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Privacy & security of personal information

At Elections Ontario, we are committed to protecting the privacy and security of personal information in ways that:

  • respect the privacy of individuals whose information is collected, used and disclosed by Elections Ontario; and
  • integrate privacy best practices into business practices, and the design of programs, services, systems and processes at Elections Ontario.

Find more information in our Privacy policy.

Elections Ontario is required by law to maintain three registers for voting in Ontario: the Permanent Register of Electors for Ontario (the “Register”), the Register of Absentee Voters  and the Ontario Register of Future Voters. 

Updates are made to the Register on an ongoing basis using information from federal, provincial and municipal data sources, such as the National Register of Electors maintained by Elections Canada, and/or other sources, and through direct updates from electors, including updates through Voter Registration.

The Chief Electoral Officer of Ontario (CEO) is permitted under the Election Act to provide information from the Register to:

  • the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada; 
  • any municipality in Ontario and its local boards;
  • Members of the Provincial Parliament;
  • registered political parties; and
  • candidates. 

Beginning January 1, 2024, the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, requires the CEO to provide preliminary lists of electors derived from the Register to municipal clerks for the purpose of conducting local electoral events. Pursuant to the Election Act, the CEO may also provide information from the Register to District Social Services Administration Boards and some school boards to run their board elections in Territories Without Municipal Organization.

The Guidelines for the Use of Electoral Products explains what information is shared, when it is shared, how recipients are authorized to use it, and their responsibilities for safeguarding voter information.

The Chief Electoral Officer of Ontario may, on the written request of a voter and subject to approval, redact from any record made available to political entities, data partners and to the public, any information that the Chief Electoral Officer reasonably believes would, if made available, endanger the life, health or security of the elector.

To request a redaction of information, please email priv@elections.on.ca or write to:

Elections Ontario 
Attn: Chief Privacy Officer
26 Prince Andrew Place 
Toronto, Ontario
M3C 2H4