Eligibility to vote

You can vote if you:
 

• are a Canadian citizen

• are 18 years of age or older

• live in Waterloo, or own or rent property in Waterloo, or are the spouse of someone who owns or rents property in Waterloo

• are not prohibited from voting

You can vote only in the ward where you live.

If you are 18 or older, a Canadian citizen, and living in Waterloo for school, you can vote in 2 places:
 

• Waterloo – where you live during school

• your home municipality

Likewise, Waterloo students attending school out of town can vote both there and here.

You do not need a fixed or permanent address to vote in Waterloo. Your voting address is the place in Waterloo where you have most often returned to sleep or eat during the 5 weeks before you vote. This address decides where you vote. If your ID does not show this address:
 

• you can sign a form at the voting location to confirm where you live (this is called a declaration)

• election staff will help you complete it

The Voters' List

Elections Ontario maintains the Voters' List for all Ontario municipalities. This is a new function for them, as the list was previously maintained by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC).

Registered candidates were given a copy of the Voters' List for the area in which they are running.

You can check to ensure that you are on the list, add your name to the list, or fix any outdated or incorrect information.

If you are on the Voters' List, you will receive a Voter Card in the mail (or electronically if you registered for that option prior to the September 11 deadline).

Voters can add themselves to the list right up to the point of voting. That said, registering early means you will get a Voter Card, confirming where to vote. You don’t have to have the Voter Card with you to vote, but it is recommended. It makes voting faster.

You should also bring ID to prove your identity and your address.

Bring one piece of identification that shows your name and current Waterloo address.

If your ID does not show your current address, you can complete a declaration form at your voting location. Accepted identification includes:
 

• Ontario driver’s license

• Ontario photo card

• utility bill

• bank statement

• government-issued document with your name and address

When can you vote?

Advance voting will occur on the following dates and times at the locations noted.
 

• Saturday, October 10, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, at the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex (101 Father David Bauer Drive)

• Friday, October 16, from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm, at the Albert McCormick Community Centre (500 Parkside Drive)

• Saturday, October 17, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, at the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex (101 Father David Bauer Drive) 

• Sunday, October 18, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, at RIM Park (2001 University Ave. East) 

 
This is a good idea if you know or think that you might not be available to vote on October 26. Lineups to vote are often shorter at Advance Polls.

Election Day is Monday, October 26. Polls will be open from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm. If you are in line to vote at 8:00 pm, do not leave as you will still be allowed to vote.

If you are unable to vote in person, you can appoint another eligible City of Waterloo voter to vote on your behalf. This is called voting by proxy. The person you appoint must be eligible to vote in the City of Waterloo. Here is a link to the Proxy Form, which includes instructions on filling it in and registering the appointment of your proxy with the City Clerk.
 

Where to vote

If you are on the Voters' List, you should receive a Voter Card in the mail (or digitally). That will tell you where to vote.

If you want to look it up before that (or don't receive a Voter Card), you can do that at this link.

Here is a list of polling locations in Ward 5 (see the map on my home page to see which poll you're in):
 

• People living in Poll 1 votes at St. Agnes Catholic Elementary School at 254 Neilson Avenue

• Polls 2 and 3 vote at Elementary School Catholic Mère-Élisabeth-Bruyère, at 280 Glenridge Drive

• Poll 4 votes at Sandowne Public School, 265 Sandowne Drive

• Poll 5 votes at St Matthew Catholic Elementary School, 405 Pastern Trail

• Poll 6 votes at the Manulife Financial Soccer and Sports Centre at Bechtel Park, 159 Bridge Street West

There are also several "Supervote locations", where anyone in the city who is eligible can vote on Election Day. Their vote will be assigned to the ward and poll in which they live. The Supervote locations will be open from 10:00 am until 8:00 pm. Here is a list of those locations:
 

• Waterloo City Centre, 100 Regina Street South

• Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex, 101 Father David Bauer Drive

• RIM Park, 2001 University Avenue East

• John M. Harper Library Branch, 500 Fischer-Hallman Road North

• University of Waterloo, Student Life Centre, 200 University Avenue West

• Wilfrid Laurier University, The Concourse, 75 University Avenue West