Provincial elections in Ontario

Provincial elections in Ontario decide which candidate will become Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) and represent residents of their provincial riding in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. They determine which provincial political party forms government and which party is the Official Opposition. They are managed by Elections Ontario.

When is the next provincial election in Ontario?

The next provincial general election is scheduled to be held on or before June 4, 2026.

The last municipal election was held on June 2, 2022. As of December 2016, Ontario elections are held on the first Thursday in June in the 4th calendar year following the previous general election, unless the Legislative Assembly of Ontario is dissolved earlier by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario due to:

• Premier of Ontario’s request
• motion of no confidence 
• failure of the Assembly to grant supply

Confirm you are registered to vote

Register or update your voter information at RegisterToVoteON.ca so that you will be mailed a voter information card with information on when, where, and how to vote.

Who can vote in provincial elections?

You are eligible to vote in municipal elections in Ontario if you are a:

• Canadian citizen, and
• 18 or older, and
• Resident of Ontario

How to vote

You are required to show identification to vote. If your name is on the registered voters’ list, you will be required to show one piece of identification that has your name and address. This can be, but is no limited to:

• Ontario driver’s licence
• Ontario Health Card (photo card)
• property tax assessment
• credit card statement, bank account statement, or RRSP, RRIF, RHOSP or T5 statement
• utility bill for hydro, water, gas, telephone or cable TV or a bill from a public utilities commission
• transcript or report card from a post-secondary school

Voting methods

• Vote early in person at your local Returning Office from the day after an election has been called until 6 PM the day before election day.
• Vote by mail after an election is called by submitting a completed:
  • online application
  • download an application and send it by
    • email to [email protected], or
    • mail to Elections Ontario, Special Ballot, 26 Prince Andrew Place, Toronto, Ontario M3C 2H4 by 6 PM (Eastern Time) 6 days before election day
  • to receive a voting kit with a ballot by mail at the mailing address provided.
• Vote at advance voting locations in person from 10 AM to 8 PM (Eastern Time).
• Vote on election day in person from 9 AM to 9 PM (Eastern Time) at your assigned voting location based on your home address as shown on your voter information card sent to you in the mail.

Enter your postal code in the Voter Information Service to find your voting information about when and where to vote.

Can I vote online in Ontario provincial elections?

No, Elections Ontario does not offer online voting as a method of voting.

Who are you voting for?

Residents of each provincial riding are asked to vote for one candidate to become their Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Ontario is currently divided into 124 electoral districts.

What are their responsibilities?

The job of elected Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) represent your electoral district in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and raise your questions, concerns, or issues about provincial government responsibilities:

• Education (including colleges and universities)
• Healthcare (primarily)
• Immigration (shared)
• Long-Term Care
• Highways
• Hospitals
• Labour standards
• Natural Resources and Environment
• Prisons
• Property and Civil Rights in Ontario
• Provincial parks
• Sales tax
• Social Services
• Transportation

See: Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) job description

How to choose who to vote for?

Deciding who to vote for involves thoughtful consideration of your values and priorities as well as what’s important to your neighbours, community and fellow Ontarians. Different people prioritize different qualities in a candidate.

Here is a general guide:

1. Understand what the provincial government is responsible for (see above) and the job of MPPs
2. Make a list of issues that are important to you, your neighbours and your community, for example:
   • climate change
   • housing
   • public healthcare
   • Education
   • Job creation
3. Research parties’ platform, constitution, values and policies to see where they stand
4. Compare what each party says they will do to address each issue.
5. Assess party leaders who will become the Premier of Ontario if their party forms government. The Premier has additional authority and plays a significant role in the government’s priorities, policies and governance style (see: Minister mandate letters). How well will they represent you and your community? How well do they listen, understand and act on the needs of residents? Are they approachable?
   • interviews
   • candidate debates
   • responses to current issues
6. Assess candidates’ platforms, promises and views
   • How well do they engage, listen, understand and act on the needs of residents?
   • background
   • education
   • work experience
   • community involvement and engagement
   • candidate debates
   • town halls
   • donations to federal and provincial political parties and candidates
7. Review incumbents’ past performance (what did they actually did)
   • How well did they engage, listen, understand and act on the needs of residents?
   • government’s accomplishments. Did the party delivered on its promises?
   • roles in provincial Parliament (Minister, Critic, committees)
   • private member’s bills introduced
   • voting record
8. Contact candidate(s) and ask them about issues they haven’t addressed.

Strategically voting for the candidate most likely to win against a candidate or party you strongly oppose may be worth considering.

Fact check using credible sources to verify claims made during campaigns.

• Watch for misleading or overly simplistic promises.
• Read the latest studies and reports from subject-matter experts to verify that promises will have the desired effects.
• Read analyses from non-partisan organizations or media outlets known for balanced reporting.
• Discuss your thoughts with family, friends, or colleagues to gain different perspectives.

Who can run in provincial elections?

The previous election’s nomination period began on May 1, 2022. The deadline to file a nomination to be a council or school trustee candidate was Friday, August 19, 2022 at 2PM.

See: How to run for municipal council in Ontario

Who can advertise in provincial elections?

See: Third party advertisers in Ontario municipal elections

Election campaign signs

Elections Ontario has no jurisdiction over the placement of provincial election signs.

Municipal bylaws set the rules regarding the placement of municipal, provincial and federal election campaign lawn signs’:

• placement on public property
• placement on private property
• size
• height
• timing (eg. not before the Writ of Election is issued)
• removal (eg. within 3 days after the election)

A municipality’s by-law enforcement department is responsible for the enforcement of election sign bylaws.

Contact Elections Ontario if you have questions about a provincial election

Elections Ontario can answer questions about the election, such as:

• whether or not you are eligible to vote
• how or where to vote
• how to apply for election jobs

• 1-888-668-8683
• TTY: 1-888-292-2312
• Fax: 416-326-6200
• Email: [email protected]
• Website

Electoral districts

Polls

Elections

Parties

Updates

Sources

• Maintaining a Level Playing Field Addressing Misinformation and Disinformation Threats to Electoral Administration in Ontario – Elections Ontario
• All about Elections in Ontario – Legislative Assembly of Ontario
• Candidate’s Guide – Elections Ontario