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When Voters Stay Home, Who Speaks for the ORM?


Municipal councils make some of the most important decisions affecting Oak Ridges Moraine communities: where growth happens, how farmland and countryside are protected, whether wetlands and headwaters are defended, and who gets a voice in major planning decisions.


But in 2022, most eligible voters stayed home


Weighted voter turnout within ORM municipalities (Click to expand). Source: AMO’s 2022 Municipal Election – Municipal Data
Weighted voter turnout within ORM municipalities (Click to expand). Source: AMO’s 2022 Municipal Election – Municipal Data

Across Ontario, municipal voter turnout fell to a record low of 32.9%. In the 25 lower-tier municipalities responsible for stewarding the Oak Ridges Moraine, turnout was even lower: just 28.24%.


In other words, many mayors and councils are now making major decisions about growth, housing, infrastructure, and protected landscapes with fewer than one in three eligible voters taking part.


Even before accounting for the growing use of Strong Mayor powers, this raises a deeper democratic question: who is being heard, who is being left out, and what would it take to bring residents back to the polls?


As the 2026 municipal election approaches, STORM wants to better understand what is keeping people from voting in Oak Ridges Moraine communities — and what information, access, and local issues could help increase participation.


Please find our three core questions below. Drop us a comment at the bottom of this blog post if there is somehting we missed.



What factors have decreased your engagement with municipal elections? Select all that apply.

  • I do not trust the political system

  • I do not believe voting will change anything

  • I do not know enough about what municipal government does

  • I do not feel confident that I understand local issues

You can vote for more than one answer.



What resources would help strengthen your engagement in the 2026 municipal election? Select all that apply.

  • Candidate responses to questions about the ORM

  • Candidate pledges

  • Information about what municipal councils do

  • More info on the effects of municipal decisions

You can vote for more than one answer.



Which local issues would make you more likely to vote? Select all that apply.

  • Protection of the Oak Ridges Moraine

  • Water, wetlands, rivers, and groundwater protection

  • Housing and growth planning

  • Sprawl and settlement area expansion

You can vote for more than one answer.






 
 
 

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