Check the WiFi… electronic voting approved for 2026 Municipal Election
North Bay residents will be able to vote for their next council from the comfort of their computer chair.
Council has checked the box on approving electronic voting for the 2026 municipal election.
“There will still be kiosks for individuals who would like to vote at an in-person location,” says Deputy Mayor Maggie Horsfield. “The difference will that it will not be a paper ballot. There will be computers for those individuals to receive assistance and cast their vote electronically.”
She’s also encouraging residents to visit registertovoteon.ca to make sure they’re on the voters list, which is provided by the province.
Councillor Chris Mayne hopes it increases participation in election.
“Some people find it a challenge to go to set aside time and go to a physical location,” he says. “The more we simplify that process I think the more people will get involved in it.”
Staff previously told council about ten days of online-only advance voting are expected, along with a super poll set up on election day.
They also said electronic voting is the least costly method, at an estimated $150,000.
An in-person vote with paper ballots would’ve cost an estimated $300,000 while a hybrid election, with both options, would’ve be approximately $350,000.
The next municipal election will be held on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026.
At Tuesday night’s meeting, Council also awarded a nearly $1.9 million contract for the installation of a signalized intersection at Lakeshore Drive and Booth Road, and a $3.2 million contract for sidewalk and stormwater improvements on Commerce Crescent and Wallace Road.
