Ottawa voters can already cast a ballot in the city’s 2026 municipal election. The City of Ottawa’s Special Advance Voting Days began Thursday, Oct. 1, and run through Sunday, Oct. 4, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day, according to a release from the city’s Elections Office.
The key difference from the rest of the campaign calendar is what the city calls “anywhere voting.” During these four days, an eligible elector can vote at any of 10 voting places across the city, regardless of which ward they live in, the city says. Elections Ottawa repeated that point on its official X account as voting opened.
Voters are choosing a mayor, ward councillors and school board trustees, as the Ottawa Citizen noted in its voting guide published Oct. 1. Election day across Ontario is Monday, Oct. 26.
Where to vote this weekend
The city lists these 10 Special Advance Voting locations:
- CARDELREC Recreation Complex Goulbourn, 1500 Shea Rd.
- Churchill Seniors Recreation Centre, 345 Richmond Rd.
- City Hall, 110 Laurier Ave. W.
- François Dupuis Recreation Centre, 2263 Portobello Blvd.
- Greely Community Centre, 1448 Meadow Dr.
- Diane Deans Greenboro Community Centre, 363 Lorry Greenberg Dr.
- Minto Recreation Complex, Barrhaven, 3500 Cambrian Rd.
- Nepean Sportsplex, 1701 Woodroffe Ave.
- Richcraft Recreation Complex, Kanata, 4101 Innovation Dr.
- St-Laurent Complex, 525 Côté St.
What to bring
Voters must show identification with their name and a qualifying Ottawa address, the city says. Photo ID is not required. The Ottawa Citizen’s guide lists an Ontario driver’s licence, a health card, a cancelled cheque or a rental agreement among acceptable documents, and notes that the voter notification letter and a Canadian passport are not accepted. If a voter cannot produce acceptable proof, the city says they can make a statutory declaration before being given a ballot.
People whose names are missing from the voters’ list, or whose details are wrong, can add or correct their information at any of the 10 locations during the four days, according to the city.
Other ways to vote
Anyone who misses this weekend has two more in-person options: a regular Advance Voting Day on Friday, Oct. 16, and election day on Monday, Oct. 26, the city says. Voters should check the city’s elections site for where they are assigned to vote on those days.
Vote-by-mail is also under way. CTV News Ottawa reported on Oct. 2 that about 5,400 mail-in ballot kits have been delivered to residents. The city says completed mail ballots must be received by Oct. 16 at 8 p.m. to count, so anyone still holding a kit should return it well before that date.
The race
The mayoral contest features incumbent Mark Sutcliffe, who registered in May to seek a second term, and Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper, who filed nomination papers to run for mayor, according to Sutcliffe’s campaign announcement and CBC Ottawa’s reporting on Leiper’s bid. Alex Lawson and Neil Saravanamuttoo are also registered for mayor, according to a June summary by public affairs firm StrategyCorp. Nominations closed Aug. 21.
Ottawa’s vote is one of hundreds of municipal elections taking place across Ontario on Oct. 26. Advance voting schedules are set locally, so they differ from city to city. Toronto, for example, runs its advance voting from Oct. 6 to Oct. 11, according to the City of Toronto.
Questions about voting in Ottawa can go to the city’s Elections Office at 613-580-2660 or [email protected].
Sources: City of Ottawa; Ottawa Citizen via Yahoo News Canada; CTV News Ottawa; StrategyCorp; City of Toronto. Featured image: File photo of Ottawa City Hall, 110 Laurier Ave. W., one of the 10 voting places. Photo by Jeangagnon via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
If you find reporting like this useful, consider supporting Canada News Media, an independent Canadian newsroom with no corporate parent.
