Register of Absentee Voters
Individuals who are temporarily residing outside of Ontario may be eligible to register as an absentee voter. To be eligible, you must be:
- 18 years of age or older;
- a Canadian citizen;
- temporarily residing outside of Ontario;
- a resident of Ontario for at least 12 consecutive months before leaving; and
- intent on returning to Ontario.
You are eligible as an absentee voter for up to two years from the date you left Ontario.
Absentee voters are exempt from the two-year eligibility limit and will need to provide proof of occupation or educational attendance if applying under one of the following categories:
- on active duty as a member of the armed forces of Canada;
- in the service of the Government of Ontario;
- in the service of the Government of Canada and absent from Canada;
- attending an educational institution; or
- as a family member of one of the above.
You will need to provide proof of ID including name and last residential address before leaving Ontario, and of occupation or educational attendance (if applicable). Find examples of ID to add, update or remove your information on the Register of Absentee Voters.
You can use eRegistration to add, update or confirm your information on the Register of Absentee Voters. If you are registered as an absentee voter and have resumed residence in Ontario, you can also use eRegistration to transfer your information to the voters list.
Find examples of acceptable ID needed to add or update your information.
You can also complete an application form and return it to us by:
- email to register@elections.on.ca with an attached copy of your ID; or
- mail with a photocopy of your ID.
Please note that applications sent by mail or email may take longer to process.
Your last residential address in Ontario determines your electoral district while you are registered as an absentee voter. Once approved as an absentee voter, you:
- can only vote by mail;
- cannot make any changes to your absentee record starting 5 weeks before election day;
- will be mailed a voting kit whenever an election is called in your electoral district;
- are responsible for the cost of returning your completed ballot before 6 PM (Eastern Time) on election day; and
- will not be automatically transferred to the voters list and must update your information once you have resumed residency in Ontario or have exceeded the two-year limit (if applicable).
Elections Ontario may contact you periodically to request additional information or to request that you confirm your status as an absentee voter.