How to vote in today's Toronto municipal election
Where do I vote? How do I know if I'm on the voters list? Get the answers here
Here's a primer for voters with questions about how, when and where they can cast their vote in today's Toronto municipal election.
When do polls open? Polls open at 10 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
Who can vote? To qualify to vote you must be:
- A Canadian citizen.
- At least 18 years of age on voting day.
- A resident of the city of Toronto.
- A non-resident of Toronto who owns property in the city or who has a spouse who owns property in the city.
Where do I vote? The city has a handy website for this: MyVote. Punch in your address and it will list where you can vote, along with the complete list of mayoral candidates and the council and school trustee candidates running in your ward. A complete list of voting places is here.
I'm out of town on Oct. 27, are there advance polls? Advance polls have closed. They were open from Oct. 14 to 19.
So I just put an 'X' by the name of my preferred candidate, right? No, the city uses a different ballot. Instead of marking an X, you draw a line that connects a gap in the arrow beside the candidate's name. This video explains it. And here is a list of what the ballots look like.
How do I know if I'm not on the voters' list? Use the MyVote tool and enter your name. If you're not on the list you can request to be added. Being on the voters' list means you should have received a Voter Information Card in the mail, which shows where you can vote and will speed up the process on voting day.
So if I'm not on the voters' list and don't Have a Voter Information Card, can I still vote? Yes, just take your ID to your voting place listed on the MyVote tool.
What do I need to bring with me when I go to vote? ID or a statement that shows your name and qualifying Toronto address. The city mentions the following ID as acceptable:
- Driver's licence.
- Credit card statement.
- Cancelled personal cheque.
There are other forms of ID that will work. A complete list is here.
If you do not have acceptable ID, but your name is on the voters' list you will be required to sign a Declaration of Identity to receive a ballot. If you do not have acceptable ID, and are not on the voters' list, you will be asked to return with your ID in order to receive a ballot.
What services are available to voters who might need extra help? This section of the city website shows how you can:
- Appoint a proxy to vote for you.
- Vote from the curbside if you are physically unable to go inside the voting place.
- Find a list of organizations that can help provide transit on voting day.
- Lean how to use special voting equipment designed to assist voters with special needs.
This video shows how the city's Voter Assist Terminals work.