The bill that will open the door to ranked ballots for local elections in Ontario passed second reading at Queen’s Park last Tuesday, a mere two weeks after its introduction!

If Bill 181 -- The Municipal Elections Modernization Act -- passes, it will be historic legislation, offering the opportunity for Toronto, and other Ontario towns and cities, to abandon the outdated first-past-the post voting system currently used for elections at every level of government in Canada. We are beyond excited at the prospect of seeing the beginning of the end of first-past-the-post, and the start of something fairer and more inclusive for our city.

This past week has been a big one for us, but things are only getting bigger this coming week.

This Monday April 11, at 1pm, our provincial government will begin Second Reading debate for Bill 181, the Municipal Elections Modernization Act, 2016, the Local Elections legislation that will allow Ontario cities and towns to use ranked ballots in their elections.

Since last Monday's announcement and First Reading of the bill, there has been an outpouring of support from the public, politicians like Mayor John Tory, and influential media like the Toronto Star editorial board.  If this bill passes, it will be a first for Canada - the first legislation allowing ranked ballots to be used in municipal elections!

On April 4, 2016, the Ontario Government announced historic new legislation which, if passed, would give Toronto and all of Ontario’s other 443 towns and cities the ability to abandon our outdated and unfair first-past-the-post voting system, and switch to ranked ballots. 

We have never been closer to getting ranked ballot elections in Toronto.

Over the holidays, we read many of the “best of” lists that appear at year’s end. When it comes to the “best” of 2015, for RaBIT and our campaign to make Toronto's elections more fair, diverse, and inclusive, 2015 really was a year worth celebrating!

Because of you, we're closer than we've ever been to having a ranked ballot election in Toronto.

“I think it is something that could address … the issue of opening up the election to a greater extent. And so I would vote for it. Yes I would. I think it will come up, once the Province decides to allow ranked balloting at the city council - and I would vote for it.”