Guide Published for Election Hopefuls

Aspiring politicians in Nova Scotia now have a newly revised resource to help them get ready for the polls.

A Candidate's Guide to Municipal Elections has been prepared for people who want to run in municipal, school board or the Conseil scolaire acadien elections later this year. The guide outlines the requirements for nomination, election procedures, basic responsibilities and duties of office holders and important dates.

"Municipal government is a vital part of our communities," said Angus MacIsaac, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. "I'd like to see as many qualified, well-informed people running in this fall's election as possible. And this guide will help."

The candidate's guide also features a new section on disclosure of campaign contributions, as this will be the first regular election since the law requiring disclosure was passed on April 1, 1999. Nomination day for candidates is Monday, Sept. 18. Election day is Saturday, Oct. 21.

The guide is published by the Department of Housing and Municipal Affairs in conjunction with the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities.

"Nova Scotia has strong communities and that strength has a lot to do with the energy and commitment of the people who serve," said Mr. MacIsaac. "I encourage people to give serious thought to running for office this fall. It's one of the surest ways of making a difference to your community."

The Candidate's Guide to Municipal Elections is available at the Nova Scotia Government Bookstore, 1700 Granville St., Halifax. It can also be downloaded from the Department of Housing and Municipal Affairs's website at www.gov.ns.ca/homa/ .