As advance polls opened across Toronto, Chris Alexander announced he was withdrawing from the mayoral race. Advance polling stations across the city are open daily from October 6 to October 11, between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., allowing residents to vote for their preferred candidates for mayor, city councillor, and school board trustee.
Voter information cards, delivered by post and listing polling sites for both advance voting and election day, are being sent to addresses across the area. Through the city's MyVote website, voters can verify their registration details, update or add their information to the voters' list, locate nearby polling stations, and review the candidates running in their ward. Residents without access to MyVote can obtain the same information by calling 311.
To cast a ballot in this year's municipal election, voters are required to hold Canadian citizenship, have reached the age of 18, and maintain residency within the city. Voters are also required to present identification listing both their name and a Toronto-area address before casting a ballot.
People who live outside Toronto may still cast a ballot there if they or their spouse hold a property interest in the city, whether through ownership or a rental arrangement. Regardless of whether someone owns or rents — a single property or several — municipal rules allow each person one ballot, cast in the ward where that person's home address is registered.
Three categories of parties fall outside eligibility: those currently held in a prison or correctional facility under an active sentence; any individual acting on behalf of another in a formal capacity such as executor or trustee, with voting proxies being the sole exception; and corporations.
Proof of identity is required to cast a ballot in Toronto. While the list of accepted documents is broad, neither a voter information card nor a passport qualifies on its own. Acceptable photo identification includes an Ontario-issued driver's licence, a motor vehicle permit, or a photo card, alongside financial documents such as a bank account or mortgage statement, a lease agreement, or paperwork issued by any level of government — federal, provincial, or municipal.
Accepted forms of address verification additionally include a hydro utility statement, any paperwork originating from a Band Council operating in Ontario under the authority of the Indian Act (Canada), or written confirmation of residency within a long-term care facility bearing the signature of that home's administrator. The complete range of accepted identification formats, including digital options, is listed on the municipal elections webpage.
Residents who require accessibility support or plan to be away from the city on election day have a range of voting options available, among them Voter Assist Terminals stationed at every advance polling site and at two locations on election day. Workers at polling locations are available to assist voters who require help, and those who prefer to arrive with a familiar companion are permitted to do so. Under municipal rules, any election official who accompanies a voter behind the voting screen is required to first make a formal declaration.
Residents who are unable to attend the polls on any of the scheduled voting days have the option of designating another eligible voter to cast a ballot on their behalf. Under electoral rules, a proxy is required to be registered to cast a ballot, and each voter is limited to appointing one such representative. To have a proxy cast a vote, both parties are required to fill out and sign a designated appointment form, which then requires certification from the city clerk's office. For questions about accessibility arrangements at polling locations, residents can contact the city by phone at 416-338-1111, extension 6, or by email at accessibleelections@toronto.ca.
Voting locations accept ballots throughout October 26, with doors open between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. Under the relevant law, workers retain the right to take up to three hours away from their job on polling day in order to cast a vote. Under the city's illustration, an employee whose shift runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. would be permitted to leave an hour before their shift ends, opening a three-hour window between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. in which to cast a ballot. Workplace arrangements granting workers paid hours away from the polls are described as another available avenue.
Those working noon-to-six shifts faced the possibility of an employer adjusting their start to 1 p.m. rather than allowing the original 6 p.m. finish to stand. Residents of Toronto had a September 24 deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot package. Recipients whose packages have already arrived face a noon deadline on October 14 to return those items, and an online tracking tool allows them to follow the progress of their return.
Ballots on election day cover three races: the mayoral contest, a city council seat, and positions on the school board. Printing of ballots was already complete at the time of Alexander's withdrawal, meaning Chris Alexander — a former federal cabinet minister — remains listed as a candidate on those printed forms. Ballots cast for Alexander remain valid, though such votes cannot result in him taking office as mayor. Alexander has not put forward an endorsement of any other candidate.
