Advance Voting Opens for Toronto and Mississauga Municipal Elections

Advance voting for municipal elections began on October 6 in Toronto and Mississauga. In Toronto, polls remain open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. until October 11, with the general election scheduled for October 26. Voters in Toronto must use designated ward polling stations, while Mississauga voters can cast ballots at any location until October 11.

Olivia Chow, the incumbent Mayor of Toronto, currently leads the mayoral race with 38.1% to 40% support, according to polling. She is facing a strong challenge from Councillor Brad Bradford, who holds 32.2% to 33% support, and former immigration minister Chris Alexander. Analysts suggest Bradford is closer to defeating a sitting mayor than any candidate has been in nearly 60 years.

To secure her lead, Chow is leveraging endorsements from major unions, including CUPE 79, 416, and Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113. Meanwhile, Bradford is targeting homeowners and renters, proposing the incorporation of Toronto Water to reduce utility bills. In Mississauga, incumbent Mayor Carolyn Parrish is competing against former mayor Bonnie Crombie and councillors Alvin Tedjo and Dipika Damerla.

Early voting is scheduled to expand to Brampton, Caledon, and Vaughan later this week, followed by Oshawa next week.