Everything You Need to Know About the 2022 Ontario Election
The Ontario provincial election is coming up soon. Are you prepared to vote?
Photo credit: Elections Ontario
Table of contents
It's election time in Ontario! Election day for Canada's most populous province is June 2, 2022. That's only two weeks away!
If you're eligible to vote, you absolutely should! Voting is a fundamental right, and while it might seem like your vote is throwing a droplet of water into the ocean, voting is one of the best ways to influence policy and help steer your province in the direction you want it to go.
Who's eligible to vote in the Ontario election?
To be able to vote in the upcoming Ontario provincial election, you must be:
- at least 18 years old on election day, June 2
- a Canadian citizen
- a resident of Ontario
You must match all three factors above to be eligible to vote. You also must be registered!
How do I register to vote?
Registering to vote is easy, and you don't need to do it every election cycle. Once you're registered, you're registered.
The best way to get registered is to use the Elections Ontario eRegistration tool. You can even register at your polling place on election day, if you forget to do so beforehand.
Which address do I use to register to vote?
This is always a tricky question for students. If you go to school away from home, you can choose where you want to vote — either where you go to school, or where you live when not in school. You can only choose one!
Use Elections Ontario eRegistration to check or update your address.
Where do I vote?
You have a couple options. Most people vote in-person, at their assigned polling station, but you can register to vote by mail instead. You can even vote early, in many cases. Advance voting takes place in specific polling stations before election day. Check out the voter information service to find your advance polling station.
Voting in-person
Once you're registered to vote on the voters list, you'll get a card in the mail with details on your polling place. This is your voter information card. Normally, polling places are in your neighbourhood: school gyms, church basements, community centres, and so on.
No voter information card in your mailbox? Check out the Voter Information Service to enter your postal code and get the details.
The Voter Information Service portal even has details on voting in person BEFORE election day!
Voting by mail
Any voter in Ontario has the right to request to vote by mail. You need to register for the privilege, though, and there's a deadline — May 27 — so be sure to register to vote by mail if that's something you want to do.
How do I vote?
Voting is easy, and if you don't have to wait in line, takes only a minute. You need to be prepared before you show up to your polling station, though. If you have your voter information card, be sure to bring it. If you don't have it, you can still vote, but you'll need two pieces of ID, with at least one that has your address on it.
What ID do I need to vote?
To get a ballot, you must show ID. You can use a digital copy on your phone, if that's more convenient. You don't need to have ID with a photo, but it does need to be from Canada.
The specific types of ID you can use depends on whether you've got a voter information card or not, but almost any ID you can think of should work! If it has your address on it, all the better. Here's a few examples:
- Student card
- Passport
- SIN card
- Ontario health card
- Birth certificate
- Credit card statement or a pay stub
Check out the full list of valid ID choices on Elections Ontario, where you'll also find more specific details on different types of ID.
Elections Ontario app
Still got questions about where, when, and how to vote? Try out the new Elections Ontario app, which works on iPhone, Android, and even your web browser. You might not need the app for long, but it's certainly handy for election season.
Who should I vote for in the Ontario election?
Don't let anyone tell you who to vote for. You're better off doing a bit of research, and a bit of critical thinking, to arrive at a choice you think benefits you and your community.
You may also find some value (and fun!) in trying out the Vote Compass. Vote Compass is a non-partisan civic engagement app that asks a series of questions before giving you a score on how closely your perspective matches Ontario's political parties. You can compare the parties, and share your results with friends.
That said, here are a couple of top-line introductions to some of Ontario's biggest political parties:
Green Party of Ontario
Led by Mike Schreiner, the Green Party of Ontario focuses on climate change and the economy, affordable housing, and healthcare improvements. Schreiner held the GPO's only seat.
New Blue Party of Ontario
Led by Jim Karahalios, the New Blue Party of Ontario was formed in 2020, and focuses on opposing "woke" activism, cracking down on voter fraud, and ending Ontario's carbon tax. New Blue had one seat prior to the election.
Ontario Liberal Party
Led by Steven Del Duca, the Ontario Liberal Party focuses on benefits for workers, banning handguns, and rebuilding the province's long-term care system. The Liberals held seven seats.
Ontario New Democratic Party (NDP)
Led by Andrea Horwath, the Ontario NDP was official opposition, holding 38 seats. The party focuses on expanding healthcare and the social safety net, education, and affordable housing.
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario (PC)
Led by Doug Ford, the Progressive Conservatives of Ontario held a majority government, with a total of 67 seats. The party focuses on building highways, job creation, and lowering taxes.
Who else is there?
Ontario has many other political parties, too, as well as members of parliament who run as Independents. Curious? Check out the Elections Ontario list of registered political parties.
Voting is important, but it can also be fun. Reviewing party platforms, checking out local candidates, even volunteering, if that's your thing — there's lots to do and consider during election season. Heck, you could even earn some money working the polls!
If you're eligible, be sure to vote on or before election day, June 2!
Find your fit with Vote Compass
Back to top
