--- title: "Ontario election law: the Acts behind the 2026 municipal elections | voche.me" canonical_url: "https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law" last_updated: "2026-10-10T04:09:36.965Z" meta: description: "The Municipal Elections Act in full, plus the election parts of the City of Toronto Act, Municipal Act and Education Act, with a citation per section." "og:description": "The Municipal Elections Act in full, plus the election parts of the City of Toronto Act, Municipal Act and Education Act, with a citation per section." "og:title": "Ontario election law: the Acts behind the 2026 municipal elections" "twitter:description": "The Municipal Elections Act in full, plus the election parts of the City of Toronto Act, Municipal Act and Education Act, with a citation per section." "twitter:title": "Ontario election law: the Acts behind the 2026 municipal elections" --- ** ONTARIO ELECTION LAW # Ontario municipal election law. *Every word, with a link for every section.* voche.me publishes the text of the Acts behind Ontario’s 2026 municipal elections, including the Toronto election: the Municipal Elections Act, and the election parts of the City of Toronto Act, the Municipal Act and the Education Act. The text is copied from Ontario e-Laws without changes. Each section has its own web address and a citation ready to copy. Read the Acts Our compliance statement UNOFFICIAL COPY**The official version is on Ontario e-Laws** This is not an official version of the Act. The Legislation Act, 2006 sets out which copies of Ontario statutes are official copies of the law. COMPLIANCE STATEMENT ## voche.me complies with Ontario election law. We comply with the Ontario election law that applies to voche.me, an independent guide to the 2026 Toronto municipal election. We publish the Act here so that anyone can check the rules against their source. This statement comes from the operators of voche.me. Treat it as their declaration, and read the Act for yourself. - ### Paid placements are labelled Every sponsored spot and customized profile is marked “Sponsored” and names the candidate who bought it, as section 88.3 of the Municipal Elections Act asks of an election campaign advertisement. [Read section 88.3 ](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act#section-88-3) - ### The details come first Before a paid election ad runs, voche.me has in writing the details that sections 88.3 and 88.5 list: the name of the candidate or of the registered outside advertiser, who deals with us for them, and the municipality of registration. [Read section 88.5 ](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act#section-88-5) - ### The records are kept voche.me keeps that information, a copy of each ad and the price charged for four years after the ad appears, and lets the public inspect those records during normal business hours. [Read section 88.5 (4) ](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act#section-88-5) - ### Questions and corrections The editors answer questions about this statement through the contact form, and fix a mistake on any page once it is reported. [Contact the editors ](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/about#contact) THE STATUTES ## Read the Acts. Each Act has its own page, and every section keeps one stable address. How every Ontario municipal election, Toronto’s included, is run: who may vote and stand, nominations, campaign advertising and its records ### [Municipal Elections Act, 1996](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act) Municipal Elections Act, 1996, SO 1996, c 32, Sch 152 sections in 19 parts. Consolidated from May 7, 2026. - [GENERAL](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act#part-general) - [ELECTION OFFICIALS](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act#part-election-officials) - [SCRUTINEERS](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act#part-scrutineers) - [VOTERS’ LIST](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act#part-voters-list) - [CANDIDATES](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act#part-candidates) - [BEFORE VOTING DAY](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act#part-before-voting-day) - [VOTING PROCEDURE](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act#part-voting-procedure) - [COUNTING OF VOTES](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act#part-counting-of-votes) - [RECOUNTS](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act#part-recounts) - [BY-ELECTIONS](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act#part-by-elections) - [CONTROVERTED ELECTIONS](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act#part-controverted-elections) - [ELECTION RECORDS](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act#part-election-records) - [THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act#part-the-election-campaign) - [CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act#part-campaign-contributions) - [CAMPAIGN EXPENSES](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act#part-campaign-expenses) - [DUTIES OF CANDIDATES AND REGISTERED THIRD PARTIES](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act#part-duties-of-candidates-and-registered-third-parties) - [COMPLIANCE AUDITS AND REVIEWS OF CONTRIBUTIONS](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act#part-compliance-audits-and-reviews-of-contributions) - [OFFENCES, PENALTIES AND ENFORCEMENT](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act#part-offences-penalties-and-enforcement) - [REGULATIONS](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act#part-regulations) [Read the full text ](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act) [Official version on Ontario e-Laws (opens in a new tab)](https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/96m32) Applies to Toronto only: how many wards Toronto has, who sits on city council, and the mayor, who is elected by all voters ### [City of Toronto Act, 2006](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/city-of-toronto-act-2006) City of Toronto Act, 2006, SO 2006, c 11, Sch A 34 sections in 1 part. Consolidated from June 2, 2026. This page holds: Part IV, The City and Its Governance: the City, its wards, city council, the mayor, officers and boards. - [PART IV THE CITY AND ITS GOVERNANCE](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/city-of-toronto-act-2006#part-part-iv-the-city-and-its-governance) [Read the election parts ](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/city-of-toronto-act-2006) [Official version on Ontario e-Laws (opens in a new tab)](https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/06c11) Applies to Ontario municipalities other than Toronto, Ottawa included: how a council is made up, the roles of council and of the head of council, and the mayor’s special powers ### [Municipal Act, 2001](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-act-2001) Municipal Act, 2001, SO 2001, c 25 144 sections in 3 parts. Consolidated from June 2, 2026. This page holds: Part V, Municipal Reorganization (how the council of a local municipality is made up), Part VI, Practices and Procedures (the role of council and of the head of council), and Part VI.1, Special Powers and Duties of the Head of Council. - [PART V MUNICIPAL REORGANIZATION](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-act-2001#part-part-v-municipal-reorganization) - [PART VI PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-act-2001#part-part-vi-practices-and-procedures) - [PART VI.1 SPECIAL POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE HEAD OF COUNCIL](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-act-2001#part-part-vi-1-special-powers-and-duties-of-the-head-of-council) [Read the election parts ](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-act-2001) [Official version on Ontario e-Laws (opens in a new tab)](https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/01m25) Who may vote for and stand as a school trustee in Toronto, and how a trustee seat is filled ### [Education Act](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/education-act) Education Act, RSO 1990, c E.2 20 sections in 2 parts. Consolidated from September 22, 2026. This page holds: Part II.2, District School Boards, and Part VII, Board Members: Qualifications, Resignations and Vacancies. - [PART II.2 DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARDS](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/education-act#part-part-ii-2-district-school-boards) - [PART VII BOARD MEMBERS — QUALIFICATIONS, RESIGNATIONS AND VACANCIES](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/education-act#part-part-vii-board-members-qualifications-resignations-and-vacancies) [Read the election parts ](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/education-act) [Official version on Ontario e-Laws (opens in a new tab)](https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90e02) FOR CITING ## Built so a section can be cited exactly. - ### One address for every section Every part, division and section has its own address. Section 88.5 of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 is https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act#section-88-5. - ### A citation you can copy Each section has a button that copies its citation: the Act, its chapter, the section, the date the consolidation begins and the address. For example: Municipal Elections Act, 1996, SO 1996, c 32, Sch, s 88.5 (consolidated from May 7, 2026), https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act#section-88-5 QUESTIONS ## About these copies of the law.
Is this the official text of the law? These are unofficial copies. The Legislation Act, 2006 sets out which copies of Ontario statutes are official, and the official version is on Ontario e-Laws. Every Act page on voche.me links to it.
Which Acts does voche.me publish? Municipal Elections Act, 1996, City of Toronto Act, 2006, Municipal Act, 2001 and Education Act. The Municipal Elections Act is copied in full. From the City of Toronto Act, 2006, the Municipal Act, 2001 and the Education Act, voche.me copies the Parts that govern the election, the council and the seats it fills, each Part whole. The rest of those three Acts is on Ontario e-Laws.
How current is the text? The Word document that e-Laws publishes for each Act says which day its consolidation begins and lists its last amendment. For the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 it runs from May 7, 2026 to the e-Laws currency date, and the last amendment is 2026, c. 3, Sched. 2. voche.me copied the Acts on October 5, 2026. Check e-Laws for later changes.
Was any wording changed? The wording of every section is the wording in the e-Laws document. Only the page layout differs. When the text was copied, a check compared every line of the saved text with the document, and the copy would have stopped if one character differed. The table of contents and the notes that e-Laws adds under a section about when each amendment came into force are not reproduced.
Does voche.me comply with Ontario election law? The operators of voche.me state that it does. The compliance statement on this page lists how paid placements are labelled, what we ask for before an ad runs and how long we keep records. The contact form reaches the editors if you think a practice falls short.
How do I cite a section? Use the Act, its chapter and the section number, then the date the consolidation begins and the address of the section. For example: Municipal Elections Act, 1996, SO 1996, c 32, Sch, s 88.5 (consolidated from May 7, 2026), https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/ontario-election-law/municipal-elections-act#section-88-5
Can I copy and reuse this text? The King’s Printer for Ontario permits anyone to reproduce the text of its statutes without permission and without charge, if the copy is accurate, acknowledges Crown copyright and says it is not an official version. Read the terms at https://www.ontario.ca/page/copyright-information.
## Notices from the King’s Printer for Ontario This is not an official version of the Act. The Legislation Act, 2006 sets out which copies of Ontario statutes are official copies of the law. [Copyright terms on ontario.ca (opens in a new tab)](https://www.ontario.ca/page/copyright-information) Municipal Elections Act, 1996: © King's Printer for Ontario, 1996 City of Toronto Act, 2006: © King's Printer for Ontario, 2006 Municipal Act, 2001: © King's Printer for Ontario, 2001 Education Act: © King's Printer for Ontario, 1990 v. ABOUT VOCHE.ME ## Information about your local election. voche.me is an independent guide to the 2026 Toronto election, with sourced candidate profiles and official voting information. Read how it works on the [editorial approach](https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/about) page. ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](/on/toronto-2026/sitemap.md) for all pages.