2023 By-Election for Mayor: How to Vote

If you don’t receive a Voter Information Card (VIC) in the mail but you’re on the voters’ list, starting June 1 access your card through MyVote. You don’t need a VIC to vote during advance vote (June 8-13) or on election day (June 26). Learn more.

To vote in the 2023 by-election for mayor, you must be:

  • a Canadian citizen; and
  • at least 18 years old; and
  • a resident in the city of Toronto; or
  • a non-resident of Toronto, but you or your spouse own or rent property in the city; and
  • not prohibited from voting under any law.

You may only vote once in the 2023 by-election for mayor regardless of how many properties you own or rent within the city.

During advance vote (from June 8 to 13), you can vote at any of the available voting locations across the city.

On election day (June 26), if you own or rent multiple properties, you must only vote in the ward where you live.

To vote in Toronto, you are required to show identification with your name and Toronto address.

Information for students

Students living in Toronto for school

  • If you are a student living away from “home” to attend an educational institution in Toronto and consider your “home” to be the place where you live when you are not attending school, which means you plan on returning there, then you are eligible to vote in both your “home” municipality and in the municipality where you currently live to attend school.
  • If your home and school residence are both in Toronto, vote in the ward where your “home” is located not where your school residence is located.
  • If you’re not on the voters’ list, you can add yourself at the voting location by showing identification with your name and Toronto address. Your address is considered to be either:
    • your current Toronto residence; or
    • if you are temporarily without Toronto residence, but will resume your studies in the upcoming term, your address is where you most recently lived in Toronto during your previous academic term.

Students living away from Toronto for school

  • If you are a Toronto resident, but are studying in another Ontario municipality you may be eligible to vote in both municipalities.
  • In Toronto, vote in the ward where your “home” is located. Bring identification with your name and qualifying Toronto address to the voting location.
  • You may opt to appoint another elector as Proxy to vote on your behalf.
  • Please check with the City Clerk of the municipality where you’re attending school to find out what your voting options are.

Who cannot vote:

You are prohibited from voting on voting day if you are:

  • serving a sentence of imprisonment in a penal or correctional institution
  • a corporation
  • acting as executor or trustee or in another representative capacity, except as a voting proxy
  • convicted of a corrupt practice described in section 90(3) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996

In-person Voting

You may only vote once in the by-election for mayor regardless of how many properties you own or rent, and regardless of how many voting opportunities or options.

There are seven days of in-person voting:

In-Person Voting Date Time
Election Day Monday, June 26, 2023 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Advance Vote Thursday, June 8, 2023 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Advance Vote Friday, June 9, 2023 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Advance Vote Saturday, June 10, 2023 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Advance Vote Sunday, June 11, 2023 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Advance Vote Monday, June 12, 2023 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Advance Vote Tuesday, June 13, 2023 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

 

 

During any of the advance voting days – June 8 to 13 – eligible voters can vote at any voting place across the city.

You can find if you are on the voters’ list by using MyVote (starting May 1), emailing VoterRegistration@toronto.ca or by calling 311.

One piece of identification (ID) showing your name and qualifying Toronto address is needed when you go to vote.

  • Ontario issued photo card, driver’s licence or motor vehicle permit (vehicle portion).
  • Cancelled personalized cheque, credit card or bank account statement.
  • Utility bill for hydro, telephone or cable TV, water, gas or a bill from a public utilities commission.
  • Cheque stub, T4 statement or pay receipt issued by an employer.
  • Statement of direct deposit for Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program.
  • Property tax assessment, income tax assessment notice, Child Tax Benefit statement.
  • Mortgage statement, lease or rental agreement.
  • Transcript or report card from a post-secondary school.
  • Document showing campus residence, issued by the office or officials responsible for student residence at a post-secondary institution.
  • Any other document from the government of Canada, Ontario or a municipality in Ontario or a document issued or certified by a court in Ontario.
  • Any document from a Band Council in Ontario established under the Indian Act (Canada).
  • Insurance policy or insurance statement.
  • Loan agreement or other financial agreement with a financial institution.
  • Statement of Employment Insurance Benefits Paid T4E.
  • Statement of Old Age Security T4A (OAS), Canada Pension Plan Benefits T4A (P), Canada Pension Plan Statement of Contributions.
  • Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Statement of Benefits T5007.
  • CNIB card or a card from another registered charitable organization that provides services to persons with disabilities.
  • Document showing residence at a long-term care home under the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021, issued by the Administrator for the home.

Learn more about Ontario regulation 304/13 for voter identification under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996  as amended

May 1

  • First day to apply for Mail-in Voting
  • First day to add, change or update your information on the voters’ list

May 15

May 23

  • Voter Information Cards are mailed to eligible voters
    • Only eligible voters who are on the voters’ list as of May 14 will receive a voter information card in the mail. If you are on the voters’ list and do not get a voter card in the mail, you can access your card by using Myvote.

May 26

  • Deadline to apply for Mail-in Voting, by 4:30 p.m.

June 8 to June 13

  • Six days of advance voting from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

June 15

  • Completed Mail-in Voting packages must be received by noon (12 p.m.)

Monday, June 26

  • Election Day from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Identification with Your Name and Toronto Address

You are required to show the election official acceptable identification to receive your ballot.

You do not need photo ID, just one piece of ID showing your name and address within the city of Toronto.

The most common forms of acceptable ID are:

  • Government Issued – a document issued by the government of Canada or province of Ontario, tax documents, drivers licence, photo ID card
  • Bank Issued – credit card statement, bank account statement, cancelled personalized cheque, loan agreement
  • Utility Bill – Hydro, telephone or cable TV, water, gas or a bill from a public utilities commission
  • Employment Issued – Cheque stub, T4 statement or pay receipt issued by an employer, statement of direct deposit from Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program

Voter Information Card (VIC)

Although the VIC is not mandatory to vote, it confirms with election officials that you are on the voters’ list and speeds up your time in the voting place. If you are on the voters’ list you should receive your VIC before advance vote.

Getting on the Voters’ List

Check to see if you are on the voters’ list and review your information by using MyVote. If you are not on the voters’ list, you can add yourself when you go to vote in person.

Before you go to vote, check to see if you are on the voters’ list and review your information by using MyVote. If you are not on the voters’ list, you can add yourself when you go to vote in person.

When you arrive, an election official will:

  • greet and show you to where you need to go
  • ask for your identification
  • check your identification against the voters’ list and cross your name off the list
  • put your ballot into a secrecy folder and show you how to mark your ballot
  • direct you to the voting screen

You will:

  • mark your ballot by filling in the oval to the right of the candidate of your choice
  • vote once for each office on the ballot
    • If you make a mistake or change your mind, take the ballot to the election official who will cancel your ballot and issue you another one
  • place your marked ballot in the secrecy folder and take it to the election official who will feed your ballot into the tabulator while you wait
    • If there is a problem with your ballot, the tabulator will return it. The election official will give you the option of a new ballot or having the tabulator accept the ballot as marked
    • If you have any questions on how to properly mark the ballot, any of the election officials will be happy to explain it to you

You will have successfully voted once your ballot is accepted by the tabulator.

If Someone Questions Your Right to Vote

You must swear a declaration of qualification to ensure you are qualified.

Declaration of Qualification

I, (state your name), declare I am a qualified voter and
I have not already voted in this election.

If You Need the Help of an Interpreter

You may ask anyone who is not a candidate or a scrutineer to act as your interpreter and they must swear a Declaration of Interpreter

Declaration of Interpreter

The interpreter must swear a declaration before providing assistance. They may not go behind the voting screen with you.

I, (state your name), declare I will truthfully translate any declaration, document or question put to the elector and the answer.

If You Need a Friend to Mark Your Ballot for You

If you cannot mark the ballot, you may ask a friend to help you. The friend must swear a Declaration Friend of a Voter. The person acting as a friend may go behind the voting screen with you. A person may act as a friend only once, except in nursing homes, or for family members.

Declaration Friend of a Voter

I, (state your name), declare I will:

  • mark the ballot as directed by the voter
  • not try to influence the voter in making their choice
  • keep secret how the voter has voted