The Pledge

In the run up to the 2023 Toronto mayoral by-election, RaBIT built a coalition of candidates who support restoring Toronto's ability to use ranked ballots for it's municipal elections. This coalition was built around the following ranked ballots Candidate Pledge which we asked candidates to sign:

“As a candidate in the 2023 Toronto mayoral by-election, I pledge that, if elected, I will support and work to restore Toronto's ability to use ranked ballots. Once it is again possible, I pledge to vote in favour of Toronto using ranked ballots for its elections.”

The Details

As part of our pledge campaign, RaBIT contacted candidates running in the 2023 Toronto mayoral by-election. We provided each of these candidates with information about ranked ballots and about our candidate pledge campaign and offered to answer any questions they may have. We also asked these candidates if they would sign on to the Candidate Pledge.

Read the candidates' responses

It is important to note that RaBIT does not endorse candidates, even if they have taken the pledge. Rather, the purpose of our candidate pledge campaign is to provide voters with information regarding candidates' position regarding ranked ballots. It is our hope that in doing so RaBIT can help voters make an informed decision when they cast their ballot.

The Report Card

Those candidates who have signed the pledge have been marked as having taken the pledge and have been offered space on our website to explain why they have decided to support ranked ballots. Those candidates who have declined to sign or have not responded to our invitation to take the pledge have been marked as having not taken the pledge.

Additionally, for those candidates who have previously been members of Toronto City Council we have also provided a ranked ballotReport Card. This report card provides a factual summary of these incumbent candidates' voting records on every motion concerning ranked ballots that has come before city council and it's committees as well as their position on RaBIT's 2018 and 2022 Candidate Pledges:

  • 2010.MM52.33 - Adopt the Item: The original ranked ballot motion at City Council that asked city staff "to research and report to the Executive Committee in the new term of Council on alternate methods on the election of the Mayor for the City of Toronto for 2014." A vote for this motion is considered a motion in favour of ranked ballots.
  • 2013.GM22.15 - Wong-Tam - motion 4:  A motion at City Council stating that "City Council request the Province of Ontario to amend the Municipal Elections Act to authorize the use and establish the framework of Ranked Choice Voting to permit Toronto City Council to use ranked ballots and instant runoff voting in municipal elections." A vote for this motion is considered a motion in favour of ranked ballots.
  • 2015.EX8.1 - Di Ciano - motion 6:  A motion at City Council requesting that "the Province should not proceed with amendments to the Municipal Elections Act to provide for Ranked Choice Voting." A vote for this motion is considered a vote against ranked ballots.
  • 2016.EX20.5 (M1):  A motion at Executive Committee directing "the City Clerk to report to the January 19, 2017 meeting of the Executive Committee on the viability of creating a randomly selected Citizens Reference Panel to explore the potential benefits and disadvantages of using ranked ballots in future municipal elections." A vote for this motion is considered a motion in favour of ranked ballots.
  • 2016.EX20.5 (M1b):  A motion at City Council directing "the City Clerk to report to the January 19, 2017 meeting of the Executive Committee on the viability of creating a randomly selected Citizens Reference Panel to explore the potential benefits and disadvantages of using ranked ballots in future municipal elections." A vote for this motion is considered a motion in favour of ranked ballots.
  • RaBIT's 2018 Candidate Pledge:  Candidates who took this pledge in 2018 are considered to have supported ranked ballots.
  • 2019.GV5.1 (M1h):  A motion at the Special Committee on Governance recommending that "City Council direct the City Manager and the City Clerk to report to the Executive Committee by the end of the second quarter of 2020 on steps needed to conduct the 2022 election for Mayor and Councillors by ranked ballot..." A vote for this motion is considered a motion in favour of ranked ballots.
  • 2019.GV5.1 (M2a, as amended):  A motion to have "City Council initiate the process to pass a by-law allowing for a ranked ballot election in 2022 by directing the appropriate City officials to undertake the steps set out in Ontario Regulation 310/16..." A vote for this motion is considered a motion in favour of ranked ballots.
  • 2020.EX16.8 (Adopt Item as Amended):  A motion at Executive Committee to have "City Council direct the City Clerk to cease any further work on Ranked Ballot Elections for the 2022 Municipal Election, as previously directed in Item GV5.1 on November 26 and 27, 2019." A vote for this motion is considered a vote against ranked ballots.
  • 2020.EX16.8 (M1):  A motion to delete replace Executive Committee's recommendation that "City Council direct the City Clerk to cease any further work on Ranked Ballot Elections for the 2022 Municipal Election, as previously directed in Item GV5.1 on November 26 and 27, 2019." with the following "City Council direct the City Clerk to meet the pre-conditions required under Regulation 310/16 of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, for Ranked Ballot Elections and to report back to City Council by the end of 2023 on the outcome of meeting these requirements well in advance of the 2026 General Election in order that City Council may consider adopting a By-law requiring a Ranked Ballot Election in 2026. A vote for this motion is considered a motion in favour of ranked ballots.
  • RaBIT's 2022 Ontario Election Candidate Pledge: Candidates who took this pledge in 2022 are considered to have supported ranked ballots.
  • RaBIT's 2022 Toronto City Council Candidate Pledge: Candidates who took this pledge in 2022 are considered to have supported ranked ballots.

Note that not all candidates in the mayoral by-election previously served on council and, even if they have, they may not have been on council, or been members of the relevant committees for all the votes described here. As such, most incumbents will only have voting records on a sub-set of these motions. Similarly, only a small number of candidates for mayor in this by-election were candidates in the 2022 Ontario Election, and thus most by-election candidates did not have the opportunity to take the candidate pledge during that election.

In a few select cases we have provided additional relevant information regarding a candidate's prior support, or lack thereof, for ranked ballots on a more ad hoc basis. If you feel we have not included an important piece of information regarding a candidate's past support, or lack thereof, for ranked ballots, please let us know by contacting us at [email protected].

If you have any questions concerning the ranked ballot Candidate Pledge, or are a candidate who would like to take the pledge, please do not hesitate to get in touch with RaBIT at [email protected].