliates. These include but are not limited to the following:
- Financial resources
- Facilities
- Equipment
- Events
- Personnel (e.g., staff, contractors, volunteers)
- Communications material sponsored, printed and/or distributed by the City
- Official marks and brand identifiers (e.g., logos, crests, uniforms, etc.)
- Technology assets, infrastructure and data (e.g., computers, phones, printers, wireless devices, applications, email domains, websites, etc.)
- Vehicles
- Personal or confidential information obtained in a role with the City
- Any privilege or benefit available to someone through a role with the City
- Election signs
To display election signs in Markham, one or more permits are required.
The City of Markham issues permits for election signs on private property and at designated local road intersections. For more information, visit markham.ca/ElectionSigns.
For permits to display election signs on regional roads, visit York Region's Election Sign Guidelines page (external link).
- Guides
- Information sessions
- Managing your Campaign (July 9, 2026) [external link]
- Ward maps
- Ward 1 map [PDF]
- Ward 2 map [PDF]
- Ward 3 map [PDF]
- Ward 4 map [PDF]
- Ward 5 map [PDF]
- Ward 6 map [PDF]
- Ward 7 map [PDF]
- Ward 8 map [PDF]
- You asked us
To make sure every candidate and third party advertiser has access to the same information for the upcoming election, any questions we receive about City programs and services will be posted here. Responses will be posted in writing while keeping the source of the request anonymous.
Have a question about how a specific City program works? Drop us a line at vote@markham.ca and we'll add the answer to this list.