Photo: Unknown. Canada. Department of National Defence. · Public domainSouthwold’s MP is Andrew Lawton (Conservative Party of Canada), for Elgin—St. Thomas—London South
Southwold sends one MPP (Member of Provincial Parliament, at Queen’s Park in Toronto) to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from Elgin—Middlesex—London, though no open record we can reuse gives the name. Grant Jones was elected mayor of Southwold in October 2022, on a council of 5 seats. These names are from the 2022–26 term: Ontario’s municipalities voted on 26 October 2026, but the province’s open list of the results isn’t out. From Ontario come 122 MPs, 71 of them with the Liberal Party of Canada.
Three governments, and who does what
Southwold, a township in Ontario, shares the work with the province and Ottawa.
Local services, by-laws and property tax.
Spends most on social services and child care, then public health and paramedics (2024 return).
Schools, health care, highways, municipal law.
ola.org ↗Passports, pensions, EI, defence, immigration.
ourcommons.ca ↗Who to ask
Green: municipal. Gold: provincial. Grey: federal.
Elgin County is the upper tier over Southwold, a lower-tier municipality.
From the council table to Ottawa
Every elected tier that speaks for Southwold, from the most recent elections.
- 1Southwold councilelected October 2022Grant Jones
- 2Legislative Assembly of OntarioElgin—Middlesex—London
- 3House of CommonsElgin—St. Thomas—London South
Party colours are neutral on purpose: they tell parties apart and aren’t the parties’ own. MPs: Wikidata (CC0), 45th Parliament statements, read 7 November 2026; ridings: 2023 Representation Order, Statistics Canada
Who was elected to Southwold council in 2022
Everyone elected in 2022, with their votes; Ontario’s file gives each seat’s votes but not the ward’s name.
- Grant Jones
- Justin Pennings
- Sarah Emons
- John Adzija
- Scott Fellows
5 members and how they were elected
| Name | Seat | Votes | Share of the seat’s votes | On the last council |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grant Jones | Mayor | 885 | 59% | Yes |
| Justin Pennings | Deputy Mayor | – | acclaimed | Yes |
| Sarah Emons | Councillor | 991 | 28% | Yes |
| John Adzija | Councillor | 828 | 24% | No |
| Scott Fellows | Councillor | 935 | 27% | No |
Grant Jones won 58% of the votes cast for mayor. All of Southwold council is elected at large, with each voter helping fill every seat, the mayor’s as well. For one seat a single candidate came forward and was acclaimed.
Councils: Ontario 2022 Municipal Election data, MMAH (OGL-Ontario)
Southwold voted more than most of Ontario in 2022
Turnout in the October 2022 municipal elections, beside nearby municipalities; the tick is Ontario’s median.
Turnout for Southwold council on 24 October 2022 was 37% of electors, higher than the Ontario norm.
How Southwold voted: same source as Councillors, above.
When Southwold votes
The last and next general elections at each level; a by-election can come in between.
| Election | Last | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Southwold council | 26 October 2026 | 28 October 2030 |
| Legislative Assembly of Ontario | 27 February 2025 | – |
| House of Commons | 28 April 2025 | – |
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario was last elected on 27 February 2025, and the House of Commons on 28 April 2025. The next council election in Southwold falls on 28 October 2030, the fourth Monday in October every four years under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996. Why not 2025? Elections Canada publishes those counts under non-commercial terms, and its open data stop at the 2021 election.
Election dates: the legislatures, MMAH and MAMH
Southwold votes in Elgin—Middlesex—London for the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Provinces and territories run schools, health care and municipal law; each riding elects one MPP.
MPP: see the legislature’s list
ola.org ↗The riding comes from the 2013 federal map, which southern Ontario’s provincial ridings match under the Representation Act, 2015. For the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Southwold votes in Elgin—Middlesex—London, which has one MPP.
Southern Ontario ridings: the 2013 federal boundaries (Representation Act, 2015), Statistics Canada
Andrew Lawton represents Elgin—St. Thomas—London South in Ottawa
Each riding elects one MP to the House of Commons; the general election of 28 April 2025 chose the 45th Parliament.
Elgin—St. Thomas—London South · Conservative Party of Canada
en.wikipedia.org ↗- Liberal Party of Canada71
- Conservative Party of Canada50
As Wikidata records them.
The MP’s record
Mapped onto today’s Elgin—St. Thomas—London South, the 2021 vote gives the Conservative Party of Canada 49%; in 2025 Andrew Lawton kept the seat in the same hands. Andrew Lawton was elected to the Commons for the first time in April 2025.
MPs: Wikidata (CC0), 45th Parliament statements, read 7 November 2026; ridings: 2023 Representation Order, Statistics Canada · MPs’ records: Wikidata (CC0), positions held and party memberships, read 8 November 2026
Elgin—Middlesex—London returned Karen Vecchio (Conservative Party of Canada) in 2021
Before the 2023 redistribution, Southwold voted in Elgin—Middlesex—London; these are its 2019 and 2021 results, and Elgin—St. Thomas—London South is its riding today.
In 2019, Karen Vecchio had won the same riding with 50%. 19,146 votes separated Karen Vecchio (Conservative Party of Canada) from Afeez Ajibowu (Liberal Party of Canada) in Elgin—Middlesex—London in 2021, when the winner took 50%. In 2021, 65% of electors cast a ballot in Elgin—Middlesex—London, more than the national 63%.
All 6 candidates in Elgin—Middlesex—London, 2021
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karen Vecchio | Conservative Party of Canada | 31,472 | 49.9% |
| Afeez Ajibowu | Liberal Party of Canada | 12,326 | 19.6% |
| Katelyn Cody | New Democratic Party | 10,086 | 16.0% |
| Chelsea Hillier | People's Party of Canada | 7,429 | 11.8% |
| Amanda Stark | Green Party of Canada | 1,417 | 2.3% |
| Michael Hopkins | Christian Heritage Party of Canada | 328 | 0.5% |
Federal results: Elections Canada, 43rd and 44th general elections and the 44th’s transposition to the 2023 ridings, via open.canada.ca. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Southwold council spends more per resident than most
The 2024 financial return: spending by service and revenue by source, per resident, compared only with Ontario’s lower-tier municipalities.
Spending per resident by service, 2024
What pays for it
Shares of revenue, town and province.
Spending by Southwold council reached $2,766 a resident in 2024, well over the $1,901 median of Ontario’s lower-tier municipalities. The upper tier, Elgin County, adds $1,748 per resident of its own, mostly for social services and child care. The return counts 28 full-time positions, 5.8 for every thousand residents. The largest line is water, sewers and waste: 34% of the total, $931 a resident. At 46%, property taxes count for more of the revenue than the 42% seen across the province. Long-term debt at Southwold council stood at $1.6M, or $327 a resident, below the $440 median.
Spending per resident nearby
Every service line, 2024
| Service | 2024 | Per resident | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water, sewers and waste | $4.5M | $931 | 34% |
| Roads and transit | $3.9M | $807 | 29% |
| Police, fire and protection | $2.2M | $460 | 17% |
| General government | $1.1M | $230 | 8% |
| Planning and development | $890K | $183 | 7% |
| Recreation and culture | $682K | $141 | 5% |
| Public health and paramedics | $69K | $14 | 1% |
Money: Financial Information Return 2024, Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
One seat for every 1,090 residents
Residents (2021 Census) per council seat, head of council included, beside nearby municipalities; the tick is the provincial median.
Southwold council has one seat for every 1,090 residents, fewer than in 61% of Ontario municipalities.
Residents: 2021 Census; seats: the province’s council list
Having a say in how Southwold is run
Check or update the federal list.
elections.ca ↗Every MP lists an office.
ourcommons.ca ↗Ridings, registration and voting dates.
elections.on.ca ↗What this data can and can’t tell you
- Which riding. Where residents of the 2021 Census live decides the riding; any riding with 5% of them or more is named.
- Election results. Ridings changed in 2023: the 2019 and 2021 results are on the old map, and the 2021 vote on today’s map is Elections Canada’s own estimate from polling divisions.
- Not on this page. Party control (most Canadian councils sit without parties, and the open lists record none) and band councils.
- Who holds each seat. MPs come from Wikidata’s records of the 45th Parliament, which can lag a resignation or a by-election by some days.
- Council money. Per resident means the 2024 Financial Information Return’s totals over the population it reports. Since a county or region spends in its lower tiers too, those are compared only with each other.
- Council size. Every seat counts, the head of council’s too, against the population of the 2021 Census.
Questions about how Southwold is run
Who is the MP for Southwold?
Andrew Lawton of the Conservative Party of Canada is the MP for Elgin—St. Thomas—London South, which includes Southwold.
Which party won Southwold in the 2021 federal election?
Elgin—Middlesex—London went to Karen Vecchio (Conservative Party of Canada) in 2021. Since 2025, Andrew Lawton has been the MP for Elgin—St. Thomas—London South.
Who is the MPP for Southwold?
Elgin—Middlesex—London is the riding; its sitting MPP is on the Legislative Assembly of Ontario’s own list of members for Southwold and its neighbours.
Who heads the council in Southwold?
Grant Jones was elected mayor in October 2022, for the 2022–26 term of Southwold council.
How much does Southwold council spend?
Southwold council spent $13.4M in 2024 for about 4,851 residents; its largest service line was water, sewers and waste, at $4.5M.
Which regional body is Southwold part of?
The council of Elgin County, made up of members from its municipalities, Southwold among them, is the upper tier.
How is Southwold council elected?
At large: every voter helps fill all of Southwold council, the mayor too.
What was the turnout in Southwold?
37.3% of electors voted when Southwold council was elected in October 2022; the Ontario median was 35.5%.
Sources: MPs: Wikidata (CC0), 45th Parliament statements, read 7 November 2026; ridings: 2023 Representation Order, Statistics Canada · Southern Ontario ridings: the 2013 federal boundaries (Representation Act, 2015), Statistics Canada · Councils: Ontario 2022 Municipal Election data, MMAH (OGL-Ontario) · Money: Financial Information Return 2024, Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Next municipal election: the province’s municipal election act · Municipality types: Statistics Canada census subdivisions · Federal results: Elections Canada, 43rd and 44th general elections and the 44th’s transposition to the 2023 ridings, via open.canada.ca. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada · MPs’ records: Wikidata (CC0), positions held and party memberships, read 8 November 2026. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).