Toronto’s Vote-by-Mail Deadline Is September 24: What Voters Need to Do
Toronto vote by mail deadline 2026 details are now confirmed: voters must apply by Thursday, September 24, at 4:30 p.m. A separate cutoff arrives first—residents must be on the voters’ list by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, September 20, to receive a voter information card in the mail.
Missing the September 20 cutoff does not stop an eligible resident from voting, and a voter information card is not required. The dates instead determine whether a card is mailed and how much time remains to receive, complete and return a mail-in package before the October election.
The Three Deadlines to Put on Your Calendar
- September 20 at midnight: Be on the voters’ list by this cutoff to receive a voter information card in the mail.
- September 24 at 4:30 p.m.: Submit a request to vote by mail.
- October 14 at noon: Toronto Elections must receive the completed mail-in package. A postmark by the deadline is not enough.
A voter information card lists where and when to vote. It can speed up the process at a voting place, but it is not required and cannot be used as identification. Anyone who misses the September 20 mailing cutoff can still use the City’s MyVote tool to download or print a digital card after confirming their information.
How to Request a Mail-in Ballot
Eligible voters can start through the City’s MyVote tool. Toronto Elections also directs residents who need help to call 416-338-1111 and select option 5 before the September 24 deadline.
Once a request is approved, Toronto Elections mails the package and provides a confirmation code that can be used to track it. The package contains instructions, an official ballot, a declaration form, a white secrecy envelope and a yellow prepaid return envelope for use within Canada.
To make the ballot count, voters should follow the package instructions carefully:
- Mark the ballot with a black or blue pen and seal it inside the white secrecy envelope.
- Place the sealed secrecy envelope inside the yellow return envelope.
- Sign and detach the declaration form, then add it to the yellow return envelope.
- Include a photocopy of qualifying identification only if the instructions require it.
- Return the complete package early enough to reach Toronto Elections by noon on Wednesday, October 14.
The prepaid return envelope can go through Canada Post. From October 1 until noon on October 14, voters can also use any of the 25 secure yellow Toronto Elections drop boxes, one in each ward. Completed packages cannot be returned at a voting place.
A voter can switch back to in-person voting only if the completed mail-in package has not already been returned. Once Toronto Elections receives it, the voter is marked as having voted and cannot cast another ballot in person.
Who Is Eligible to Vote
A Toronto municipal voter must be a Canadian citizen, be at least 18 years old and not be prohibited from voting under law. The person must either live in Toronto or qualify as a non-resident voter because they or their spouse own or rent property in the city. A voter may cast only one ballot, regardless of how many properties they own or rent.
Students may qualify in both the municipality they consider home and the Ontario municipality where they attend school. Toronto Elections advises students whose home and school addresses are both in Toronto to vote in the ward where their home is located.
Identification Still Matters
In-person voters must show one piece of acceptable identification with their name and qualifying Toronto address. Photo identification is not required. A driver’s licence, utility bill, bank statement, lease or an electronically issued statement displayed on a phone can qualify, but a voter information card cannot. A passport alone does not work because it does not show an address.
Residents who add themselves to the voters’ list or revise their information while requesting a mail-in ballot may be asked to upload a copy of identification. The package instructions will say whether a copy is required with the return documents.
In-person Voting Remains Available
Advance voting runs from Tuesday, October 6, through Sunday, October 11, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Election day is Monday, October 26, with voting places open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters can add themselves to the list in person with acceptable identification even after the October 11 online update deadline.
Toronto Elections offers a braille mail-in voting package. For mail-in help, call 416-338-1111 and select option 5. For accessibility questions, call 416-338-1111 and press 6, email AccessibleElections@toronto.ca or use TTY 711. Residents should check MyVote before leaving because assigned voting locations can change.
References
- City of Toronto news release on the voters’ list and vote-by-mail deadlines
- Toronto Elections mail-in voting instructions
- Toronto Elections voter information hub
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