Here's everything you need to know for today's Thunder Bay municipal election
Polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, with results coming in this evening
It's Ontario's municipal election day, and voters across Thunder Bay will be among those heading to the polls to cast their ballots for a new mayor, city councillors and school board trustees.
Polling stations opened at 10 a.m. in Thunder Bay, and will stay open until 8 p.m., with results expected to start coming in shortly after polls close.
The city and CBC News will post results as they come in online, and there will be an in-person event open to the public at city hall.
However, Thunder Bay City Clerk and Returning Officer Krista Power said its important to be patient as results are tabulated.
"My my biggest focus is that the numbers are accurate, the numbers are correct." she said. "That's what's most important. So we will make sure we get the numbers to Thunder Bay as soon as possible, but we want to make sure those numbers are right."
Head back to CBC News throughout the evening for the latest results, reaction and analysis.
Some polling stations had delays with their voters list portal, causing slight delays shortly after 10 a.m. Monday, but Power said their vendor was made aware of the issue and had the system back up and running.
There have been some advance voting options, with residents able to cast ballots in person, online, or even from their car.
Power said Sunday was a banner day for voter turnout, with more than 4,000 people casting their ballot online.
"So certainly Thunder Bay was preparing for today," Power said Monday, adding that about 22 per cent of eligible voters had already done so before Monday morning.
Thunder Bay is known for having high voter turnout in its municipal elections. In 2018, 51 per cent of voters cast their ballot, 11 per cent higher than the provincial turnout of 40 per cent. Power says she hopes to see another high turnout this time around.
"We do also appreciate that folks may be more challenged in this election with lots of new folks on the candidate ballot," she said. "So, hoping that people have taken the time to learn about their candidates to feel comfortable, to come out and choose someone who best represents them."
If you haven't voted, there's still time. Anyone who is in line to vote before 8 p.m. will have their ballot counted, Power said. If you need information on how to vote, scroll down for more.
Thunder Bay voters will cast their ballots for a city council, which includes a mayor, five at-large councillors, and seven ward councillors.
Depending on which school board you support, there are also trustees to be elected. This includes:
- Eight trustees for Lakehead District School Board.
- Six trustees for the Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board.
- One trustee for the French public school board.
- Five trustees for the French Catholic school board.
For those who are yet to cast their ballots, there are a few options for getting to know the candidates available from the City of Thunder Bay.
Candidate-submitted profiles are available on the city's website, and the Thunder Bay Public Library has posted videos from its candidate nights on its YouTube channel.
You can also check out our interviews with the five mayoral candidates, where they lay out their positions on the major issues facing the city.
Voter Information Letter
The city has already distributed these letters to voters. They include an identification number and PIN for those looking to cast their votes online, and also act as a pass for a free ride to and from a polling station on election day.
If you received a letter with errors on it, bring it, along with identification, to the City Clerk's Office at City Hall during normal operating hours, which will be between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Monday.
If you didn't receive a Voter Information Letter, good news: you don't actually need the letter to vote on election day. Simply bring some identification at your polling station to cast a ballot.
The letter is needed, however, if you're voting online.
Your voter information card also acts as a free travel pass, too, providing a free bus ride to and from a polling station on election day. You'll find the transit pass on the bottom of your voter information card; to use it, just show it to your bus driver as you head to the poll and back.
Where can I vote?
Your Voter Information Letter includes the location of your polling station.
However, if you didn't receive a letter, polling stations by ward are as follows (you'll also need an acceptable piece of ID, and the city has posted examples here).
Current River
- Current River Community Centre, 450 Dewe Ave.
- North End Community Centre, 954 Huron Ave.
Red River
- Thunder Bay 55 Plus Centre, 700 River St.
- Algonquin Avenue Public School, 160 Algonquin Ave. S.
McKellar
- Oliver Road Community Centre, 563 Oliver Rd.
- CLE Heritage Building, 425 Northern Ave.
McIntyre
- North McIntyre Recreation Centre, 2051 Government Rd.
- Woodcrest Public School, 867 Woodcrest Rd.
Northwood
- Kinsmen Youth Centre, 609 James St. N.
- Ecole Elsie MacGill Public School, 130 Churchill Dr. W.
Westfort
- Kingsway Park Public School, 315 Empire Ave.
- West Thunder Community Centre, 915 Edward St. S.
Neebing
- West Arthur Community Centre, 1914 Arthur St. W.