Question: When is Toronto’s next municipal election?
The people of Toronto are often passionate about municipal politics with debates, debates, and media coverage of Toronto’s elections beginning many months before voting day. In Toronto municipal elections, you vote for the mayor, the councilman, and the school board administrator. Giving your opinion and casting your vote are important aspects of life in the city, and you can read on to learn more about the upcoming elections.
So when is Toronto’s next municipal election? Coming soon, and below is a summary of what you need to know.
Answer:
Toronto’s last municipal election took place on Monday, October 27, 2014. Municipal elections are held every four years in Toronto and the date for the next election is Monday, October 22, 2018 . People eligible to vote can do so between 10 am and 8 pm in the neighborhood where they live. If you cannot vote on the designated word, early voting will take place from Wednesday, October 10 to Sunday, October 14, from 10 am to 7 pm at City Hall or at one of the two locations in your neighborhood. If you are not sure where to vote, you can use the MyVote tool to find out by entering your home address.
You can also get a better idea of each neighborhood by taking a look at the 2018 Ward Maps.
If you want to brush up on who the key players are, you can find a list of certified candidates here.
Who can vote?
If you are wondering who can vote, you can vote in Toronto municipal elections if you are a Canadian citizen; and at least 18 years of age, a resident of the City of Toronto (or a non-resident of the City of Toronto, but you or your spouse own or rent property in the City), and are not prohibited from voting under any law. Please note that you can only vote once in a municipal election for the City of Toronto. When you vote, you will need to bring your Voter Information Card (VIC) as well as identification showing your name and qualifying Toronto address.
You can refer to this list to find out what type of identification is accepted when you go to vote. Having both your VIC and an acceptable identification document will help speed up the voting process.
Once you arrive at your polling place, you will be asked to show your VIC and identification before proceeding to a voting booth. When a booth is free, you will be given the go-ahead to start voting.
What’s new in this election?
There is a significant key difference between the 2018 municipal elections and the previous elections. What would normally happen would be to vote for city council candidates in 47 wards. However, this will be a 25-district election after an appeals court failed to reverse Ontario Prime Minister Doug Ford’s plan to reduce the number of councilors from 47 to 25. That’s a significant difference and one that could have a major impact on how the voting goes.
Key issues on the table for this election include public transportation, affordable housing, road safety, and urban planning.
You can find more information about elections, voting, and candidates at www.toronto.ca/elections.
Updated by Jessica Padykula
