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- calendar_today October 13, 2026
Record Advance Voting Turnout in 2026 Toronto Municipal Election
Advance voting in Toronto’s 2026 municipal election saw an unprecedented turnout, with over 222,000 people casting ballots between October 6 and October 11. According to the city’s data, this marks a nearly 72 percent increase from the 2023 mayoral byelection, which registered just over 129,000 advance votes. Voting stations closed at 7 p.m. on Sunday, and those who missed early voting can find information about election day polling locations—set for October 26—on their voter cards or the City of Toronto’s website.
Mayoral Race: Olivia Chow Leads Brad Bradford
A voter survey conducted during the advance voting period by Liaison Strategies suggests incumbent mayor Olivia Chow is leading the mayoral race by five percentage points over Coun. Brad Bradford. The poll indicates that Chow is supported by 51 percent of decided and leaning voters, compared to Bradford’s 46 percent. Chow’s campaign team attributed her lead and the high advance turnout to the work of volunteers throughout the city during the early voting days.
Campaigns React to Early Voter Surge
Chow's team released a statement noting, "Chow had hundreds of volunteers across the city over the advance voting days talking to Torontonians and encouraging her supporters to go and vote. Her ground game is showing results." Conversely, Laryssa Waler, spokesperson for Bradford’s campaign, saw the surge as a sign that voters desire change: "People aren’t waiting for October the 26th to make up their minds. They’ve looked at a campaign with a plan and a campaign with nothing new, and they’re choosing."
Voter Survey Methods and Recent Debate Highlights
The Liaison Strategies poll sampled 1,000 Torontonians using Interactive Voice Recording (IVR) on both cellphone and landlines from October 8 to 9. The sample was weighted according to 2021 Census data and carries a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. The results show a slight increase in Chow’s support compared to a Mainstreet Research poll from the previous week, which had her just 2.5 points ahead of Bradford.
The mayoral debate hosted by CBC Toronto focused on key issues including bike lanes, property taxes, and public safety as candidates made their cases to voters.
Renters Versus Homeowners: Voting Preferences Revealed
The Liaison survey also highlighted a divide between renters and homeowners. Among renters, Chow leads with 57 percent support to Bradford’s 40 percent. However, among homeowners, Bradford leads with 50 percent compared to Chow’s 45 percent. These distinctions reflect the candidates’ targeted campaign promises: Bradford has vowed to freeze property taxes for a year, reduce the municipal land transfer tax, and cut water bills by 25 percent, aimed largely at homeowners. Chow, on the other hand, has pledged to keep property taxes "at or around" the rate of inflation and emphasized expanding the city’s rent bank, creating a taskforce to address landlord issues, and capping TTC fares with a promise to make transit free after 10 rides per week.
Looking Ahead to Election Day
With more than 50 candidates in the running, the 2026 Toronto mayoral race remains competitive. For additional details on candidate platforms or to view the full candidate list, residents can consult the City of Toronto and CBC Toronto websites. Election day is scheduled for October 26, when voting stations will reopen for the city’s eligible voters.
Source: cbc.ca.
