Toronto to hold byelection for new mayor on June 26

Former mayor John Tory stepped down last week after admitting to having had a relationship with a member of his office staff.

Thestar.com
Feb. 24, 2023
Ben Spurr

Toronto will elect its next mayor on June 26.

In a press release Thursday, Toronto city clerk John D. Elvidge announced key dates for the byelection to replace John Tory.

Subject to council officially triggering the vote at its next meeting on March 29, nominations for the race will open Monday, April 3 at 8:30 a.m., and will close on Friday, May 12 at 2 p.m. Advance voting will take place for six days leading up to Tuesday, June 13, ahead of regular voting day on the 26th, which is a Monday.

Council is required by provincial law to call a byelection to replace Tory, who stepped down last week after a Star investigation revealed that he had a relationship with a member of his office staff.

Although council is responsible for triggering the vote, the timing of the election is up to the city clerk. In its release, the city said it was unusual for the clerk to fix dates before council had officially called an election, but in this case he “considers it to be in the best interests of the city, candidates and electors to announce the applicable byelection dates as early as possible.”

Announcing the dates now will also allow the city to start hiring election workers and booking polling locations. The city estimates the byelection will cost about $13 million, slightly less than the $14.5 million spent on October’s municipal election, which included 25 councillors and the mayor. The city says the mayoral race, which is city wide, requires the same administrative effort as a general election.

The leadership vacuum left by Tory’s shock resignation had prompted speculation that councillors could call a special meeting to call an earlier byelection. But Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie has said staff advised against that, because they need time to set up the unexpected vote.

Candidates aren’t able to start incurring campaign costs or accepting donations until nominations open and they file their papers with the city clerk.
The compressed byelection schedule means competitors will have about half as much time as normal to mount a full campaign. There will be less than three months between the opening of nominations and voting day in the upcoming race, compared to almost six months in the 2022 election.

Among those preparing or considering campaigns are former councillors Ana Bailão and Mike Layton, and current members Brad Bradford and Josh Matlow. NDP MPP Bhutila Karpoche and Liberal MPP Mitzie Hunter have also said they’re mulling a bid, as is former Toronto police chief Mark Saunders.

Tory’s former deputy mayor Denzil Minnan-Wong announced Thursday doesn’t intend to run.