| Voters' List |
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Visit Am I On the Voters' List? to confirm your voter information, update your voter information, or add your name to the Voters’ List. For your name to appear on the final Voting Day Voters’ list, all revisions must be submitted by October 24 at Noon (12 p.m.).
After 12 p.m. on October 24, requests to update the Voters’ List must be made in person at a Vote Centre (listed below).
If you are having trouble with the "Am I On the Voters' List" page or need additional assistance, please contact the Voter Assistance Helpline at 905-771-5555.
It is important to review and confirm your voter information, especially if you have moved or changed your name since the last municipal election. Even if you have recently voted in the provincial election, you should confirm that Richmond Hill has the correct voter information for you.
| Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) and the Voters’ List |
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The voters’ list is a list of eligible voters in the City of Richmond Hill. The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) is responsible for preparing the preliminary list of electors for each municipality and school board in Ontario. It is MPAC’s Municipal Property Assessment database of property owners and tenants that is used to prepare this preliminary list, which aids in the preparation of the final Voters’ List for Voting Day.
For more information about the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) you can contact them Monday to Friday – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST:
- Toll Free 1-866-296-6722
- TTY 1-877-889-6722
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| Voter Information Package (VIP) |
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Those on the Voters’ List will receive a Voter Information Package (VIP). In order for you to receive your Voter Information Package (VIP) in the mail you will need to make any revisions to the Voters’ List before September 30.
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.
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| Voter Eligibility: Who Can Vote |
You can vote in Richmond Hill’s general municipal elections if you are:
- a Canadian citizen; and
- at least 18 years old on or before Voting Day, October 24, 2022; and
- reside in Richmond Hill; or are the owner or tenant of land in Richmond Hill, or the spouse of such owner or tenant; and
- not prohibited from voting under any law
You may only vote once in the City of Richmond Hill general municipal elections regardless of how many properties you own or rent within the City.
| Information for Students |
- If you are a student and consider your “home” to be the place where you live when you are not attending school, which means you plan on returning there, then you are eligible to vote in both your “home” municipality and in the municipality where you currently live while attending school.
- If you are a student attending school in another city, please check with the City Clerk of that municipality to find out what your voting options are.
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| Who Cannot Vote |
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You are prohibited from voting on voting day if you are:
- serving a sentence of imprisonment in a penal or correctional institution
- a corporation
- acting as executor or trustee or in another representative capacity
- convicted of a corrupt practice
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| Voting for a School Board |
| School Board Eligibility |
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In order to vote in a School Board Election for a School Board Trustee, you must be:
- 18 years of age or older and
- a Canadian citizen;
- a resident of the City of Richmond Hill or
- the owner or tenant (or spouse of an owner or tenant) of residential property in the City of Richmond Hill
Notes:
- 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. Contact the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (1-866-296-6722) for more information.
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| Types of School Boards |
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In order to vote for a particular school board, you must be a supporter of that school board (see "School Board Eligibility" section above).
There are four different kinds of school boards in Ontario:
- English-language public school board (York District School Board): This is the default – 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 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.
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| 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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| How Many Times Can I Vote? |
A qualified person can only vote once. This is regardless of how many properties a person owns/rents in Richmond Hill. If you live in Richmond Hill and own/rent more than one property, you must vote according to the ward in which you live (Note: the 2022 Municipal Election uses a "Vote Anywhere" model, so you can vote remotely or at any voting location).
Voting more than once or when not entitled to vote is an offence under Ontario’s Municipal Elections Act and carries a maximum fine of $25,000. This includes voting using another person’s Voter ID and Voting PIN – it is illegal.
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| Voter's Checklist |
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Things to do before Voting Day:
- Make sure that you are on the voters' list and that your information is correct and up-to-date by visiting the "Am I On the Voters' List" page
- Decide if you want to vote online from home or vote in person, and, if voting in person, which of the 12 "Vote Anywhere" voting locations you plan to attend (See "How to Vote in Richmond Hill's 2022 Municipal Elections" below for details)
- Understand the voting requirements and procedures
- Know what time the vote opens and closes
Do your research - become acquainted with the candidates. By checking the Certified Candidates Pages you can access candidate's contact and social media information. |
| Voter Identification: Learn Here What Identification is Acceptable for Voting |
Acceptable Identification
The following is a list of acceptable identification for the purpose of doing anything under this Procedure, provided that the name and Qualifying Address on the identification provided is the same as on the application to amend the Voters' List. Unless otherwise specified, only current, valid or in force documents shall be accepted. Expired identification will not be accepted.
- Ontario Driver's Licence
- Ontario Health Card (photo card only)
- Ontario Photo Card
- Ontario motor vehicle permit (vehicle portion)
- 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
- 2022 City of Richmond Hill Property Tax Bill
- 2022 City of Richmond Hill Water Bill
- MPAC property tax assessment
- credit card statement, bank account statement, or RRSP, RRIF, RHOSP or T5 statement
- cheque stub, T4 statement or pay receipt issued by an employer within 3 months of voting day
- document from a Band Council in Ontario established under the Indian Act (Canada)
- 2021 Income Tax Assessment Notice
- Child Tax Benefit Statement
- Statement of Employment Insurance Benefits Paid T4E
- Canada Pension Plan Statement of Contributions
- Statement of Direct Deposit for Ontario Works
- Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Statement of Benefits T5007
- document showing residence at a long-term care home issued by the Administrator for the home
- 2021 Statement of Old Age Security T4A (OAS)
- 2021 Statement of Canada Pension Plan Benefits T4A (P)
- hospital card or record
- CNIB Card or a card from another registered charitable organization that provides services to persons with disabilities
- 2022 utility bill for hydro, water, gas, telephone or cable TV or a bill from a public utilities commission
NOTE: Your Voter Information Package (VIP) is not considered a form of identification.
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| Enforcement of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 |
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The information below is provided by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing Voter's Guide.
Enforcement and penalties
Enforcement of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 is done through the courts. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing does not have a role in investigating elections or determining penalties.
If you are an eligible voter and you feel that the election was not valid (either the election of a specific candidate or candidates, or the entire election), you can apply to the Superior Court of Justice to determine whether the election was valid. The application must be made within 90 days after voting day.
Any person can begin court proceedings against a person, trade union or corporation who they believe committed an offence in relation to an election. Only the court can decide whether the person, trade union or corporation is guilty of committing an offence, and only the court may determine the penalty.
It is an offence to do, or attempt to do, any of the following:
- vote if you are not an eligible elector
- vote more times than you are permitted to vote
- vote in a voting place where you are not entitled to vote
- persuade a person who is not an eligible elector to vote
- cast a vote yourself after you have appointed a proxy
- vote as a proxy if the person who appointed you has cancelled the appointment, become ineligible to vote or died
- give a ballot to someone if you are not authorized to do so
- switch the ballot you were given with a different piece of paper to be placed in the ballot box
- take a ballot away from the voting place
- handle a ballot box or ballots if you are not authorized to do so
- bribe a person (using money, valuables, or offers of office or employment) to vote a certain way or to not vote at all, or give someone else money so that they can bribe the person
- accept a bribe to vote a certain way or to not vote at all
- bribe a person to become a candidate, decide to not become a candidate, or withdraw from being a candidate
It is also an offence to break the rules relating to campaign finance - for example, to make a contribution without being eligible to do so, to contribute more than the limit or to contribute money that is not yours.
General Penalties
If a person is convicted of committing an offence, they may be subject to the following penalties:
- a fine of up to $25,000
- ineligibility to vote or run in the next regular election
- up to six months in prison
If a corporation or trade union is convicted of committing an offence, they may be subject to a fine of up to $50,000.
These penalties would be determined by the court.
Please note: The City Clerk does not have enforcement authority.
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| How to Vote in Richmond Hill's 2022 Municipal Elections |
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Voting Day, the last day of voting in the 2022 Municipal Elections, is on Monday, October 24, 2022.
Internet voting will be available continuously from 10 a.m. on Tuesday, October 18, 2022 until 8 p.m. on Voting Day, Monday, October 24, 2022.
Voting by paper ballot and vote tabulators will be available from Saturday, October 22, 2022 until 8 p.m. on Voting Day, Monday, October 24, 2022. Vote Centres will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, October 22-23, 2022, and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Voting Day, Monday, October 24, 2022. Anyone who has entered a queue to cast their vote at a Vote Centre by 8 p.m. on Voting Day will be given the opportunity to vote.
Voters can attend one of our Vote Centres to vote by paper ballot, use an internet voting station, or request a change to the voters' list (such as adding their name or updating/correcting their information). The City will have 12 Vote Centres, 2 in each ward. See the list and map of locations below. Take your VIP and identification showing your name and address to any one of the twelve in-person Vote Centres.
NOTE: 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.
Map of Vote Centres
Ward 1 Vote Centres:
- Oak Ridges Public School, 160 Coons Road
- Oak Ridges Community Centre, 12895 Bayview Avenue
- Ward 1 Map
Ward 2 Vote Centres:
- Richmond Hill High School, 201 Yorkland Street
- Elgin Barrow Arena, 43 Church Street South
- Ward 2 Map
Ward 3 Vote Centres:
- Richmond Green Sports Centre, 1300 Elgin Mills Road East
- Bayview Hill Community Centre, 114 Spadina Road
- Ward 3 Map
Ward 4 Vote Centres:
- Elgin West Community Centre, 11099 Bathurst Street
- M.L. McConaghy Seniors Centre, 10100 Yonge Street
- Ward 4 Map
Ward 5 Vote Centres:
- Richvale Community Centre, 160 Avenue Road
- Charles Howitt Public School, 30 Pearson Avenue
- Ward 5 Map
Ward 6 Vote Centres:
- Langstaff Community Centre, 155 Red Maple Road
- Ed Sackfield Arena and Fitness Centre, 311 Valleymede Drive
- Ward 6 Map
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