Frequently asked questions about voting in an Ontario provincial election
If you are eligible to vote in an Ontario provincial election, you can vote:
- by mail; OR
- at your returning office; OR
- during advance voting; OR
- on election day
You can use our Voter Information Service to find your voting locations. Our accessibility page also features tools and services to vote.
If you are on the voters list, you need to present one piece of ID showing your name to vote. If you are not on the voters list, you must present one piece of ID showing both your name and home address to vote.
Find examples of accepted ID to vote in an Ontario provincial election.
You do not need to provide any information about your sex or gender expression when you go to vote.
If you are on the voters list, you need to present one piece of ID showing your name to vote. If you are not on the voters list, you must present one piece of ID showing both your name and home address to vote.
If you are unable to vote in person at your returning office, advance voting location or at your assigned location on election day, you can apply to vote by mail or request a home visit.
We strive to make voting accessible to all voters. Services for accessible voting include assistive voting technology, assistance at the polls, and voting by mail or home visit.
Find more information about accessible voting.
Ontario’s election law allows voters to decline their ballot. This is a public process done out loud.
The election official will mark “declined” on the back of the ballot. The ballot will not be placed in the ballot box but in an envelope for declined ballots. Declined ballots will be counted after the polls close on election night and will be a part of the official results under “ballots declined by voters”.
If you do not have a permanent address you can still vote during a by-election or general election. The place where you have returned to most often to eat or sleep in the past five weeks is considered to be your address.
If you do not have ID showing both your name and home address, the administrator of your shelter, food bank, or community health care facility that you use most often will provide you with a Certificate of Identity and Residence form.
Find information for administrators.
Elections Ontario is committed to respecting your privacy and protecting your personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Personal information is collected under the authority of the Election Act, the Election Finances Act, the Employment Standards Act, 2000 and/or other legislation. This information will be used for electoral purposes and may be used to conduct election research. Your personal information may be shared internally at Elections Ontario for the purposes outlined above and will be securely destroyed one year after its last use or later, where legislatively required. Questions about the collection can be directed to: priv@elections.on.ca.