Candidates who run for Mayor and City Council are given a list of voters and their home address for their respective wards. It is very easy to abuse. But you can have your personal information redacted and still keep your right to vote.

There are over 50 candidates for mayor and most of them know they have no chance of getting elected. Why do they need a voters list? Any one of these candidates could sell the voters list with your information in it to a third party who could then abuse it in terrible ways.

If having your name and address available on the voters’ list would endanger your life, health or security, you can request that the Chief Electoral Officer redact your information. If the Chief Electoral Officer grants your request, your name remains on the voters list, allowing you to vote, but your information will not be included in copies of the voters’ list that are given to candidates or are available for public inspection. The redaction applies to voters lists for municipal and provincial elections.

To request a redaction of information, you can send an email to priv@elections.on.ca or write to: Elections Ontario Attn: Chief Privacy Officer 26 Prince Andrew Place Toronto, Ontario M3C 2H4