Student Connect

About Student Connect

• Student Connect provides high school students with a hands-on opportunity to build their civics knowledge, connect with community, and participate in the democratic process by working in a voting place on election day.
• Schools register for the program and designate a principal, teacher or administrator to act as a Student Connect facilitator.
• Facilitators oversee student applications and position assignments with support from Toronto Elections staff.
• Students must be at least 16 years of age on election day (October 26, 2026). They must be in good standing with their school and have school approval to participate, as well as parent or guardian approval if under 18.
• Paid positions as tabulator officers, customer service officers, and access officers are available at hundreds of voting places across the city.
• New for 2026! The school with the highest participation rate (per capita) in Student Connect will earn a special opportunity to work with Toronto Elections on a civic engagement initiative in 2027.

About the Facilitator Role

• Toronto Elections partners with school facilitators to make participation in Student Connect as easy as possible.
• A facilitator’s first responsibility is to register their school for Student Connect by February 27, 2026.
• Facilitator packages will be emailed April 1, 2026.
• Facilitators oversee student applications and election day position assignments with support from Toronto Elections.
• Toronto Elections will offer online information sessions to support facilitators in February and April. A student-specific session will be held in April.
• Student applications must be completed and returned by June 12, 2026.
• The estimated time commitment for a facilitator is approximately 15 hours over the course of the program.

 

Key Dates

Date	Details
February 2	Registration opens
February 19	Virtual information session for interested principals, vice principals, teachers and faculty members
February 27	Deadline to register your school
April 1	Facilitator packages emailed to participating schools
April 14	Virtual information session for Student Connect facilitators
April 21	Virtual information session for interested students
June 12	Deadline for facilitators to submit student applications
July	Students receive confirmation of job assignments and training dates
October 5 to 23	Students attend their selected in-person training session
October 26	Election day
November	Virtual resume workshop to show students how to incorporate their elections experience on their resume

Job Description: Access Officer

Reporting to the Managing Deputy Returning Officer (MDRO) or Deputy Returning Officer (DRO), the Access Officer is the first point of contact for many voters. Your role is to ensure that every voter is welcomed with respect and dignity. Whether you’re opening doors, guiding voters to an accessible entrance or assisting with elevators, you help make the voting place inclusive and barrier-free. Your friendly attentiveness and care ensure that everyone can participate fully in the democratic process.

Pay: $280

Time Commitment

• Training: Approximately 2.5 hours (in-person, online and material review).
• Election day: October 26, 2026, from 8 a.m. until dismissed by MDRO (approximately 9 p.m.).

Major Responsibilities

• Assists with opening and closing the voting place.
• Posts and removes signage inside and outside of the voting place as directed by MDRO.
• Opening doors where there is no “push button.”
• Operating an elevator.
• Directing voters to the accessible entrance and voting room.
• Assisting voters with disabilities, if they request help, and ensuring eligible voters are able to exercise their right to vote.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the MDRO.
• Performs duties and follows procedures in accordance with instruction and resource material provided.

Key Qualifications

• Successful completion of all assigned mandatory training.
• Must communicate in easy-to-understand English while greeting and directing voters.
• Must be able to assist with the setup and takedown of the voting place which may include lifting up to 55 pounds.
• Must be able to sit and/or stand for long periods of time.
• Must have excellent customer service skills and a professional demeanor to communicate with voters in a friendly and courteous manner and support voters who require assistance.
• Must consistently demonstrate good judgement and problem-solving skills.
• Must be able to work well as a member of a team.
• Must be able to set aside personal political preferences and deal with voters in a non-partisan manner while conducting the election.
• Second language is an asset.

Conditions of Employment

Must be:

• Legally entitled to work in Canada.
• 16 years of age on or before voting day. 

Must not be:

• A candidate or registered third party advertiser
• An immediate family member of a candidate, or
• Actively working to support or oppose a candidate in the Toronto Municipal Election.

Job Description: Customer Service Officer

Reporting to the Managing Deputy Returning Officer (MDRO) or Deputy Returning Officer (DRO), the Customer Service Officer is responsible for helping voters feel welcomed and informed from the moment they arrive. You ensure they are ready to vote and have their identification in hand; you guide them through the voting place and direct them to the correct team member. Your calm, friendly and courteous presence helps maintain an orderly flow and ensures that every voter receives respectful and accessible service.

Pay: $280

Time Commitment

• Training: Approximately 2.5 hours (in-person, online and material review).
• Election day: October 26, 2026, from 8 a.m. until dismissed by MDRO (approximately 9 p.m.).

Major Responsibilities

• Assists with opening and closing the voting place.
• Posts and removes signage inside and outside of the voting place as directed by MDRO.
• Ensures that voters have a Voter Information Card and appropriate identification and directs them to the appropriate Election Official.
• Ensure eligible voters are able to exercise their right to vote.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the MDRO.
• Performs duties and follows procedures in accordance with instruction and resource material provided.

Key Qualifications:

• Successful completion of all assigned mandatory training.
• Must communicate in easy-to-understand English while greeting and directing voters.
• Must be able to assist with the setup and takedown of the voting place which may include lifting up to 55 pounds.
• Must be able to sit and/or stand for long periods of time.
• Must have excellent customer service skills and a professional demeanor to communicate with voters in a friendly and courteous manner and support voters who require assistance.
• Must consistently demonstrate good judgement and problem-solving skills.
• Must be able to work well as a member of a team.
• Must be able to set aside personal political preferences and deal with voters in a non-partisan manner while conducting the election.
• Second language is an asset.

Conditions of Employment:

Must be:

• Legally entitled to work in Canada.
• 16 years of age on or before voting day.

Must not be:

• A candidate or registered third party advertiser
• An immediate family member of a candidate, or
• Actively working to support or oppose a candidate in the Toronto municipal election.

Job Description: Tabulator Officer

Reporting to the Managing Deputy Returning Officer (MDRO), the Tabulator Officer helps ensure that every vote is counted accurately. You accept ballots from voters while maintaining the secrecy of their vote, operate the vote tabulator and troubleshoot any issues that arise. Your discretion and focus help maintain the integrity of the election and provide voters with confidence in the process.

Pay: $280

Time Commitment

• Training: Approximately 2.5 hours (in-person, online and material review).
• Election day: October 26, 2026, from 8 a.m. until dismissed by MDRO (approximately 9 p.m.).

Major Responsibilities:

• Assists with opening and closing the voting place.
• Sets up and takes down the tabulator and ballot box (tabulator and case weighs approximately 55+ pounds).
• Ensures that the tabulator is operating properly throughout the day.
• Accept ballots from voters and ensure that all ballots are correctly fed through the tabulator.
• Troubleshoot any issues with the tabulator.
• Assists voters that request assistance.
• Ensures that results are successfully transmitted to Elections headquarters on election night.
• Performs other duties as assigned by MDRO.
• Performs duties and follows procedures in accordance with instruction and resource material provided.

Key Qualifications:

• Successful completion of all assigned mandatory training.
• Must communicate in easy-to-understand English while assisting voters.
• Must be able to assist with the set up and take down of the voting place which may include lifting up to 55 pounds (tabulator weighs approximately 55 pounds with the case and supplies).
• Must be able to sit and/or stand for long periods of time.
• Must be familiar with and be able to troubleshoot issues with automated equipment.
• Must have excellent customer service skills and a professional demeanor to communicate with voters in a friendly and courteous manner and support voters who require assistance.
• Must consistently demonstrate good judgement and problem-solving skills.
• Must be able to work well as a member of a team.
• Must be able to set aside personal political preferences and deal with voters in a non-partisan manner.
• Second language is an asset.

Conditions of Employment:

Must be:

• Legally entitled to work in Canada.
• 16 years of age on or before voting day.

Must not be:

• A candidate or registered third party advertiser
• An immediate family member of a candidate, or
• Actively working to support or oppose a candidate in the Toronto municipal election.