---
title: "Toronto voter turnout reaches 45.8 per cent, highest since 2014"
description: "CityNews Toronto reports 982,660 ballots were counted across 1,431 polling locations in the 2026 Toronto municipal election, the strongest showing in 12 years."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/news/toronto-voter-turnout-2026-highest-since-2014"
last_updated: "2026-10-28T17:59:37.446Z"
---

Toronto drew 982,660 ballots in Monday's municipal election, a voter turnout rate of 45.8 per cent, CityNews Toronto reported Tuesday morning. That is the highest rate of participation in a Toronto municipal election since 2014.

The unofficial results came from all 1,431 polling locations across the city. The 2026 total reverses a sharp decline that bottomed out just four years ago, when turnout fell to a record low of 29.7 per cent in the 2022 race. In 2018, turnout was 40.9 per cent. The 2023 mayoral by-election, which Olivia Chow won after John Tory resigned, drew 38.5 per cent. The last election with higher participation was 2014, when 54.7 per cent of eligible voters cast ballots.

## The race that brought voters out

The 2026 contest featured one of the most closely watched mayoral races in recent Toronto history, CityNews Toronto said. [Olivia Chow](/on/toronto-2026/candidates/olivia-chow) won re-election with 54.16 per cent of votes, according to The Local, defeating challenger and city councillor [Brad Bradford](/on/toronto-2026/candidates/brad-bradford), who received 41.11 per cent. Chow won 19 of 25 wards.

Advance voting between October 6 and 11 alone drew more than 222,000 people, NOW Toronto reported.

## What comes next for Toronto's mayor

Chow's platform for her new term includes capping transit fares at 10 rides a week, building more affordable rental housing and expanding a school nutrition program, according to CityNews Toronto. She also said she would create a task force targeting landlords with the worst records of refusing court-ordered building repairs.

Seven new councillors joined Toronto City Hall after Monday's vote, with 18 incumbent councillors re-elected. Full ward results and the names of all elected councillors are on the City's results page.

Voters who want to contact their newly elected councillor can find their ward and councillor's page at `/on/toronto-2026/candidates#mayor` and at `/on/toronto-2026/news` for ongoing coverage as the new council takes shape.

## Sitemap

See the full [sitemap](/on/toronto-2026/sitemap.md) for all pages.