Information for Voters

The Town undertook a comprehensive ward boundary review in 2021 and adopted a new ward structure for the 2022 municipal election. View the Interactive Ward Map, where you can enter your address to confirm which ward you are in.

Interactive Ward Map

In order to vote in any municipal election in Ontario, you must be:

• aged 18 or older; and
• a Canadian citizen

You must also qualify to vote in your municipality. There are several ways to do this:

1. As a resident elector
   Your residence is where you live. If you live in a municipality, then you are eligible to vote in that municipality’s election. You are only allowed to have one residence.
2. As a non-resident elector
   If you live in one municipality, and own or rent property in another municipality, you are eligible to vote in each municipality’s election.
3. As the spouse of a non-resident elector
   If your spouse qualifies as a non-resident elector in a municipality, then you can also vote in that municipality’s election.

Do I Qualify as a Non-Resident Elector?

It can sometimes be complicated to determine whether you qualify as a nonresident elector. The Municipal Elections Act, 1996 says that you must be an “owner or tenant” of land. For example, if you have a cottage that is actually owned by a trust, or a business premises that is owned by your business and not by you personally, then you are not considered to be the owner of the land, and would not be eligible to vote. If you have questions about whether you would be qualified to vote as a non-resident elector in a municipality, you should contact that municipality’s clerk for further information.

There is a special rule for students who may be living away from home while they attend school. If you are a student and consider your “home” to be the place where you live when you are not attending school (i.e. you plan on returning there), then you are eligible to vote in both your “home” municipality and in the municipality where you currently live while attending school.

Who is NOT allowed to vote?

1. A person who is serving a sentence of imprisonment in a penal or correctional institution cannot vote.
2. A corporation is not entitled to a vote.
3. A person acting as executor or trustee in any other representative capacity cannot vote.
4. A person who was convicted of a corrupt practice described in subsection 90 (3), of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, cannot vote if voting day in the current election is less than five years after voting day in the election in respect of which he or she was convicted.

Can I vote for candidates in wards other than the one I live in? 

No. If you live in BWG, you must vote for the candidate representing the ward in which you reside. The voting system will identify your ward based on your voter information and will only allow you to vote for candidates running for Councillor in your ward.

If I own more than one property in BWG can I vote more than once?

No. Each person is entitled to only one vote, regardless of how many properties they own in BWG. 

If you do not live in BWG but do own property in the municipality, you may vote in the ward where your property is located. If you own property in more than one ward, you must choose only one ward in which to vote. You should also ensure that you are on the Voters’ List for the qualifying property address. 

Non-resident electors are not eligible to vote for a School Board Trustee candidate.

You may place your vote by internet or telephone at any time during the 250-hour voting period between October 16 at 10:00 a.m. and October 26 at 8:00 p.m. Both voting methods are available 24 hours a day throughout this period.

Where do I vote?

All votes must be cast using either the internet or touch-tone telephone. You can vote from anywhere! 

Simply place your vote using your computer, tablet, or smartphone with an internet connection from anywhere in the world, or using a touch-tone telephone from anywhere in North America toll-free. 

Electors who require assistance, or who do not have access to the internet or a telephone at home, may vote at a Voter Help Centre where staff can provide support. Voter Help Centre locations and hours are provided in the “What if I need more information or help?” section below.

​

How do I vote?

1. Go to RegisterToVoteON.ca to ensure you are on the voters' list. For more information on the Voters' List please see "Voters' List Information" section below.
   
   ​
2. Receive your voter information letter in the mail, and double-check that all of the information on it is correct, including your name, address, and school board that you support. The letter will provide a number to call if any of this information is incorrect.
3. Review the instructions in the letter, which will include the telephone number and website address that you can use to access the voting system and a unique code (PIN) to access the system. Voters will be required to enter specific information to confirm their identity.
4. At any time during the voting period, call the phone number or go to the website address provided and follow the prompts to cast your vote for Mayor, Deputy Mayor, the Councillor for your ward, and the Trustee for the school board that you support.
5. If you lose your telephone or internet connection at any time, call again or go back to the website and it should allow you to pick up where you left off.

​

Do voters have to be tech-savvy or need special programs to vote online?

No special internet skills or software are required to vote online. You can cast your vote using any device with an internet connection, including a computer, smartphone, or tablet. The online voting system is designed to be simple and easy to use.

Once you receive your Voter Information Letter, visit the voting website listed in the letter and follow the instructions to cast your vote.

You may also vote by telephone. Your Voter Information Letter will include a toll-free phone number for telephone voting. Call the number and follow the prompts to complete your vote.

Before and during the Voting Period, you can get help in a variety of ways:

• visit the Town Administration Office at 100 Dissette St., Units 7&8, open Monday-Friday, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm;
• call the BWG Votes Hotline at 905-775-5366 ext. 8683 (VOTE); 
• email vote@townofbwg.com ;
• use the chat feature to ask a question (see the pop-up box at the bottom of this page).

​Where can I go to get in-person help?

Voter Help Centres will be set up with voting stations for anyone who wishes to come to one of these locations to place their vote via the internet.

BWG Library Voter Help Centre
425 Holland St. W (Zima Room)

• Saturday, October 17, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
• Monday through Friday, October 19-23, 5:00 - 8:00 pm
• Saturday, October 24, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
• Monday, October 26, 10:00 am - 8:00 pm

Town Administration Office Voter Help Centre
100 Dissette St., Units 7&8:

• Monday through Friday, October 16-26, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Mobile Voter Help Centres will be established at certain institutional and multi-residential buildings for residents of those facilities. Locations, dates and times to be determined.

Where can electors go to add their name or check if they are on the Voters' List?

Elections Ontario is responsible for maintaining the Permanent Register of Electors for Ontario, commonly known as the Voters’ List. The Voters’ List is a list of individuals who are eligible to vote in provincial and municipal elections in Ontario.

To check, update, add, or remove your information from the voters’ list, visit the Elections Ontario website at RegisterToVoteON.ca or call 1-888-668-8683.

Only electors on the voters’ list will receive a voter information letter which provides instructions on how to vote.

How do I confirm/change my school support designation?

To confirm or change your school support designation, visit the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation website: https://www.mpac.ca/schoolsupport

School support designation determines which school board trustee election you are eligible to vote for in the municipal election. Whether you own or rent your home, your property is linked to a school board even if you do not have children attending school.

If you do not select a designation, your school support will default to the English-Public school board.

Residents are encouraged to review and update their school support designation by June 1, 2026 to ensure the correct information is included on the voters’ list for the municipal and school board elections.

How do I remove a name from the voters’ list?

The voters’ list is a public document. If you do not want your name to appear on the voters’ list you can apply to have your name removed. If you remove your name from the list, you will not be able to vote.

You can also apply to remove the name of someone who is deceased from the voters’ list. You cannot ask for someone else’s name to be removed from the list for any other reason.

Requests to remove your name or the name of someone who is deceased must be made through Elections Ontario at RegisterToVoteON.ca or 1-888-668-8683.

There is no advance voting period. Electors may cast their vote by telephone or online at any time between October 16 at 10:00 a.m. and October 26 at 8:00 p.m.

Is proxy voting still allowed?

No, proxy voting (which is when an eligible voter designates another eligible voter to vote on their behalf if they are unable to do so themselves) will not be permitted in the 2026 municipal election. Eligible voters can place their vote using the internet from anywhere in the world, or using a touch-tone telephone from anywhere in North America toll-free.

When, where, and how do I find out who the candidates are?

As candidates are nominated, they will be added to the list of unofficial candidates under the Notices section, found on the main Election page. After the nomination period closes on August 21, the nominations will be certified by the Clerk. Once this process is complete, the list of certified candidates will be available on this website under the Notices section.

• 2026 MMAH Voters' Guide
• Interactive Ward Map
• Static Ward Maps