WELLINGTON COUNTY – Women and gender-diverse people considering running in the October 2026 municipal election should consider attending campaign school, officials say.
Local campaign schools across Ontario are hosting “Run Where You Are,” a free online event on Sept. 23 at 7pm to prime and encourage this population to run for office.
Two-thirds of women who run for municipal office experience harassment during their campaigns, and women represent only 30 per cent of councillors across Ontario.
Recent research from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario reveals the significant barriers keeping qualified women out of local government, and a collective of local organizations is responding with concrete support.
Campaign schools have started in recent years to buck this trend, including in Wellington County.
The virtual event features a panel of women from different municipalities sharing honest conversations about their decision-making process, campaign experiences, and what they wish they’d known before taking the leap.
Participants will learn about fundraising realities, time management and where to find help along the way.
“We’re seeing too many qualified women and gender-diverse individuals hesitate to put their names forward,” said Curt Hammond, organizer of the Municipal Campaign School in Wellington County.
“This event is designed to move people from curious to confident by connecting them with real experiences and concrete next steps.”
Currently, only 37% of Ontario’s municipalities are led by women or individuals who identify as gender-diverse.
The campaign school collective aims to change these statistics by providing accessible information and ongoing support to potential candidates.
“The beauty of this collaborative approach is that no one has to navigate the decision to run alone,” added Hammond.
“We’re building a province-wide network of support that extends from that first moment of wondering ‘should I run?’ all the way through election night and beyond.”
The event will also highlight resources available through partner organizations, including campaign schools launching later this fall to provide hands-on training for candidates preparing for the 2026 municipal election cycle.
Registration is free and available at eventbrite.ca/e/run-where-you-are-tickets-1527433106539.
Donations are welcome to support ongoing programming.
Event details
The “Run Where You Are” event is organized by a collective of campaign schools including electHER Now, The Jean Collective, Municipal Campaign Schools in Wellington, Guelph and Oxford, Politics NOW, Women’s Campaign Training, and Leadership féminin Prescott-Russell.
The Association of Municipalities of Ontario is supporting promotion of the event.
