How to decline your ballot in Ontario provincial elections

Voters are able to decline or refuse their ballot in Ontario provincial elections.

Declined ballot

An elector who has received a ballot and returns it to the deputy returning officer declining to vote, forfeits the right to vote and the deputy returning officer shall immediately write the word “declined” upon the back of the ballot and preserve it to be returned to the returning officer and shall cause an entry to be made in the poll record that the elector declined to vote.  R.S.O. 1990, c. E.6, s. 53.

Section 53 of the Elections Act

This is like provincial elections in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, where voters have the option to decline their ballot by handing it back to the election official and stating “I decline the ballot.”. This option is not available in Canada’s federal elections.

Our Action Playbook has many ways to raise your concerns and impact the political decision-making processes.

How to decline your ballot

To decline your ballot, when the election official hands you your ballot, hand it back to them and state, “I decline the ballot.” Elections Ontario says this is a public process done out loud, however, you can likely just return the ballot to the election official as is done in other provinces. In Manitoba, you would write “declined” on your ballot and submit it as usual, maintaining the secrecy of your ballot.

The election official will mark “declined” on the back of the ballot. The declined ballots are counted and are part of the official results under “ballots declined by voters” or “None of the above.”

Our Action Playbook has other ways to raise your concerns and impact the political decision-making processes.

Why decline your ballot?

Declined ballots are counted and recorded, unlike staying home and not voting, spoiling your ballot or submitting a blank ballot, which do not count.

A voter might choose to decline their ballot when they feel that none of the options available on the ballot represent their views or if they disagree with the candidates or process presented. It is a way for engaged citizens who are willing, able and ready to vote to show their dissatisfaction with the choices available to them. ie. “I care enough to take the time to vote, but reject the options presented to me, please provide alternatives.”