Frequently Asked Questions

The 2026 Municipal Election takes place on Monday, October 26, 2026.

• Mayor (You may vote for 1 candidate)
• Ward Councillor (You may vote for 1 candidate)
• York Region District School Board Trustee*
• York Catholic District Board Trustee*
• Conseil scolaire Viamonde Trustee*
• Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir Trustee*

* You may vote for 1 candidate for the school board you support.

View a list of candidates to find out who is running.

In general, you can vote if you are:

• A Canadian Citizen; and
• At least 18 years of age; and
• A resident of the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville; or
• A non-resident of the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville, but you or your spouse own or rent property in the Town; and
• Are not prohibited from voting under any law.

You may only vote once for the municipal election regardless of how many properties you own or rent within the Town. You may however vote in multiple Municipal Elections if you own property in other municipalities. 

You can check if you are registered or update your voter information by visiting the Register to Vote website. Elections Ontario has provided a comprehensive FAQ to help answer any questions you may have about voter registration.

Eligible voters will cast their ballot for one of the following school boards:

• York Region District School Board Trustee
  Also referred to as English Public (EP). Anyone can vote for this school board.
  
  Note: If your children are in French Immersion in the Public system, you support this school board. 

• York Catholic District School Board Trustee
  Also referred to as English Separate (ES). You must personally be Roman Catholic to vote for this school board, regardless if your partner is Roman Catholic or if your children attend an English Separate school.
  
  Note: If your children are in French Immersion in the Catholic system and you meet the qualifications above, you support this school board. 

• Conseil scolaire Viamonde Trustee
  Also referred to as French Public (FP). You must have French Language Education Rights to vote for this school board.
  
  Note: This does not include French Immersion or French as a second language.

• Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir Trustee
  Also referred to as French Separate (FS). You must personally be Roman Catholic and have French Language Education Rights to vote for this school board, regardless if your partner is Roman Catholic or if your children attend a French Catholic school.
  
  Note: This does not include French Immersion or French as a second language.

Additional Information:

• A non-resident voter, who is an owner or tenant of residential property in the municipality, is entitled to vote for the school board office in that municipality.  
• A non-resident voter, who is an owner or tenant of commercial property in the municipality, is not entitled to vote for any school board offices in that municipality. 

You can check if you are registered or update your voter information by visiting the Register to Vote website. Elections Ontario has provided a comprehensive FAQ to help answer any questions you may have about voter registration.

You can check if you are registered or update your voter information by visiting the Register to Vote website. Elections Ontario has provided a comprehensive FAQ to help answer any questions you may have about voter registration.

No. You may only vote once in a municipal election and you must vote in the ward in which you live in.

Nominations may be filed in person with the Town Clerk beginning May 1, 2026 until August 20, 2026, during regular business hours (Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) and on Nomination Day, August 21, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Please book an appointment through our online booking platform.

The nomination period for the 2026 Municipal Election begins May 1. Once a candidate files their nomination form and is certified by the Clerk, they can begin campaigning and advertising.

The inaugural Council meeting will be held on November 18, 2026 at 7 p.m.

Taking a picture of a completed ballot—yours or anyone else’s—is a violation of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, because it violates the secrecy of the vote. It is also a violation of the Act to publish a photo on your social media channels or elsewhere of a completed ballot.

There are many advantages to why we adopted this method of voting for the 2026 Election:

Emergency Preparedness: Voting by Internet allows voters to vote from the comfort and safety of their home if there was to be an emergency, weather event or any other barrier to accessing a polling station. 

Accessibility: Voting is a fundamental right that should be accessible to all citizens. It is crucial to eliminate barriers that prevent individuals from fully participating in the democratic process. Internet Voting is a convenient option for electors allowing them to use their own devices and access their ballots anytime during the voting period, and from anywhere with Internet access. It removes barriers for some Electors with disabilities, those with compromised immune systems, or other persons who would benefit from voting from home. By prioritizing accessibility, we uphold democratic values and foster a society where every voice matters. 

Accuracy: Internet voting uses electronic ballots reducing the possibility of a counting error from manual tabulation. 

Convenience: Electors who own more than one property, are travelling, or who work out of town and can't make it to a polling station will be given equal opportunity to vote. Every elector will be able to vote from a location of their convenience. 

Accepted ID includes most documents issued by the Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario or a municipality in Ontario, showing both your name and home address. You can also use a bank statement, a credit card statement or a utility bill. The ID you provide must include both your name and home address.

Property documentation includes documents issued by the Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario or a municipality in Ontario.

Find a list of examples of accepted ID and property documentation here

Voters can vote at any voting location regardless of the ward they live in. A full list of locations can be found here: Voting Locations

Internet voting is open from 10 a.m. on October 17 until 8 p.m. on October 26.

• Eligible voters receive a Voter Information Letter (VIL) in the mail containing a unique Personal Identification Number (PIN) on the front page.
• Use the link or QR code on the VIL and log in using your PIN from the VIL and your date of birth, once entered click “log in”.
• Once authenticated, voters select their choices and submit their ballot.
• After submission, the system securely records the ballot.
• Voters then receive a confirmation screen that can be used to verify their submitted ballot.

• Unofficial results displayed live on the StouffvilleVotes website on Election Day.
• Official results are certified by the Clerk as soon as all ballots (paper & internet) have been counted, reconciled, and verified against the Voters’ list and ballot logs.
• Once certified, official results are published on the Town’s website and communicated to all candidates.
• Unofficial and official results can be found here: Election Results

The Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville is committed to ensuring that every eligible voter and candidate can participate in the 2026 Municipal Election with dignity, independence, and confidence.

More information on accessibility, including a copy of the Town's complete Accessibility Plan, can be found here: Accessibility