Voting
Elections Markham is committed to making voting easy, accessible and inclusive for all eligible voters.
You can vote if you are:
- At least 18 years old (or will be by final voting day);
- A Canadian citizen;
- A Markham resident, landowner or tenant (or the spouse of one); and,
- Registered to vote.
You can only vote once in a Markham municipal or school board election, no matter how many voting days there are or how many properties you own or rent in Markham.
In this section, you can find information about:
Frequently asked questions
- What offices are being elected?
In regular Markham municipal and school board election years, voters cast their ballot for the following offices:
- Mayor (1 position, city-wide)
- Regional councillor (4 positions, city-wide)
- Ward councillor (8 positions, by ward)
- School board trustee (8 positions, by ward)
- York Region District School Board (Public) (4 positions)
- Trustee, Markham Wards 1 & 8
- Trustee, Markham Wards 2 & 6
- Trustee, Markham Wards 3 & 4
- Trustee, Markham Wards 5 & 7
- York Catholic District School Board (Catholic) (2 positions)
- Trustee, Markham Wards 1, 2, 3 & 6
- Trustee, Markham Wards 4, 5, 7 & 8
- Conseil scolaire Viamonde (French Public) (1 position)
- Conseiller scolaire, York
- Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir (French Catholic) (1 position)
- Conseiller scolaire, York
- York Region District School Board (Public) (4 positions)
- I have property in Markham but don't live there. Can I vote in Markham's municipal elections?
If you own or rent property in Markham but don't live there, you might still qualify as a non-resident voter if you are also at least 18 years old and a Canadian citizen.
Unlike federal and provincial elections where you vote once based on where you live, you are allowed to vote in the municipal elections of every city or town where you live, own or rent property. However, you can only vote once in each place.
- My business is located in Markham. Can I vote?
If you own or lease commercial or industrial property in Markham, you might qualify as a non-resident voter if you are also at least 18 years old and a Canadian citizen.
Qualified non-residential property owners and tenants are allowed to vote for Markham's City Council offices, but not for school board trustees. Only people who live in, own or rent residential property in Markham can vote for Markham's local school boards.
You or your spouse must personally own or rent the property to qualify as a non-resident voter. If the property is owned or rented in your business's name, you can't vote.
- I have multiple properties in Markham. Can I vote more than once?
No. You can only vote once in a Markham municipal or school board election, no matter how many properties you own or rent in the city.
You vote based on the ward where you live. If you don't live at any of your Markham properties, you can choose which property to vote from. Make sure you are registered at the correct address by checking the voters' list.
If you receive more than one voter information letter, you are still only allowed to vote once. You should also alert Elections Markham that you have been registered multiple times.
- I'm from Markham but am living away for school. Where do I vote?
Students who are temporarily living in another municipality but live in Markham outside the school year are allowed to vote in both places. The same is true for students who are living in Markham to attend school but consider their home to be in another municipality.
Students who don't have other ID showing their Markham address can ask for a letter from the administrator of their student residence.
- I live in Markham but don't have a permanent address. Can I vote?
Yes. If you live in Markham but don't have a permanent address, the place where you have returned most often to eat or sleep in the past 5 weeks is considered to be your address.
If you don't have ID showing your name and address, you can ask the administrator of the shelter, food bank, or community health care facility that you use most often to provide you with a signed confirmation of identity and residence form.
- I don't have kids in the district school system. Why am I voting for a school board trustee?
Everyone who lives, owns or rents residential property in Markham automatically supports one of Markham's local school boards and is entitled to vote for the trustee representing their board and district.
School board elections take place at the same time as regular municipal elections and are administered together by Elections Markham, which is why their offices appear on the same ballot.
- Who can't vote in a Markham election?
Even if you meet all the qualifications of an eligible voter listed above, you cannot vote in a Markham municipal or school board election if you are:
- Serving a sentence of imprisonment in a penal or correctional institution
- Convicted of a corrupt practice under Ontario’s municipal election law
You cannot vote on an eligible voter's behalf, even if you are acting as their executor, trustee, or in another representative capacity.