How to vote in Ottawa’s Oct. 26 election: hours, ID, races

Ottawa voters can cast a ballot for mayor, city councillor and school board trustee on Monday, Oct. 26, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at their assigned voting place in their ward, and they must bring one piece of ID showing their name and address.

The City of Ottawa’s elections office says voters can find their voting place on the Voter Notification Letter mailed to them, with the city’s online “Where do I vote?” tool, by contacting the Elections Office or by calling 311. Voting places in retirement homes and institutions may have shorter hours.

Photo ID is not required. The city says any accepted piece of identification works as long as it shows your name and address, and the full list is on its voter identification page.

Unlike the special advance voting days held Oct. 1 to 4, when Ottawa residents could vote at any of 10 locations, voters on Monday must go to the voting place assigned to their address. The city’s single advance voting day in assigned locations was Oct. 16.

Voters who cannot get to the polls can still appoint a proxy until 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 26. Both the voter and the proxy fill out two copies of the Appointment for Voting Proxy form, and the proxy must take them to the Elections Office or a city Client Service Centre to be certified by staff before voting, according to the city. A proxy can act for only one person who is not a family member.

Anyone who chose to vote by special mail-in ballot this year should note the city’s warning that nearly half of mail-in ballots missed the deadline.

The headline race is for mayor, where 14 names are on the ballot, CBC Ottawa reported. Mayor Mark Sutcliffe is seeking a second four-year term. His main challengers are Jeff Leiper, a three-term city councillor running as the progressive candidate, homebuilder Alex Lawson and economist Neil Saravanamuttoo. The four met in their last major debate on Oct. 21, where transit, crime, affordability and Sutcliffe’s tax ceiling dominated.

Transit is likely to decide many votes after a winter of unreliable bus service and LRT delays. Our companion story sets out where the leading candidates stand on OC Transpo, from fare cuts to refunds for late buses.

Housing is another major issue. Builders reported that Ottawa new home sales jumped 81 per cent in September, but candidates have been pressed on what city hall can do to bring prices down.

Ward councillor and trustee races are also on every ballot. Results will be posted by the city after polls close at 8 p.m. Monday. Follow our coverage on our Ottawa page.

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