The 2026 Municipal election, explained
A Municipal election is happening, what does that mean?
A municipal election is coming up October 26th, 2026 which means that people in Toronto will be voting to elect their Mayor, City Councillors, and School Board Trustees.
The City of Toronto is divided into wards, and voters will elect a city councillor and school board trustees to represent the ward that they live in.
What does the Municipal government do?
Municipal governments are responsible for the delivery of services such as public transit, maintenance of local roads, fire services, libraries, recreation programming, water and wastewater systems, and health and social services.
WHo can vote in this election?
To vote in the upcoming municipal election, you must be a Canadian Citizen, 18 or older on Election Day, and reside within the municipality where you are voting.
Those with refugee status, or who are temporary or permanent residents aren’t eligible to vote but that doesn’t mean you can’t participate in the election.
Getting involved can be as simple as speaking to your friends and family about the election, and the issues that are important to you. You can also sign up to volunteer with a candidates campaign. Often, volunteers are tasked with things like phone banking (making cold calls), door knocking and more!
WHO IS RUNNING IN THIS ELECTION?
You can figure out what ward you’re in and who the candidates are for Mayor, City Councillor, and School Board Trustees here!
How Do I know who to vote for?
You should think about what issues are most important to you, and how each candidate might align with your values. You can also read about what actions those already in office have taken in the last three years.
The Toronto Public Library has also put together a voter’s guide where they compiled candidate’s answers to a series of questions on specific issues.
HOW CAN I VOTE?
If you have a mailing address in the City of Toronto, you have likely already received a voter information card in the mail. You will need to bring the card plus a piece of ID with your address to the polling station. You can read more here about acceptable identification documents.
If you did not receive a voter information card, you can register to vote below, or you can add your name to the voters’ list in person during advance voting or on election day.
There are a few different ways that you can vote in this election, in addition to casting your ballot in person on election day (October 26th).
Voting by mail
You can apply to vote by mail before September 24th at 4:30 PM (Eastern Time). Once approved, you will receive your voting kit in the mail. Toronto Elections must receive your completed voting kit by 12 PM (Eastern Time) on October 14th to be counted. Your voting kit will include a write-in ballot on which you will have to write the candidate’s given name (or initials) and surname.
Advance polls
You can vote at any advance voting location in your electoral district from 10 AM to 7 PM (Eastern Time) from October 6th - 11th. You can find your advance voting locations here!
Don’t forget to bring your ID!
Voting in person on election day
Enter your address into the MyVote website to find out where your assigned voting location will be. The polls will be open from 10 AM to 8 PM on October 26th. Don’t forget to bring your ID!
What identification can I use to vote in person?
If you have a voter information card, you must bring it as well as one piece of ID with your name on it. (You can see the full list of accepted IDs here.) You do not have to provide photo ID and your photo does not need to match your current appearance.
If you don’t have a voter information card, you can add your name to the voters’ list in person during advance voting or on election day. You will need to bring one piece of ID with both your name and home address to the voting location.
Don’t have a drivers licence? An Ontario photo card has both your name and address on it and is accepted. However, your health card does not include your address and can’t be used as ID on it’s own (unless you have a voter information card). Instead, you can bring pieces of mail with your name and address on them such as a bank or credit card statement, pay stub, tuition or fee statement, lease or rental statement and more!
Don’t have an address?
You can still vote! Eligible voters who do not have a permanent address can vote in the 2026 municipal election. Administrators of shelters, food banks, and community health care facilities can provide voters without a permanent address a temporary form of ID that you can use to vote. (More information can be found here)
If you are a Charlie’s FreeWheels participant who doesn’t have a permanent address, please get in touch with us at info[at]charliesfreewheels[dot]ca and we will help you get a temporary ID to vote!
WHAT ABOUT BIKES?
Cycling infrastructure and active transportation are an important election issue. If bikes are important to you, you should take a look at the candidate’s platforms to see who best aligns with your values.
Cycling hasn't been a major focus for most of the campaign announcements we've seen, but you can reach out to your local candidate to understand their priorities and share your views with them. Your voice matters!
Get involved!
Campaign offices, phone numbers, emails, and social media are your direct connection to your local candidate. Don't be afraid to drop in to one in your neighbourhood to learn about their priorities and share your views.
