Becoming a Candidate
How do I become a candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada?
To begin the process of running to become a Nominated Candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada, read the National Rules for the Selection of Candidates for the Liberal Party of Canada that govern the nomination process, found here. You will be able to request a Nomination Candidate Package in ridings opened for requests.
After you submit your documents, your Provincial or Territorial Greenlight Committee will review your submission. The next step is to be approved by the National Campaign Chair to be a Qualified Nomination Contestant. After this, the nomination meeting will happen when the Party calls the meeting, and if there are multiple contestants in the race, you will be on the ballot for your riding when the Nomination Meeting is called, subject to the Nomination Rules.
Completing the nomination forms
How do I get a copy of the nomination forms?
Once ridings are opened, you will be able to request the nomination package via liberal.ca/nominations, and a copy will be sent to you by email.
How do I get my credit score?
You can request your credit score from a national credit bureau in Canada. Follow the instructions on the website of the bureau you want to use.
How do I obtain a criminal record check?
You can obtain a criminal record check from your local police service.
How do I submit the completed forms?
Please submit your completed forms by mail to:
Liberal Party of Canada
Attn: National Greenlight Chair
Suite 920, 350 Albert Street
Ottawa. ON K1P 6M8
Registered Liberals
How does someone sign up to be a Registered Liberal?
Visit liberal.ca/register to register as a Liberal.
If someone is not sure if their registration has expired, how do they renew?
Anyone can simply re-register on liberal.ca/register at any time. Their registration will expire 3 years from their latest registration.
How do I get access to the list of Registered Liberals?
Once you have been approved as a Qualified Nomination Contestant and once the nomination meeting is called, you will receive Liberalist access for the list of Registered Liberals. The list will not be provided in any other format.
Nomination Finances & Elections Canada Compliance
What are the Elections Canada rules that govern nomination contests?
Elections Canada has clear rules for nomination contests. You can learn more about the Elections Canada rules here and we would encourage you to contact Elections Canada directly if you have questions about how these rules may apply to you.
Do I need to have a Financial Agent?
Yes, all nomination contestants must have a Financial Agent. In accordance with the Canada Elections Act, a financial agent is required as soon as a nomination contestant incurs an expense or accepts a contribution.
How do I open a bank account?
Visit your preferred financial institution and open a new account in the name of the financial agent (John Doe, Financial Agent). Elections Canada has prepared an access to banking services form that should facilitate the process. We recommend that you bring a completed copy with you to the bank.
What are the contribution limits?
You can view the contribution limits for this year on this page.
A donor has contributed to their riding, can they still contribute to the nomination?
The contribution limit for the riding association and a nomination contest are the same. This means that if a person has already given the maximum to his riding, they cannot give more to a nomination contest. However, if they have not given the limit to the riding association, they can use the remaining amount to contribute to the nomination campaign. It should be noted that the nomination contestant is entitled to donate an additional $1000 in their nomination campaign account.
Are contributions to a nomination eligible for a tax receipt?
Contributions to a nomination contest are not eligible for a tax receipt but do count against a donor’s annual limit towards riding associations.
How do I pay the nomination fee?
Please write a cheque from the nomination campaign bank account made out to the Liberal Party of Canada. The cheque should be submitted along with your nomination package.
Can I pay the nomination fee directly from my personal funds?
No. All nomination fees must be paid from the nomination bank account.
Once your package is submitted
I just sent in my completed forms, what happens next?
The LPC Nominations Team will review your package to ensure everything is complete. If there is anything missing, they will reach out to you and complete the requirements.
Once we have verified that your package is complete, the Green Light Committee will take some time to review your application. As part of this process you will be contacted by a member of the Green Light Committee to conduct an interview.
When will I find out if I have been approved?
You will receive a letter by email from the National Campaign Chair confirming the final decision about your application. It can take a while for all of the forms and packages to be processed. If you haven’t heard back for a while there is no need to be concerned – you will get a decision letter as soon as everything has been processed.
Liberalist
How do I get access to Liberalist?
Qualified Nomination Contestants will receive their Liberalist account after they have received their confirmation and once the nomination meeting is called.
I’m not familiar with Liberalist, can you send me the list in excel?
In order to comply with our security and data policies, the list of Registered Liberals will not be provided in any form outside of Liberalist.
Where can I get Liberalist training?
More information on Liberalist support and nomination-specific training materials will be provided when the account is created. In the meantime, visit liberal.ca/training for some helpful training modules.
Communications Material
When can I say that I am a Candidate?
No person can represent themselves as a Candidate of the Liberal Party until they are officially nominated or acclaimed.
Can I use the Liberal logo in any of my promotional material?
No person can use the Liberal logo on any material until they are officially nominated as a Candidate.
Nomination Meeting
When will the nomination meeting be held?
The nomination meeting will be held on a date determined by the National Campaign Chair, in consultation with the provincial or territorial campaign chairs. All potential and qualified nomination contestants will be made aware of the meeting before it is officially called.
How do Registered Liberals find out about the nomination meeting?
The party will send out notice to all Registered Liberals in the respective riding about the nomination meeting. This will be done by email and voice blast, and the notice will be posted online.
Contact
Who do I contact if I have questions about the nomination process?
Contact the LPC Nominations Team at nominations@liberal.ca