By Sumayya
Voters in Ottawa and in towns across Ontario will have their chance to share their choices today. This happens as the 176-day local election campaign finally comes to an end.
It is local election day in Ottawa. The voting places are open from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. so that citizens can vote for a mayor, a city councillor, and a school board trustee. There is full news coverage from the campaign trail.
In Ottawa, there are 181 choices on the ballot running for mayor, city councillor, and school board trustee across the four different school boards. There are 14 people running to be the mayor of Ottawa.
About 10 per cent of Ottawa’s 868,248 allowed voters have already voted. They did this during Special Advance Voting days, regular Advance Voting Days, and through mail-in voting.
8 things to know before Ottawa’s local election on Monday
The City of Ottawa says that 59,093 people voted during the Advance Voting Day on October 16. Another 27,553 people voted during the four days of Special Advance Voting between October 1 and October 4. A total of 2,957 mail ballots were sent in by the October 16 deadline.
There is also coverage on the specific issues that matter most to voters in each area.
CTV News Ottawa will have complete coverage of the local election today. The results will start coming in after the voting places close at 8 p.m.
CTV News Ottawa explains what you need to know to vote in today’s Ottawa local election.
When can I vote?
Voting places will stay open between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Where can I vote?
Voters must cast their choices for mayor, councillor, and school board trustee at the specific voting place assigned to them in their local neighborhood area.
The city says you can find your voting location by checking your Voter Notification Letter, contacting the Elections Ottawa Officer, or using the “Where Do I Vote?” online tool on the website ottawa.ca/vote.
The city asks voters who received a Voter Notification Letter to bring it with them to the voting place, but you do not absolutely need it to vote.
What do I need to vote?
Voters must show one piece of identification to get a ballot paper at the voting location.
The city says this identification must show your name and your correct Ottawa address. The city says you can show any one of the following documents as proof of your personal information:
- An Ontario driver’s license.
- An Ontario Health Card (the version with a photo).
- An Ontario Photo Card.
- An Ontario motor vehicle permit (the vehicle portion).
- A cancelled personalized cheque.
- A mortgage statement, lease, or rental agreement for a property in Ontario.
- An insurance policy or insurance statement.
- A loan agreement or other financial agreement with a bank or financial institution.
- A document given or confirmed by a court in Ontario.
- Any other official document from the government of Canada, Ontario, a municipality in Ontario, or an agency run by these governments.
- Any official document from a Band Council in Ontario created under the Indian Act (Canada).
- An income tax assessment notice.
- A Child Tax Benefit Statement.
- A Statement of Employment Insurance Benefits Paid T4E.
- A Statement of Old Age Security T4A (OAS).
- A Statement of Canada Pension Plan Benefits T4A (P).
- A Canada Pension Plan Statement of Contributions.
- A Statement of Direct Deposit for Ontario Works.
- A Statement of Direct Deposit for the Ontario Disability Support Program.
- A Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Statement of Benefits T5007.
- A property tax assessment.
- A credit card statement, bank account statement, or an RRSP, RRIF, RHOSP, or T5 statement.
- A CNIB Card or a card from another registered charity that helps people with disabilities.
- A hospital card or hospital record.
- A document showing you live in a campus residence, given by the office or bosses in charge of student housing at a college or university.
- A document showing you live in a long-term care home under the Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007, given by the Administrator of that home.
- A utility bill for electricity, water, gas, telephone, or cable TV, or a bill from a public utilities commission.
- A cheque stub, T4 statement, or pay receipt given to you by an employer.
- A transcript or report card from a college or university.
The city points out that you do not need a photo ID to vote in this local election.
What if my name is not on the voters list?
The City of Ottawa says that voters whose names are missing from the Voters List, or who need to change their information, can do so right at the voting location.
Forms to add your name or fix your information on the Voters’ List will be ready at every single voting place. They are simple to fill out on-site.
The city states you must show identification before you get a ballot at the voting place, and that ID must show your name and qualifying address.
“If a voter cannot show an approved proof of identity and address, they can sign an official legal statement before they are given a ballot,” the city explained.
Who cannot vote
The City of Ottawa says the following people are not allowed to vote in this local election:
- A person who is currently serving a prison sentence in a jail or correctional facility.
- A corporation or company.
- A person acting as an executor, trustee, or in another legal representative role, unless they are acting as an approved voting proxy for someone else.
- A person who has been convicted of a corrupt voting practice as described in section 90(3) of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996.
