Toronto community groups launch initiatives to combat voter apathy

Community organizations in Toronto are hosting events to combat voter apathy ahead of the October 26 municipal election. A non-partisan fair held at the Lawrence Heights Community Centre, organized by the North York Harvest Food Bank, featured participation from groups such as Voice the Vote—a joint initiative by Toronto Metropolitan University’s Democratic Engagement Exchange and United Way Greater Toronto.

The effort comes as the city has faced declining voter participation in recent years. Turnout for the 2023 mayoral by-election was 37 per cent, following a low of less than 30 per cent in the 2022 municipal election. However, early voting data shows a recent increase in engagement, with more than 222,000 people casting ballots at advance polls, marking the highest number in over a decade.