People in Waterloo will be permitted to vote in their homes if they can’t get to a polling station in this October’s municipal election.

This is in line with Kitchener, which will allow at-home voting as well as drive-thru voting along with the usual voting locations.

Cambridge’s plans for voting methods for this fall’s election will be brought to council in a staff report later in April.

Waterloo council voted in favour of a pilot project to allow at-home voting during a council meeting Monday afternoon.

A staff report said voters who are unable to vote in person can assign another person to vote as their proxy, but this year, they wanted to pilot at home visits for people who “do not want to assign a proxy and cannot attend a poll in person due to illness, injury or disability.”

“This voting method has been popular in other municipalities and will provide an additional voting opportunity,” the staff report says.

Paper ballots with electronic tabulators are expected to be used at voting locations. The Waterloo staff report said internet voting wasn’t explored as an option for this year because “neither Elections Canada nor Elections Ontario has used or developed provincial and/or federal standards for internet voting.”

Coun. Sandra Hamner, who sits on the Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee, said people on the committee were pleased to hear the cities were working to make home visits an option.

“I know we had anecdotally or one-off done it with a few residents in my ward through the last two elections and I know it’s going to be very well received,” Hamner said during Monday’s meeting.

Municipal election is city’s ‘largest corporate project’

Amanda Fusco, Kitchener’s city clerk and director of legislated services, told CBC News that council approved in-person paper ballots with vote tabulators for the October election along with at-home and drive-thru voting.

“Work on the 2026 municipal and school board election at the City of Kitchener began in August 2025,” Fusco said.

“The election is the largest corporate project the city undertakes every four years and considerable effort is taken to ensure all legislative requirements are met. We work diligently to build secure technological infrastructure, create compelling awareness campaigns for candidates and voters, and plan all other logistical needs the election requires as well.”

Fusco says staff are aiming to have “a seamless and accessible voting experience for all eligible residents” and encouraged people to check to see if they’re registered to vote.

Dates to know

Here are the dates and deadlines for the upcoming municipal election:

• Anytime — Check to see if you’re registered to vote through registertovoteon.ca.
• May 1 — Nomination period opens.
• June 1 — Last day to update school support designation.
• Aug. 21 — Last day for candidate nominations or to withdraw a nomination. Deadline is 2 p.m.
• Sept. 26 — The earliest day an advance vote can be held.
• Oct. 26 — Voting day.

If people want to run to be a municipal councillor, they need to meet some requirements including:

• Be an eligible voter and on the voters list.
• Provide proof of residence and citizenship.
• Complete a nomination form.
• Gather 25 endorsement signatures.

Candidate information session April 23

During Monday’s council meeting, Waterloo Mayor Dorothy McCabe encouraged people to get informed if they’re interested in being a candidate in the election or even if they just want to know more about the election.

“I know that there’s a lot of information and education sessions for people who are considering running in the 2026 election, particularly people who may traditionally not have considered themselves a potential candidate,” McCabe said.

“I would just encourage anyone listening and anyone with questions to either contact our clerk’s office but a quick Google search online will show you when there’s various online education sessions.”

The Region of Waterloo and local municipalities are hosting an in-person event called The Lead Local, which will run from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on April 23. at the Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum. The event is free to attend but people are asked the register.