ELN Spotlight: The Ontario Election

Calling all rising leaders—the Ontario election is coming up on June 2^nd, where we will select the next provincial government! The election period is an important opportunity to reexamine the most pertinent issues impacting the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) and Ontario, including education, the environment, housing, healthcare, and more.

As emerging leaders, we all have a role to play in helping to shape the region that we live in by making informed choices and encouraging our communities to do the same. We hope you had many of your questions answered at our Ask Me Anything about the Ontario Election with Apathy is Boring on May 24^th, but for those who missed the conversation or are looking for more information, check out these ten resources to help you engage in this election.

1. Check out VoteCompass, a tool developed by political scientists to explore how your views align with the major parties and help you see where you land on the political spectrum.
2. Compare the different Ontario party platforms to see what politicians are promising Ontarians.
3. Make a note of Elections Ontario’s key dates and hold time in your calendar to ensure you’re prepared to participate in one of the ways to vote.
4. Election Ontario provides information in 38 languages, including a voting guide and what ID to bring to the polls.
5. Apathy is Boring has excellent information for young or new voters, and covers voting basics, including details on election districts, how to get to the polls, what to bring with you, and what to do if you’re working on election day.
6. Equal Voice keeps track of all the women and gender-diverse candidates who put their names on the ballot across the major parties. Check out their public spreadsheet to see how each major party does in gender representation and who’s running in your district.
7. Download Engage Democracy’s Ontario Election Readiness Handbook, filled with information to feel confident voting.
8. Read about how the Ontario Nonprofit Network is practicing election advocacy and build your understanding of the importance of the nonprofit sector in bridging communities and government.
9. Before heading to the polls, download the Elections Ontario app, equipped with tools to make your voting experience more accessible, including a scannable version of your voter information card.
10. Download Engage Democracy’s shareable content and use #OnPoli and #OnElxn when posting online. Spreading the word helps encourage others to make it out to the polls on June 2^nd!