| Question | Answer |
|---|
|
When is the Voting Period?
|
Voting opens at 10:00 a.m. on October 16, 2026, and closes at 8:00 p.m. on Voting Day, October 26, 2026. Electors may vote online or by telephone at any time during the voting period.
|
|
Where will the Voter Assistance Centres (VACs) be located?
|
Voters requiring assistance may attend one of the Municipality's Voter Assistance Centres (VACs).
The Municipality will operate the following VACs during the 2026 Municipal and School Board Election:
Town Hall, 56 Queen Street
- October 16, 2026 – 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Advance vote period)
- October 19-24, 2026 – 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Advance vote period)
- The VAC will be open until 7:00 p.m. on October 21, 2026
- October 26, 2026 – 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Voting Day)
Port Hope Community Hub, 5325 County Road 10
- October 21, 2026 – 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (Advance vote period)
- October 22-24, 2026 – 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Advance vote period)
- October 26, 2026 – 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Voting Day)
|
| How do I vote? |
In late September/early October, eligible voters will receive a Voter Information Letter by mail through Canada Post. This letter will include:
- instructions on how to vote using the internet or telephone
- a unique PIN allowing each voter to voter once
- voting dates and times
- the locations for the Voter Assistance Centres
- the Voting Helpline (905-885-4544 ext. 0)
If you receive a Voter Information letter that is not addressed to your property, please return it to the Office of the Clerk, Town Hall, 56 Queen Street, Port Hope.
When voting, voters will have a chance to review and change their choices before they confirm their vote. The voting system also allows voters to choose not to vote in a race if they wish. |
| Am I eligible to vote in the upcoming Municipal Election? |
You can vote in the 2026 Municipal and School Board Election if you are:
- A resident of the Municipality of Port Hope; or, a non-resident, who is an owner or tenant of land in the Municipality or a spouse of such owner or tenant; and,
- A Canadian citizen;
- At least 18 years of age; and
- Are not prohibited from voting under the Municipal Elections Act or otherwise by law.
Remember: You can only vote once, regardless of how many properties you own or rent. If you own multiple properties within the Municipality of Port Hope, please vote based on your primary residence. |
| Who cannot vote in the Municipal Election? |
Under the Municipal Elections Act, the following are prohibited from voting:
- A person who is serving a sentence of imprisonment in a penal or correctional institution;
- A corporation;
- A person acting as executor or trustee or in any other representative capacity, except as a voting proxy in accordance with section 44 (Port Hope is utilizing alternative voting measures and therefore voting by proxy is not applicable); and
- A person who was convicted of the corrupt practice described in subsection 90 (3), if voting day in the current election is less than five (5) years after voting day in the election in respect of which they was convicted.
|
| If I have a disability, such as deafness, blindness, or a mobility-related disability, can someone assist me with the voting process? |
Yes. Electronic voting offers greater privacy and independence for voters with disabilities that may make traditional in-person voting more difficult. For example, voters who are blind may choose to vote by telephone, and voters who are deaf may choose to vote online, often with little or no assistance. If you need assistance with voting or have other accessibility needs, please attend a Voter Assistance Centre where an Election Official will be available to help you. |
| How do I know if I am on the Voters' List? |
Elections Ontario maintains the Permanent Register of Electors for Ontario, also known as the Voters' List. You must be on the Voters’ List to vote, and being listed helps ensure you receive a Voter Information Letter.
You can check your information through Election Ontario’s Register to Vote portal. There, you can:
- Confirm, update or add your name and home address
- Search, add or remove a property other than your home address
- Remove yourself from the register
- Remove a deceased person from the register
- Check the status of a request
Important Note: The deadline to use Election Ontario’s Register to Vote portal is August 12, 2026.
Starting September 1, 2026, and ending at the close of voting on October 26, 2026, if you need to add, remove, or change your information, you must complete the required Application to Amend Voters’ List (Form EL15).
|
| Starting September 1, 2026, where can I complete an Application to Amend the Voters’ List (EL15) |
The Application to Amend the Voters’ List (EL15) form is used to add, delete, or correct information on the municipal voters' list. Please contact election staff via email at elections@porthope.ca or by calling 905-885-4544 ext. 0 or you can also visit Town Hall, 56 Queen Street, Port Hope or a Voter Assistance Centre.
|
| How do I update my school support? |
As of January 1, 2024, the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation ("MPAC") is no longer responsible for collecting voter information for municipal election. However, MPAC is still required by legislation to collect school support designations.
The deadline to update your school designation for the 2026 Municipal and School Board Election through MPAC's Online School Support webpage was June 1, 2026.
If you need to make a change now, you can still update your school support through MPAC's Online School Support page, using AboutMyProperty or the online tenant portal. MPAC will record the change; however, because the June 1 deadline has passed, the update will not automatically appear on the Preliminary List of Electors or the initial Voters’ List.
To help ensure your updated school support is reflected for the October 26, 2026 Municipal and School Board Election, please follow these steps:
- Submit your change online. Log in to, or register for, MPAC’s AboutMyProperty service, or use the online tenant portal to submit your updated school support designation.
- Save your confirmation. After submitting your update, you will receive a confirmation email from MPAC.
- Contact your municipality. Forward your confirmation email to elections@porthope.ca so staff can review and, where applicable, update your information on the final Voters’ List in accordance with the Municipal Elections Act, 1996. You may also attend Town Hall (56 Queen Street, Port Hope) in person after September 1, 2026 to complete the applicable form and request an update.
|
| How do I vote if I am away from home, out of town, out of the province, or out of the country? |
You may vote during the voting period using the Internet from anywhere in the world, as long as you have your Voter Information Letter. You may also vote by telephone anywhere in North America by calling the toll-free number provided in your Voter Information letter. |
| What if I have a rotary phone, no cell phone, and no computer with Internet access? How can I vote? |
You do not need to vote from home. You may vote from any location using a touch-tone telephone or any computer with secure Internet access. You may also vote in person at a Voter Assistance Centre. Locations for Voter Assistance Centres are provided in the Voter Information Letters sent to eligible electors (or above).
|
| What do I do if the phone line is busy when I call and try to vote? |
If a phone line is busy, simply hang up and call back a short time later. The voting system can handle a high volume of calls at the same time, but there may be periods when many voters are trying to access the system in the same timeframe. Voting remains open for several days during the voting period, so voters will have multiple opportunities to connect and cast their ballot. |
| What if I do not get a PIN in the mail by Election Day? |
In late September/early October, eligible voters on the official Voters’ List will receive a Voter Information Letter by mail through Canada Post containing your PIN. If you do not receive your Voter Information Letter containing your PIN by the start of the voting period, you may request a replacement PIN by contacting election staff via email at elections@porthope.ca, by calling the Voter Helpline (905-885-4544 ext. 0) or you can also visit Town Hall, 56 Queen Street, Port Hope or a Voting Assistance Centre. If election records show that a PIN was already mailed to you, the original PIN will be disabled and cannot be used to vote. A replacement PIN can be issued provided the original PIN has not already been used and you provide appropriate identification. |
| Why might I not receive a PIN in the mail? |
There are two (2) common reasons you may not receive a PIN in the mail. First, your name was not on the official Voters’ List, as PINs are only mailed to eligible electors whose names are included on the list provided by Elections Ontario. Secondly, your PIN may have been mailed but delayed within the postal system |
| If someone calls me and asks for my PIN, what should I do? |
Your voting PIN should be kept private and confidential, just like your bank card PIN. Do not share it with anyone who calls, emails, or approaches you asking for it. This includes your family members or those that share your home. |
| Could someone steal my PIN and use it to vote? |
It is illegal to steal and open another person’s mail. It is also illegal to impersonate another elector and use their PIN to vote. Both offences are subject to penalties under the law.
If you believe someone has used your PIN to vote without your authorization, you should report it to the Municipal Clerk/Returning Officer immediately by emailing elections@porthope.ca or by calling 905-885-4544 ext. 0.
You may be eligible to receive a replacement PIN by appearing before the Municipal Clerk/Returning Officer and swearing an affidavit confirming that the PIN assigned to you was used by someone else, and not by you.
|
| If someone knows my PIN, can they find out how I voted? |
No. The voting system does not record how a particular PIN has voted; it only records that the PIN was used to cast a ballot. |
| Once I receive my PIN, do I need to register in advance to vote? |
No. There is no additional registration required. During the voting period, you may use your PIN by telephone or internet to cast your vote. |
| What if I lose or misplace my PIN? |
If an elector loses or misplaces their PIN, they should contact the Voter Helpline (905-885-4544 ext. 0) The Election Official can decide to replace the missing PIN if it has not already been voted. They will determine if a voter has to travel to a location, sign a form, and then replace the missing PIN, or they can decide to allow the Voter HelpLine agent to authenticate the caller and issue a replacement PIN over the phone, after following the required authentication process. In both cases, the original lost or missing PIN will be disabled, and it will not be able to be voted in the election. |
| Is it possible to receive more than one (1) voting PIN? |
Yes, although it is uncommon. If you receive more than one (1) PIN, it usually means your name appears on the Voters’ List more than once. This can happen, for example, if you have recently moved and were listed at both addresses, or if you own property in more than one (1) location.
You are only permitted to vote once in a municipality, and it is illegal to vote more than once. You should vote only using the PIN issued to your primary place of residence. If you receive an additional PIN, contact the Voter Helpline (905-885-4544 ext. 0) so the extra PIN can be cancelled and made unusable for the election. |
| Once I enter my PIN and start my voting process do I have to complete all ballots in one session? For example, what if I am interrupted and must hang up the phone for some reason or, if I am voting using the Internet and must leave my session? |
If an Elector is interrupted before casting their vote, they may re-commence voting later using the same method or the other method. Once a Elector has cast the vote, that Elector will not be granted access to Telephone/Internet Voting again.
|
| Can I vote for ward candidates in a ward other than the one I live in? |
No. You can only vote for ward candidates in the ward where you live or own property. You cannot vote for ward candidates in any other ward. |
| Who are the candidates for my ward? |
The list of certified candidates will be available following Certification Day on Monday, August 24, 2026 and available on the Information for Voters webpage.
In September, voters can also visit the Meet the Candidates webpage to find out more information about candidates running in the 2026 municipal election. |
| What should I do if the voting system shows the incorrect candidates for my ward or school board? |
The candidates shown to you is based on your place of residence as recorded on the Voters’ List and will be noted in your Voter Information Letter. If you have moved and your new address was not updated prior to the Voters’ List being finalized, you may see candidates associated with your former address. If this happens, exit the voting system without casting your vote for the affected race. You should then contact the Voter Helpline (905-885-4544 ext. 0). After confirming your identity, an Election Official may be able to update your voter category electronically. Once this has been completed, the correct list of candidates will appear when you log back into the voting system. |
| What should I do if I am not sure whether I completed a ballot? |
During the voting period, you can log back into the voting system using your PIN and other required credentials.
- If you have not finished voting, the system will take you to the next race you still need to complete.
- If you have already completed all your assigned races, the system will provide a message confirming your voting status.
If you still need help, you can call the Voter Helpline (905-885-4544 ext. 0) for more information or visit a Voter Assistance Centre.
|
| Can a voter change their vote after it has been confirmed? |
No. Once a vote has been confirmed, it cannot be changed. This is similar process to placing a completed ballot in the ballot box during a traditional paper-based election, which protects voter anonymity and ballot secrecy. After a vote is cast, the system records only that the PIN was used to submit a ballot in the election; it does not retain information linking the voter to how the ballot was marked. As a result, the ballot cannot be retrieved or removed from the final count. |
| If I am using the telephone to vote, how will I know what number to press to vote for the candidate of my choice, or what if I make a mistake and select a different candidate than the one I want to vote for? |
The Voter Information Letter mailed to you has the list of candidates included on it for your reference purpose. The system will present you with the race to vote for, it lists the eligible candidates running for that position and instructs you to select the corresponding number for that candidate. You may also clear your ballot selections and start over. |
As a Canadian citizen, voting is your right and responsibility. Your community is shaped by the outcome of an election. The people who are elected will make many important decisions including how tax dollars are spent in your community.
