Ward 7 voting guide
Voting from long-term care or a retirement home
Ontario law brings the vote to long-term care and retirement homes, and guarantees help marking your ballot. Here's what residents and families should know.
The vote comes to you
If you live in a long-term care facility with 20 or more beds, or a retirement home with 50 or more occupied beds, Ontario law requires a voting place inside the building for its residents. You don't need to arrange a ride across town, and election officials can come to you: the deputy returning officer can come right to a resident's side so you can vote.
Help marking your ballot is your right
Two protections matter here:
- Bring your own helper. You may bring a friend or relative to assist you in marking your ballot. Your helper takes an oath first, then helps you vote the way you want.
- Official help. If you have a disability, the deputy returning officer must come to you anywhere in the voting place and help you vote.
Either way, the vote cast is yours. The choice belongs to you, not to the person helping.
Prefer to go out and vote? Take your time
There is no rush and no single day you must show up. Advance voting runs October 1, October 3, and October 5 through 10, and election day is Monday, October 26, all from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pick a quiet morning, bring one piece of ID showing your name and address (no photo needed), and a support person can come with you the whole way.
Questions people ask
Can long-term care residents vote without leaving the building?
In many cases, yes. Ontario law requires voting places inside long-term care facilities with 20 or more beds and retirement homes with 50 or more occupied beds, and election officials can come directly to residents.
Can someone help my parent mark their ballot?
Yes. A voter may bring a friend or relative to assist after the helper takes an oath. The deputy returning officer must also assist an elector with a disability anywhere in the voting place.
What ID does a long-term care resident need?
One document showing name and qualifying address. No photo is required, and a long-term care residence document is on Ontario's accepted ID list.
When can seniors vote in the 2026 London election?
Advance voting runs October 1, October 3, and October 5–10, and election day is Monday, October 26, all 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Can a resident who can't get to a poll appoint someone to vote for them?
Ontario law allows voting by proxy in defined circumstances. See our proxy voting page for how it works, and confirm London's 2026 process with the City's elections office.
Verified against official sources
Last verified July 13, 2026 against official sources.