How to cast a ballot early and on Ontario's election day in Hamilton and area
Desmond Brown | CBC News | Posted: February 5, 2025 12:00 PM | Last Updated: February 5
Voters can already cast a ballot at their local election office
- Follow CBC News's full coverage of the Ontario election here.
- See the list of candidates running in Burlington, Hamilton, Niagara, Brantford and Haldimand-Norfolk.
The snap election triggered on Jan. 29 will be held Feb. 27. Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford called the election roughly 16 months ahead of schedule.
Here's what you need to know about casting a ballot.
Who is eligible to vote?
Residents of Ontario who are Canadian citizens and 18 or older can vote.
When can you vote?
According to Elections Ontario, you can mark your X on or before Feb. 27 to elect your Member of Provincial Parliament. There are a number of ways to do so:
Vote already at your local election office
You can already vote in person at your local election office from the day after an election in your electoral district has been called — Jan. 30 — until 6 p.m. the day before election day. Find your election office by choosing your riding and clicking "voting early."
Vote by mail
Apply to vote by mail before Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. to receive a voting kit. Here's how:
- Complete a Vote by Mail application and provide a copy of at least one piece of government-issued ID showing your name and home address.
- You can use the use the online application or download and print one. Both options are available on the Elections Ontario website.
- Elections Ontario must receive your application by 6 p.m. on Feb. 21, six days before election day.
- Once your vote by mail application has been reviewed and approved by Elections Ontario, a voting kit with a ballot will be mailed to you at the mailing address provided.
Advance voting
Advance voting will be open Feb. 20 to 22. During this period, you can vote at any of the advance voting locations in your electoral district. Advance voting locations are open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
In person on election day
You can vote in person on election day from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at your assigned voting location based on your home address.
What you need to vote
Those who are not already registered must add or update their information at registertovoteon.ca to receive a voter information card before election day.
Elections Ontario says the cards with information about your riding and assigned voting locations will be in the mail from Feb. 17 to 22.
You must bring your voter card and one piece of identification that shows your name when you go to vote. If you don't receive a voter card, you can still cast a ballot by bringing a piece of ID that shows both your name and home address to the polling station. Elections Ontario says photo ID is not required.
Hamilton and area ridings
The list of candidates in the following ridings can be found here.
- Burlington.
- Oakville North-Burlington.
- Flamborough-Glanbrook.
- Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas.
- Hamilton Centre.
- Hamilton Mountain.
- Hamilton East-Stoney Creek.
- St. Catharines.
- Niagara West.
- Niagara Centre.
- Niagara Falls.
- Brantford-Brant.
- Haldimand-Norfolk.