Voter Information

Voting Day, the last day of voting in the 2024 Municipal Elections, is Monday, July 15, 2024. The Advance Vote will be available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on July 13 and July 14, 2004. 

Voters can attend any one of the 3 Voting Locations to vote by paper ballot or request a change to the Voters' List (such as adding their name or updating/correcting their information). The City will have one Voting Location per Ward for Wards 1, 2 and 4. You will need to bring your identification showing your name and qualifying address to one of the 3 Voting Locations. 

Voting in the 2024 School Board By-election will be conducted using paper ballots and vote tabulators available at any of the locations listed below. Anyone who has entered a queue to cast their vote at a Voting Location by 6 p.m. on the Advance Vote or 8 p.m. on Voting Day will be given the opportunity to vote.

Voting Locations Wards 1, 2 and 4

Ward 1 Voting Location:

• MacLeod's Landing P.S. - 195 Silver Maple Rd.
• Ward 1 Map

Ward 2 Voting Location:

• Richmond Hill High School - 201 Yorkland St.
• Ward 2 Map

Ward 4 Voting Location:

• O.M. MacKillop P.S. - 206 Lucas St.
• Ward 4 Map

Proxy Voting

Unable to vote at an Advance Vote on Saturday July 13 or Sunday July 14, or on Voting Day, Monday July 15, 2024 for any reason?  If so, you can still vote in the 2024 York Region District School Board Trustee (Ward 1, 2 and 4) By-election by appointing a Proxy Voter. 

Who can be a Proxy Voter?

A Proxy Voter is a person you trust to vote on your behalf.  A Proxy Voter must be eligible to vote in the 2024 School Board By-election. As of Voting Day, July 15, 2024, they must be:

• A Canadian Citizen; and
• At least 18 years old; and
• A resident of the City of Richmond Hill, who lives in Wards 1, 2 or 4; or
• A non-resident owner or tenant of residential property, or spouse of such owner or tenant of residential property, located in Richmond Hill Wards 1, 2 or 4; and
• English Public School Board supporter; and
• Not prohibited from voting under the Municipal Elections Act, or any law

Can a Proxy Voter vote for multiple voters?

A Proxy Voter can only vote on behalf of one other voter unless they are a relative of the voter. A relative can be a Proxy Voter for more than one immediate family member. Immediate family members include your spouse, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild and siblings.

Where to get a Certified Proxy Form

Please complete two(2) copies of the of the Voting Proxy (Form 3) and follow the instructions provided. 

The Form must be certified in-person beginning Monday June 3, 2024 at the Office of the Clerk, City of Richmond Hill, 225 East Beaver Creek, hours are:

• 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, during regular business hour excluding statutory holidays; or
• 12:00 p.m. (noon) to 5:00 p.m. on any day of the Advance Vote when the Richmond Hill Elections office is normally not open; or
• 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Voting Day, July 15, 2024.

Appointments preferred, please email elections@richmondhill.ca or call 905-771-5470. For more detailed information on Proxy Voting see the general information and instructions. 

Anyone currently on the Voters’ List for this By-election will receive a Voter Information Package (VIP) in the mail. Voter's who request a change to the Voters' List (such as adding their name or correcting their information) by June 24, 2024, will receive their Voter Information Package in the mail. Voters who add themselves to the Voters’ List after June 24th, will be provided a Voter Information Package by email.

Your VIP contains detailed instructions on where and when to vote in-person using paper ballots and vote tabulators.

View a sample Voter Information Package.

If you receive a VIP other than your own

If the Voter Information package is for a person who no longer resides at your address, mark the envelope “Return to Sender” and drop it in the mail. Only open your own Voter Information Package, it is a Criminal Code offence to tamper with mail, which includes opening a Voter Information Package other than your own.

• a Canadian citizen; and
• at least 18 years old on or before Voting Day, July 15, 2024; and
• a resident of the City of Richmond Hill, who lives in Wards 1, 2 or 4; or

• a non-resident owner or tenant of residential property, or spouse of such owner or tenant of residential property, located in Richmond Hill Wards 1, 2 or 4; and

• an English Public School Board supporter; and
• not prohibited from voting under the Municipal Elections Act, or any law

• serving a sentence of imprisonment in a penal or correctional institution
• a corporation
• acting as executor or trustee or in another representative capacity
• convicted of a corrupt practice 

Acceptable Identification

When you arrive to vote in Richmond Hill's 2024 School Board By-election, you should present the Voter Information Package (if received) and one piece of identification to prove that you are the person whose name appears on the Voters’ List for Wards 1, 2 or 4.

Regulations require that eligible voters show one piece of ID with their name and address (for example, a driver's licence) OR two pieces of ID - the first listing their name and the second their address (for example, an Ontario Health Card and a Statement of Old Age Security). Unless otherwise specified, only current, valid or in force documents shall be accepted. Expired identification will not be accepted.

• Ontario Driver's Licence
• Ontario Health Card (photo card only)
• Ontario Photo Card
• Ontario motor vehicle permit (vehicle portion)
• cancelled personalized cheque (only if cancelled within the 3 months prior to Voting Day)
• mortgage statement, lease or rental agreement relating to property in Ontario
• insurance policy or insurance statement
• loan agreement or other financial agreement with a financial institution
• document issued or certified by a court in Ontario within 3 months prior to Voting Day
• 2024 City of Richmond Hill Property Tax Bill
• 2024 City of Richmond Hill Water Bill
• MPAC property tax assessment
• credit card statement, bank account statement, or RRSP, RRIF, RHOSP or T5 statement
• cheque stub, T4 statement or pay receipt issued by an employer within 3 months of voting day
• document from a Band Council in Ontario established under the Indian Act (Canada)
• 2023 Income Tax Assessment Notice
• Child Tax Benefit Statement
• Statement of Employment Insurance Benefits Paid T4E
• Canada Pension Plan Statement of Contributions
• Statement of Direct Deposit for Ontario Works
• Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Statement of Benefits T5007
• document showing residence at a long-term care home issued by the Administrator for the home
• 2023 Statement of Old Age Security T4A (OAS)
• 2023 Statement of Canada Pension Plan Benefits T4A (P)
• hospital card or record
• CNIB Card or a card from another registered charitable organization that provides services to persons with disabilities
• 2024 utility bill for hydro, water, gas, telephone or cable TV or a bill from a public utilities commission 

The information below is provided by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Enforcement and penalties

Enforcement of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 is done through the courts. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing does not have a role in investigating elections or determining penalties.

If you are an eligible voter and you feel that the election was not valid (either the election of a specific candidate or candidates, or the entire election), you can apply to the Superior Court of Justice to determine whether the election was valid. The application must be made within 90 days after voting day.

Any person can begin court proceedings against a person, trade union or corporation who they believe committed an offence in relation to an election. Only the court can decide whether the person, trade union or corporation is guilty of committing an offence, and only the court may determine the penalty.

It is an offence to do, or attempt to do, any of the following:

• vote if you are not an eligible elector
• vote more times than you are permitted to vote
• vote in a voting place where you are not entitled to vote
• persuade a person who is not an eligible elector to vote
• cast a vote yourself after you have appointed a proxy
• vote as a proxy if the person who appointed you has cancelled the appointment, become ineligible to vote or died
• give a ballot to someone if you are not authorized to do so
• switch the ballot you were given with a different piece of paper to be placed in the ballot box
• take a ballot away from the voting place
• handle a ballot box or ballots if you are not authorized to do so
• bribe a person (using money, valuables, or offers of office or employment) to vote a certain way or to not vote at all, or give someone else money so that they can bribe the person
• accept a bribe to vote a certain way or to not vote at all
• bribe a person to become a candidate, decide to not become a candidate, or withdraw from being a candidate

It is also an offence to break the rules relating to campaign finance - for example, to make a contribution without being eligible to do so, to contribute more than the limit or to contribute money that is not yours.

General Penalties

If a person is convicted of committing an offence, they may be subject to the following penalties:

• a fine of up to $25,000
• ineligibility to vote or run in the next regular election
• up to six months in prison

If a corporation or trade union is convicted of committing an offence, they may be subject to a fine of up to $50,000.

These penalties would be determined by the court.

Please note: The City Clerk does not have enforcement authority.