Ontario election 2025: What you need to know to vote in the provincial election

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After several weeks of hints, allegations and things left unsaid, Ontario PC Leader Doug Ford finally made it official Tuesday afternoon, kick-starting the official process for a Feb. 27 election.

For those into ceremony, Ford asked Lt.-Gov. Edith Dumont to agree to the election call. That set off the Writs of Election, the formal documents governing Ontario’s 124 ridings.

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Elections Ontario is the unaffiliated board that oversees all elements of the campaign. Greg Essensa has served as Chief Electoral Officer since 2008.

While the official news arrived Tuesday, the parties have been running campaign-like TV and radio ads for months, trumpeting themselves and bad-mouthing their rivals.

Why call an election now?

After winning a majority in the previous election June 2, 2022, Ford and the ruling Progressive Conservatives weren’t required to return to the polls until 2026. Ford, however, says he needs a new mandate — “a strong, stable, four-year mandate” — to outlive the risks posed by U.S. President Donald Trump and his threat to impose 25-per-cent tariffs on all Canadian goods.

To maintain a majority, the Conservatives need to win at least 63 seats.

Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie, NDP leader Marit Stiles and Green leader Mike Schreiner have all said an election now is an unnecessary waste of money.

What happened in the 2022 election?

The PC’s won a resounding 83 of 124 seats, with a popular vote of 40.8 per cent. The NDP claimed 31 seats and 23.7 per cent of the voting share. Interestingly, while the Liberals claimed a higher popular vote than the NDP (23.8 per cent), they won only eight seats.

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That election hardly excited the masses. The biggest disappointment of all was the fact that only 44.06 per cent of eligible voters cast ballots — the lowest turnout in Ontario election history. In 2018, when Ford won his first Ontario election, 57 per cent of eligible voters cast ballots.

The vote count will be intriguing, considering that the federal Liberals are currently undergoing their own leadership campaign, which will then be followed be a national election.

What are the numbers in the Ontario legislature now?

The PC’s currently have 79 members in the provincial parliament, followed by the NDP at 28 and the Liberals at nine. There are six Independents and two Green party members.

When did the opposition parties change their leaders?

The huge PC victory in 2022 spurred changes in the opposition ranks. Stephen Del Duca, who headed the Liberals in that election, has since been replaced by Crombie, a former Mississauga mayor who won the leadership in December 2023. Marit Stiles took over as NDP leader in February 2023, succeeding Andrea Horwath, who headed the party during the 2022 election.

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What are the ridings in the Ottawa area and who currently holds the seats?

The voting districts include:

• Ottawa-Vanier (Lucille Collard, Liberal),
  
• Ottawa West-Nepean (Chandra Pasma, NDP),
• Ottawa South (John Fraser, Liberal),
• Ottawa Centre (Joel Harden),
• Nepean (Lisa MacLeod, PC),
• Orléans (Stephen Blais, Liberal),
• Carleton (Goldie Ghamari, Independent),
• Kanata-Carleton (Karen McCrimmon, Liberal),
• Glengarry-Prescott-Russell (Stéphane Sarrazin, PC),
• Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston (John Jordan, PC) and
• Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke (John Yakabuski, PC).

In September, MacLeod announced via social media that she would not be seeking re-election.

Who is eligible to vote?

Everyone who is 18 years old, lives in Ontario and holds Canadian citizenship. Most eligible voters will receive voter information cards (VIC) in the mail. The VIC includes details about what district to vote in and the site of the local election office. In order to vote, one piece of valid ID is necessary. The Elections Ontario website, www.elections.on.ca, includes information of what ID is acceptable and how to update change of address and other information.

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How do I find out where my riding is?

To find your electoral district, enter your postal code in the Elections Ontario Voter Information Service online tool. This handy tool will show you your electoral district name, electoral district number, who the current MPP is, plus maps and more general information.

Can you vote without a Voter Information Card?

Yes, providing you have proof of residence and have valid ID and show that information to election officials on voting day.

Can you vote by mail?

Yes, but in order to accomplish this, you must submit a vote-by-mail application — available online  — and provide ID with home address information.

Can you vote online?

How soon can someone vote in advance?

Once local election offices have been set up — typically that occurs a day after the election is called — residents are eligible to vote in advance. To do so, voters must present ID and fill out special ballot applications at local election offices.

What about students attending school away from home?

Ontario students can choose to vote in either their original home riding or in the district where they attend university or college. Again, proof of address and ID is necessary. However, on-campus voting is only open to those who live on-campus.

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Students from Ontario who are studying outside the province can mail in their votes. They must, however, fill out a Register of Absentee Voter form to receive voting kits.

That same Register of Absentee Voter form applies to any Ontario resident who is working out of the province during the election.

Is it possible to vote at home?

Yes, in rare circumstances involving medical necessities. Voters must contact local election offices to explain the circumstances. If approved, two election officials will bring a voting kit to your home.

What if someone wants to officially decline their ballot?

This is different from the 56 per cent of eligible voters in 2022 who chose not to get involved in the election. A formal effort to decline a ballot is a legitimate option. A voter must tell an election official of their intentions and the official will write “declined” on the back of the ballot. Declined ballots are placed in a separate box and are counted on election night.

kwarren@postmedia.com

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