2026 Guelph municipal election
How to vote
Election day is Monday, October 26, 2026, with polls open from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. If that day doesn't work, you can vote early — advance polls run from October 10 to 18.
Election day
Mon, Oct 26
10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Advance voting
Oct 10 – 18
Starts at City Hall
Nominations close
Fri, Aug 21
Ballot is set after this
Can you vote?
You can vote in Guelph's municipal election if all of these are true:
- You are 18 or older
- You are a Canadian citizen
- You live in Guelph, own property in Guelph, or are the spouse of someone who owns property in Guelph
- You are not prohibited from voting under the Municipal Elections Act
Renting counts. Students living in Guelph during the school year count. You do not need to own anything to vote here.
What to bring
You need something showing your name and a Guelph address. It does not have to be photo ID. Any of these work:
- Ontario driver's licence or Ontario Photo Card
- Any government-issued ID showing your name and address
- An income tax assessment notice
- A piece of mail with your name and address on it — a utility bill, a pay stub, a letter from your bank
One thing to watch: the voter notification card that arrives in the mail is useful, but it is not accepted on its own as proof of who you are. Bring one of the items above as well.
Voting early
Advance polls run for nine days, from Saturday October 10 to Sunday October 18.
| Dates | Where | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 10 – 11 | City Hall, 1 Carden Street | 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. |
| Oct 12 – 15 | City Hall, 1 Carden Street | 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. |
| Oct 16 – 18 | City Hall, plus one location in every ward | Varies by day — check closer to the date |
The individual ward locations aren't published yet. As of late July 2026 the City hadn't announced where the ward advance polls or the election-day polling stations will be. We'll add them here the day they're confirmed — rather than guess, because sending someone to the wrong place to vote is worse than sending them nowhere.
Make sure you're on the list
Ontario keeps a permanent register of voters. If you've moved recently, or you've never voted here before, it's worth two minutes to check you're on it — you can still vote if you're not, but it's slower at the polling station.
Check the voters' list at registertovoteon.caWhat you're actually voting for
Three things are on the ballot:
- Mayor — one vote, elected by the whole city
- Two city councillors for your ward — Guelph has six wards and each elects two, so you can pick two names
- A school board trustee — which board depends on where you live and your school support designation
Still stuck?
The City Clerk's office runs the election and can answer anything this page can't — call 519-837-5625 or email elections@guelph.ca. The official election page is at guelph.ca.
Send this to someone who needs it
Turnout in municipal elections is low mostly because the details are annoying to find. This page is here for anyone in Guelph, whoever they end up voting for.