Duties of Elected Officials

Voters in the municipal election will vote to elect:

• One Mayor of Newmarket 
• One Deputy Mayor and Regional Councillor 
• Seven Newmarket Ward Councillors
• School Board Trustees (one Trustee for each of the four School Boards represented in Newmarket)  

Members of Town of Newmarket Council

The Town of Newmarket has an elected municipal Council that includes one Mayor, one Deputy Mayor and Regional Councillor, and seven Councillors, each representing one of Newmarket’s seven Wards. All Council members are elected for a four-year term. The Mayor, and Deputy Mayor and Regional Councillor, are elected at large by all voters in the Town, and Councillors are elected by voters within their specific wards. 

Municipal decisions are made by council as a whole with each member having one vote. Though the Mayor, and Deputy Mayor and Regional Councillor, usually have a higher profile in the community, they generally do not have any more power than any other member of council to make decisions on behalf of the Town Council. 

The Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MAH) has published a document called The Municipal Councillor’s Guide. This guide provides an overview of the duties of elected officials at the municipal level.

Overview of the Mayor’s duties

The MAH guide is the source of this shortened description for the role of the Mayor

• to act as the Town of Newmarket’s chief executive officer;
• to preside over council meetings such that business is carried out both efficiently and effectively;
• to provide leadership to the council;
• to provide information/recommendations to council on policies, practices, procedures, to ensure transparency and accountability;
• to serve as a member of York Regional Council: and,
• to represent the Town of Newmarket at official functions.

Overview of the Deputy Mayor and Regional Councillor’s duties

The Deputy Mayor assists the Mayor in carrying out the Mayoral responsibilities and serves as a member of York Region Council.

The Town of Newmarket is part of a two-tier system of municipal government. In this system York Region is the upper-tier municipality, which delivers some region-wide services and programs, and the Town of Newmarket is one of six lower-tier municipalities in York Region and delivers other services and programs specifically for the Town of Newmarket.

The Town of Newmarket elects two representatives be the voice of the Town as members of York Region Council – the Mayor and the person who also serves as Deputy Mayor. 

School Board Trustees (external links)

General information about School Board elections for voters and candidates:  2022 Ontario Municipal and School Board Elections.

Information about the York Region District School Board Trustees and election information

Information about York Catholic District School Board Trustees 

Information about Conseil scolaire Viamonde Trustees

Information about Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir Trustees

Which school board do I support?

In the 2026 Newmarket Municipal Election, eligible voters will be casting their ballot for one of the following school boards:

• York Region District School Board Trustee 
  Also referred to as English Public (EP). Anyone can vote for this school board.
  Note: If your children are in French Immersion in the Public system, you support this school board. 
• York Catholic District School Board Trustee
  Also referred to as English Separate (ES). You must personally be Roman Catholic to vote for this school board, regardless if your partner is Roman Catholic or if your children attend an English Separate school.
  Note: If your children are in French Immersion in the Catholic system and you meet the qualifications above, you support this school board. 

French-Language school board trustee positions (administered by the City of Vaughan, visit vaughan.ca/elections):

• Conseil scolaire Viamonde Trustee –
  Also referred to as French Public (FP). You must have French Language Education Rights to vote for this school board.
  Note: This does not include French Immersion or French as a second language.
• Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir Trustee
  Also referred to as French Separate (FS). You must personally be Roman Catholic and have French Language Education Rights to vote for this school board, regardless if your partner is Roman Catholic or if your children attend a French Catholic school.
  Note: This does not include French Immersion or French as a second language.

A voter with non-resident eligibility will not vote for a school board office in the 2026 Newmarket Municipal Election, but will vote for a school board office in the municipality they live in.

Review your school support designation by June 1st. The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) offers an online tool to help residents check and update their school support designation.

Check School Support Designation Here