Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador Celebrates Boost in Municipal Candidates

For Immediate Release 
September 27, 2021

St. John’s, NL – Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador (MNL) is pleased to see an increase in nominations for the 2021 municipal elections.  

  The total number of candidates running in elections across the province tomorrow is 2,163. That is up from 2,089 in the 2017 municipal elections, according to preliminary data provided by the Department of Municipal and Provincial Affairs.  

 The 2021 Make Your Mark campaign focused on encouraging more people to put their names forward. Recognizing that Newfoundland and Labrador is diverse, the campaign emphasized the importance of diverse representation around council tables.  

 MNL is pleased to see an increase in the number of women willing to put their name on the ballot. Of the 1,868 people who provided gender information with their nomination forms, 39 percent (727) identified as female. This is a 6-percentage point increase over 2017, when 33 percent (698) of those running identified as female. 

 Of the 1,519 people who provided their age information, 9 percent were between 18 and 35 years old. MNL, through the Make Your Mark program, is committed to developing an interest in municipal issues among younger people. Currently, young people are underrepresented on municipal councils. This election, 49 percent of candidates are 55 years of age or older. 

 “As the form of governance that most directly impacts community members, we are encouraged by this elevated level of interest in municipal leadership. New faces bring new ideas. We are especially pleased by the increased number of women on the ballot compared to previous elections. Through the ongoing work of the Make Your Mark program, we look forward to encouraging involvement in civic governance by people of all ages and backgrounds.”  – Amy Coady-Davis, President, MNL  

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Media Contact  

Tobias Romaniuk
Communications and Marketing Officer
Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador
tromaniuk@municipalnl.ca
(709) 725-1440