Ontario voters head to the polls

Jun 7, 2018 | News

Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Doug Ford casts a ballot in Etobicoke. (Twitter/FordNation)

Christina Zisko and Lindsay Charlton

Election day in Ontario has come to a close and tallying is under way.

From 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET, Ontario voters had the chance to have their voices heard at the polls.

Registered voters should have received a Voter’s Card in the mail. With the card and one piece of identification showing the voter’s name, Ontarians headed to the polls.

Many jumped on the opportunity to cast their ballots early when advanced polls were opened between May 26 and June 1. Elections Ontario reported an 18.8 per cent increase in advance poll turn out compared to the last Ontario provincial election in 2014.

The four main political parties in the running are the Liberals who are led by Kathleen Wynne, the Progressive Conservatives led by Doug Ford, the New Democratic Party led by Andrea Horwath and the Green Party led by Mike Schreiner.

For those who were not registered, a piece of identification that shows the voter’s name and current address was enough to cast a vote, according to Elections Ontario.

Acceptable IDs include:

  • Ontario driver’s licence
  • Ontario photo card
  • Ontario photo motor vehicle permit
  • Statements of government benefits
  • CNIB ID
  • Band council identification
  • Utility bill
  • Cell phone bill
  • Mortgage agreement
  • Insurance policies
  • Bank statement
  • Credit card statement
  • Loan statement or agreement
  • T4 slip
  • Report card
  • Transcript
  • School admissions latter

This was the first time electronic tabulation is being used in an Ontario provincial election. The goal is to make voting and getting results faster and more efficient, Elections Canada said.

“We are using technology in the polls to make voting even easier for electors,” said Greg Essensa, the chief electoral officer of Elections Ontario, in a media release. However, there have been reports of technical errors at a few stations in London, Toronto and Ottawa resulting in long lines and ballots not being accepted by tabulators.

A few polling stations have extended voting hours due to temporary interruptions including a school lockdown and a fire alarm being set off, you can find the list of the stations with extended hours here.