2026 Municipal Elections
Voting Day is Monday, October 26, 2026. In these elections, voters will have the option of voting online or in-person.
Voters of Richmond Hill will elect a Mayor, up to two Regional Councillors, a local Councillor and School Board Trustees.
Online Voting
Online voting takes place from October 20, 2026 at 10 a.m. to Voting Day, October 26, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Vote now
In-Person Voting
In-person voting by paper ballot and vote tabulators will take place on:
- Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25, 2026, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Monday, October 26, 2026,10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voter Information Package (VIP)
Your Voter Information Package (VIP) contains important information and instructions on how to cast your ballot through Online Voting or In Person. You should receive your VIP in the mail in late September or early October. If you did not receive a VIP, check if you are on the Voters’ List or update your information on the Voters' List.
| Voter Information Package |
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Voter Information Packages (VIP) have been mailed to all eligible voters whose names appeared on the Voters' List at the end of September.
Your VIP contains detailed instructions on how to cast your ballot in person or remotely. Do not share your VIP with anyone, including any candidates.
View a sample Voter Information Package.
If you receive a VIP other than your own
If your household receives a VIP for a former resident who is no longer an eligible voter, such as a family member who moved away, do not open or forward it. It is a Criminal Code offence to tamper with mail, which includes opening a Voter Information Package other than your own. Mark the envelope “Return to Sender" and drop it in a mailbox.
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| 选民信息包 (Simplified Chinese Translation of the Voter Information Package) |
| 选民信息包 (Simplified Chinese) |
| 選民資訊包 (Traditional Chinese Translation of the Voter Information Package) |
| 選民資訊包 (Traditional Chinese) |
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پکیج اطلاعات مخصوص رأیدهندگان (Farsi Translation of the Voter Information Package)
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پکیج اطلاعات مخصوص رأیدهندگان (Farsi)
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| Информационный пакет для избирателей (Russian Translation of the Voter Information Package) |
| Информационный пакет для избирателей (Russian) |
| 유권자 정보 패키지 (Korean Translation of the Voter Information Package) |
| 유권자 정보 패키지 (Korean) |
It is illegal to vote more than once or when not entitled to vote. It is an offence under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 and carries a maximum fine of $25,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months.
Find Your Ward
The City of Richmond Hill is divided into six wards, each represented by a local Ward Councillor. Use the City-wide ward map to locate your ward before casting your vote in the 2026 Municipal Elections.
Voter Details
| Voter Eligibility: Who Can Vote |
- a Canadian citizen; and
- at least 18 years old on or before Voting Day (October 26, 2026); and
- a resident of Richmond Hill, an owner or tenant of land in the City of Richmond Hill, or the spouse of an owner or tenant of land in Richmond Hill; and
- not prohibited from voting under the Municipal Elections Act, and any law.
| Eligibility Requirements to Vote for School Board Trustee |
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You can vote in a School Board Election if you are:
- a Canadian citizen; and
- at least 18 years old on or before Voting Day, (October 26, 2026); and
- a resident of the City of Richmond Hill, an owner or tenant of residential property in the City of Richmond Hill, or the spouse of such an owner or tenant of residential property.
- not prohibited from voting under the Municipal Elections Act, and any law.
Important:
- School boards can cover a large area of a municipality
- You are only allowed to vote for the same school board once
- If you are eligible to vote in Richmond Hill because you are the owner or tenant (or spouse of an owner or tenant) of a commercial property in Richmond Hill you are not eligible to vote for school trustee
In order to vote for a particular school board, you must be a supporter of that school board. “Supporter” refers to which school board the school portion of your property taxes goes to. The default is the public school system. In order to be a Catholic School supporter you must direct your taxes to the Catholic School system.
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| Types of School Boards |
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The school board trustee on your ballot is based on your school support designation on the Voters’ List, which identifies the school board that receives the education portion of your property taxes.
There are four different kinds of school boards in Ontario:
English language public school board (York District School Board) (default)
- This is the default designation, unless you are qualified to vote for a Catholic or French board, you will vote for the English public school board in your area.
English language Catholic school board (York Catholic District School Board)
- You must be a Roman Catholic, and;
- you must be a separate school board supporter or the spouse of a separate school board supporter. If your spouse is a Roman Catholic and you are not, you are not eligible.
French language public school board (Conseil scolaire Viamonde)
- You must be a French-language rights holder; and
- You must be a supporter (or the spouse of a supporter) of the French-language public school board.
French language separate school board (Conseil scolaire Catholique MonAvenir)
- You must be a Roman Catholic and;
- A French-language rights holder, and;
- You must be a supporter (or the spouse of a supporter) of the French Catholic school board. If your spouse is a Roman Catholic and you are not, you are not eligible.
| French Language Qualifications |
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To be eligible to vote for the French language public school board (Conseil scolaire Viamonde) or the French language separate school board (Conseil scolaire Catholique MonAvenir), you must have French language qualifications as outlined in Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
You have French language qualifications if you:
- first learned and still understand French, or
- received your elementary school instruction in Canada in French, or
- have children who received or are receiving elementary or secondary instruction in French.
Note: This does not include French immersion or French as a second language.
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The default is the public school system. To change or confirm your school board designation please contact the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation.
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Who Cannot Vote
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You are prohibited from voting if you are:
- serving a sentence of imprisonment in a penal or correctional institution
- a corporation
- a person acting as executor or trustee or in another representative capacity; or
- convicted of a corrupt practice
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Vote Centre Locations
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Voters can attend any Vote Centre to vote by paper ballot, use an online voting station, or request a change to the voters' list (such as adding their name or updating/correcting their information). The City will have 7 Vote Centres. See the list and map of locations below.
Map of Vote Centres
Ward 1 Vote Centre:
Ward 2 Vote Centre:
Ward 3 Vote Centres:
Ward 4 Vote Centre:
Ward 5 Vote Centre:
Ward 6 Vote Centre:
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| Acceptable Documents for Voter Identification |
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The following is a list of acceptable identification for the purpose of voting at a Vote Centre. You can show an original, or a certified or notarial copy, of a current document that is listed below, which shows your name and qualifying address.
- Ontario Driver’s Licence
- Ontario Health Card (photo card only)
- Ontario Photo Card
- Ontario motor vehicle permit (vehicle portion)
- 2026 City of Richmond Hill Property Tax Bill
- 2026 utility bill for hydro, water, gas, telephone or cable TV or a bill from a public utilities commission
- Cancelled personalized cheque (only if cancelled within the 3 months preceding Voting Day)
- Mortgage statement, lease or rental agreement relating to property in Ontario
- Insurance policy or insurance statement
- Loan agreement or other financial agreement with a financial institution
- Document issued or certified by a court in Ontario within 3 months prior to Voting Day
- Document from the government of Canada, Ontario or a municipality in Ontario or from an agency of such a government
- Document from a Band Council in Ontario established under the Indian Act (Canada)
- 2025 Income Tax Assessment Notice
- Child Tax Benefit Statement
- Statement of Employment Insurance Benefits Paid T4E
- 2025 Statement of Old Age Security T4A (OAS)
- 2025 Statement of Canada Pension Plan Benefits T4A (P)
- Canada Pension Plan Statement of Contributions
- Statement of Direct Deposit for Ontario Works
- Statement of Direct Deposit for Ontario Disability Support Program
- Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Statement of Benefits T5007
- MPAC property tax assessment
- Credit card statement, bank account statement, or RRSP, RRIF, RHOSP or T5 statement
- CNIB Card or a card from another registered charitable organization that provides services to persons with disabilities
- Hospital card or record
- Document showing residence at a long-term care home under the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021, issued by the Administrator for the home
- Cheque stub, T4 statement or pay receipt issued by an employer within 3 months of Voting Day
- A transcript or report card from a post-secondary school
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