Articles

If you want to win in 2026, you need a real plan to reach voters.

I’ve been asking a simple question to anyone running for mayor in 2026:

How do you plan to reach your voters?

It’s a basic question. But the answers I hear are often incomplete.

Some candidates still lean on the familiar: door knocking, lawn signs, a few all-candidates meetings. Others talk about social media as if posting a few updates is enough to build momentum.

Here’s the reality: voter behaviour has changed, and if your outreach strategy hasn’t, you’re already behind. Let’s walk through the real options, and where the smartest campaigns are focusing their energy. read more…

Do the Homework Before You Ask for the Job

Here’s the honest truth: most candidates think the hard part is winning the election. Yes, winning an election takes effort, but effective governance takes hard work and discipline. After election day you’re expected to make informed decisions on multi-million-dollar budgets, land use disputes, and the safety of an entire community… all within weeks of being sworn in.

I’ve sat at the council table long enough to know this: the candidates who thrive aren’t always the most charismatic, they’re the ones who took the time to understand how municipalities actually work before election day.

So if you’re running, or even thinking about it, here’s what I believe you need to start learning now.

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In just three weeks, the nomination period will officially open for municipal candidates. May 1, 2026 is the date to mark on your calendar. If you are considering a run, now is the time to reflect not only on why you want to serve, but on what the role truly demands.

I was fortunate to have incumbents share this information with me, and so now is my turn to share it with others. I’ve said many times in my posts that municipal politics is the most accessible level of government, but it is also one of the most personal. Council decisions shape daily life in very real ways, and that comes with both responsibility and pressure.

Before you file your nomination papers, here are some important realities to consider: read more…

As a municipal councillor, one of the most common questions I hear from residents is: “Why do my property taxes keep going up?”

It’s a fair question. And the honest answer is a bit more complicated than it might seem at first glance. Part of that complexity comes from the fact that not all levels of government are funded the same way.

At the provincial level, the Government of Ontario funds its programs through income taxes, corporate taxes, and its share of the Harmonized Sales Tax. These are broad and flexible revenue tools. They grow with the economy and are tied, at least in part, to a person’s ability to pay. That’s why the province is well-positioned to fund large-scale systems like healthcare, education, and social services.

At the municipal level, it’s a very different story. Here in the City of Woodstock, like in municipalities across Ontario, our primary source of revenue is property tax. We also rely on user fees and some support from the province, but property tax does most of the heavy lifting. read more…

Characteristics and Skills Sets that Make a Difference

Municipal politics isn’t glamorous. There are no red carpets, very few microphones, and an alarming number of conversations about snow plows, garbage, and budgets. But it does matter. A lot. Municipal councillors make decisions that affect your daily life far more often than any other level of government.

So what should we look for in a great municipal councillor? Spoiler alert: it’s not just who talks the loudest at meetings.

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When Council Behaviour Becomes a Scourge on the Community

In January, I had the opportunity to attend the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) conference. Each year, this gathering brings together elected officials from across the province to learn, share ideas, and advocate to the provincial government on behalf of their communities.

One of the most valuable aspects of the ROMA conference is the opportunity to connect with colleagues. Over the years, informal hallway conversations have allowed me to build relationships with councillors from across Ontario. I always appreciate the chance to reconnect, exchange perspectives, and hear firsthand what is happening in municipal politics throughout the province.

This year, a recurring theme emerged during many of those conversations: concern about inappropriate controlling, and troubling behaviour by some councillors and mayors. I heard repeated accounts of elected officials who view their role as a means to exert control or influence over staff, fellow councillors, and even their communities, rather than as a position of service.

These discussions reminded me of a comment I made during a Woodstock City Council meeting last fall, when I referenced the 2025 Canadian Municipal Barometer study. The study found that approximately 63 per cent of local politicians across Canada have experienced some form of harassment during their current term or campaign, including threats, insults, or property damage.

This raises important questions. Is this behaviour driven by ego? By narcissism? Or by a misguided desire for control?

Here is a compilation of input and thoughts from councillors around Ontario: read more…

Almost four years ago, when I was considering a run in Woodstock’s 2022 municipal election, I sat down for a conversation with Marcus Ryan.

At the time, Marcus was serving as Mayor of Zorra Township and as a councillor for Oxford County and we had worked together on rural economic issues. I wanted an honest discussion about whether my experience and skill set could actually be useful to Woodstock, and to the county more broadly.

We covered everything you’d expect: spheres of jurisdiction, budget season, the real time demands council places on your life, and the parts of the job that never make it into campaign brochures. It was practical, candid, and grounding.

But one moment from that conversation has stayed with me more than any procedural detail.

Marcus shared an analogy about leadership. It was simple, a little disarming, and uncomfortably accurate. It reframed how I think about power, responsibility, and why some leaders steady a community while others unsettle it.

At our core, Marcus reminded me, we all have an ape brain. read more…

Municipal election campaigns used to be simple: knock on doors, put up lawn signs, attend a few community events, and hope voters recognized your name on election day. Those tactics still matter. But in 2026, they’re no longer enough.

Voters are spending more time online than ever before. They’re scrolling through social media while waiting in the school pickup line, catching up on local news over coffee, or checking community groups before heading to work. That means the most effective campaigns are the ones that meet voters where they already are.

Digital marketing isn’t just for big national campaigns anymore. It’s one of the most powerful and cost-effective tools municipal candidates can use to build awareness, communicate their message, and ultimately win votes.

Here are five reasons why smart candidates will run strong digital campaigns in 2026.

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