Federal Elections Voting
To register and vote in a federal election, you must:
- be at least 18 years old
- have Canadian citizenship
Why register in advance?
To vote in a federal election, you must be registered on the list of electors.
You can register at the polls when you go to vote, but if you register in advance at the right address, you will receive a voter information card in the mail when a federal election is called. The voter information card tells you when, where and the ways to vote.
An up-to-date registration will also make the voting process faster.
Other ways to register or update your information
1. On your Canada Revenue Agency tax return every year. Checking "Yes" to the questions in the Elections Canada section is an easy way to keep your voter registration up to date.
2. By mail. Contact Elections Canada and we'll send you a voter registration form by mail, email or fax.
3. At your local Elections Canada office or assigned polling place when you go to vote. This option is available only when a general election or by-election is underway in your riding.
For Canadians living abroad
Canadians living abroad who are eligible to vote can register on the International Register of Electors.
Register of Future Electors
Canadian citizens aged 14 to 17 can register in the Register of Future Electors. Upon turning 18, eligible individuals will be added to the National Register of Electors to update the lists of electors for federal elections and referendums.
To register:
More information on voter registration
Information sourced from: www.elections.ca
Toronto’s Municipal Elections Voting
You can vote in Toronto’s municipal election if you are:
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 city of Toronto municipal election regardless of how many properties you own or rent within the city.
You must vote in the ward where you live.
Information for students:
If you are a student 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 while attending school.
If you are a student attending school in another city, please check with the City Clerk of that municipality to find out what your voting options are.
As a student and a resident of the city of Toronto, if you are unable to vote in the city of Toronto Municipal Election, you may appoint another elector as Proxy to vote on your behalf.
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
Toronto District School Board Elections Voting
In order to vote in a school board election for a school board trustee, you must be:
18 years of age or older and
a Canadian citizen;
a resident of a municipality (city of Toronto) or
the owner or tenant (or spouse of an owner of tenant) of residential property in a municipality (city of Toronto)
Notes:
School boards can cover a large area of a municipality
You are only allowed to vote for the same school board once
If you are eligible to vote in a municipality because you are the owner or tenant (or spouse of an owner or tenant) of a commercial property there, you are not eligible to vote for school trustee
School boards
There are four different kinds of school boards in Ontario:
English-language public school board: This is the default – unless you are qualified to vote for a separate or French board, you will vote for the English public school board in your area.
English language separate school board: You must be Roman Catholic, and you must be a separate school board supporter or the spouse of a separate school board supporter. If your spouse is a Roman Catholic and you are not, you are not eligible.
French language public school board: You must be a French language rights holder, and you must be a supporter (or the spouse of a supporter) of the French language public school board.
French language separate school board: You must be a Roman Catholic and a French language rights holder, and you must be a supporter (or the spouse of a supporter) of the French separate school board. If your spouse is a Roman Catholic and you are not, you are not eligible.
“Supporter” refers to which school board the school portion of your property taxes goes to. The default is the public school system. In order to be a separate school supporter you must direct your taxes to the separate school system. Contact the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (1-866-296-6722) for more information.
Information for students
If you are a student 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 while attending school
If you are a student attending school in another city, please check with the City Clerk of that municipality to find out what your voting options are
As a student and a resident of the city of Toronto, if you are unable to vote in the city of Toronto municipal election, you may appoint another elector as Proxy to vote on your behalf
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