Elections
Annual Elections
The Chester Village Commission consists of five commissioners, elected for three-year terms on a rotating basis. Villages, unlike municipalities, have elections every year - ours is usually in mid-June. Village commissioners serve "at large". For the Provincial authority on village elections, see the "Legislative Background" section further down.
For more on what the Village Commission does in Chester, see our About the Commission page.
2026 Election Results
There was one (1) seat on the Commission up this year for a 2026-29 term. Below is the tally as of the close of polls at 7:00 pm on June 23, 2026.
- Total # of ballots cast: 338
- # of cancelled ballots (ones not placed in ballot box): 1
- # of rejected ballots (rejected during counting): 1
- # of votes cast for each candidate:
Gloria NAUSS 188
Kristina NICOLL 148 - Total: 338
I declare the winner of the election for 2026-2029 Village Commissioner to be Gloria Nauss.
-- H. McCallum, Returning Officer
Thank you to the candidates and the voters for your participation in this year’s election!
Who can run in Village Elections?
Nominations are now CLOSED.
You must be a qualified elector of the Village (see "Who can vote" below) in order to run for the Village Commission. A Commissioner whose term has expired is eligible for re-election.
Annual nomination packages are posted to this page in April. Come back in the spring!
Who can vote in Village Elections?
You can vote in the election if:
- You are 18 years of age or older
- You are a Canadian Citizen
- You have resided in the Village of Chester for at least 6 (six) months prior to the election (primary residence)
- Your name appears on the Elector’s list (or if you take the Oath of Elector)
- You have identification that verifies you are a resident of the Village
See also Definitions-Electors/Residents. Qualifications of an Elector are set by the Nova Scotia Municipal Government Act and the Municipal Elections Act.
Do I live in the Village?
Download the Village boundary map(905 KB) to check your primary residence address. This map will also be posted at the polling station.
Bring a photo ID with proof of address with you when you come to vote.
Am I on the List of Electors?
The 2026 list is now CLOSED.
If you would like to confirm that you are on the List of Electors, please contact the Returning Officer.
Please also contact the Returning Officer if an amendment is needed (e.g., you've moved, you've just turned 18, you've had a name change, or a family member has passed). Proof of identity will be required, including photo ID and proof of residence.
I will be away on both polling days. Can I vote by proxy?
Proxy applications are now CLOSED.
Yes. If you wil be absent from the village or are unable to attend the polling station because of illness or physical disability, you have the right to vote by proxy. Both the elector and the proposed proxy voter must fill out the Form 21 proxy application(154 KB) .
If approved, the Returning Officer will provide the proxy voter with a permission Form 22 to bring with them to the polling station. A proxy voter may only vote on the ordinary polling day (Election Day), not the advance poll.
Legislative Background
- Village elections are tied to the date of the Annual General Meeting, which must be held on or before July 1st every year under the Municipal Government Act (Section 413). Chester, like most villages, hold ours in mid-June.
- The Village Commission sets the meeting and election dates at a public Monthly Commission Meeting, normally in March or April, and notice is required 14 days in advance of the AGM. Although we nomally update this page as soon as the dates are set.
- Under the Municipal Government Act, (Section 415) villages are required to hold an election either at the annual meeting, OR (Section 416), have a by-law for village commissioners to be elected within one week following the annual meeting. Chester Village has an Election By-law(445 KB) dating from 2018 which sets the schedule including nomination day, advance poll, and election day in relation to the AGM date. This by-law sets the rules and also adopts some clauses from the Municipal Elections Act (which does not apply to villages), such as proxy voting.
- Provincial legislation for Municipal Affairs is available here.
Village Boundary Map
