Advance polls for Toronto’s election open Wednesday. Here’s what you need to know

TheStar.com
October 11, 2018
Jennifer Pagliaro

Toronto residents and business owners can begin casting their votes for mayor, city council and school boards starting Wednesday morning.

Advance polls, for those who would prefer to vote early, will be open daily until Oct. 14.

Two advance polling stations per ward will be open daily from Oct. 10 to Oct. 14.

Here’s everything you need to know about casting your ballot.

Can I vote?

If you are a Canadian citizen, 18 years or older, live in the city and you are not prohibited from voting under any law, you can vote. If you live elsewhere but you or your spouse own or rent property in the city, you can also vote in the ward where your property is located. To vote for a school board trustee, you must be an owner or tenant of a residential property in the city.

Where do I vote?

That depends on where you live. The ward boundaries for the city were recently changed by the province, so your area likely has a new ward number and name. You might now be in a ward you are unfamiliar with. The easiest way to check which ward you’re in and where you can vote is by going to myvote.toronto.ca and entering your address. There are two advance polling stations per ward. Anyone can vote at city hall (100 Queen St. West) during the advance voting period. Advance polls are open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Do I have to register ahead of time?

No. Unlike in the U.S. where most states have a voting registration deadline, you can still vote in Toronto even if you didn’t sign up before election day. If you did receive a voter card in the mail, bring it with you to the polling station along with one piece of approved identification showing your name and qualifying address. Having a voter card speeds up the process. If you lost your card, you can print one on the MyVote website. If you didn’t get a voter card, the process is still pretty straightforward. Bring your identification and an elections officer at the poll will help you. Examples of acceptable identification are an Ontario driver’s licence, a copy of your lease agreement, a utility bill or cable bill.

What if I can’t make it to an advance poll?

You can vote on election day, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Check the city’s MyVote site to find out where your poll will be on that day as it may be different from the advance polls. Alternatively, you can appoint a proxy to vote on your behalf. You can have a proxy certified up until 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 22. You can get the form by contacting election services at 416-338-1111, voterregistration@toronto.ca or in person at a city clerk’s office. More details are available on the city’s website.

OK, I’m ready to vote, but who do I vote for?

You get to vote for a mayoral candidate, council candidate in your ward and a school trustee depending on your school support (depending on if your taxes go to the English- or French-language public or Catholic school system). There are 35 mayoral candidates, 242 councillor candidates and 224 school board trustee candidates. You can see a list of who is running in your area at the MyVote site and look at a sample ballot. You can also check out the Star’s online election coverage for reporting on the candidates and their platforms, including ward profiles and a mayoral promise tracker.

When do I find out who won?

All poll results, including from advance polls, will be announced on election night. The Star will have live coverage of the winners.