Facts. Not Fiction: Does One Vote Really Matter?
“One vote isn't going to make a difference.”
It's a thought many people have probably had at some point.
After all, municipal elections involve thousands — sometimes hundreds of thousands of eligible voters. What difference can one vote really make?
There's a bigger story here.
Voter turnout in municipal elections has been declining across Ontario.
According to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), turnout in municipal elections has fallen from 44.4% in 2010 to 43.1% in 2014, 38.3% in 2018 and 32.9% in 2022. (Source: Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), Healthy Democracy Project.)
That means fewer than 1 in 3 eligible electors participated in Ontario's most recent municipal elections.
In 2022, voter turnout in Whitby was 23.26%. That means fewer than one in four eligible electors cast a ballot. We think Whitby can do better. 2026 is an opportunity for more electors to have their say.
So, the idea that “one vote isn't going to make a difference” becomes more interesting when you look at the bigger picture.
So, does one vote matter?
One vote may not decide an election on its own.
Every person who decides to participate adds one more voice to the result. And every person who decides not to participate leaves their choice to those who do.
That's why “my one vote won't make a difference” can become a problem when lots of people think the same way. You simply have to participate.
Voting is one of the ways we have a say in the community we live in.
Making voting easier
The Town has tools and information to help electors be Vote Ready.
Plan Your Vote
Whitby's Plan Your Vote tool brings election information together in one place.
You can use it to:
· Check your information on the voters’ list
· Look-up available Voting Locations
· Learn about the candidates
· Make a plan for when and how you'll vote
Start planning your vote at Whitby.ca/VOTE
You have options
Voting Day is Monday, October 26, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 19 Voting Locations in Whitby and electors can vote at any Voting Location.
But you don't have to wait until then.
Advance Voting takes place October 22 to 25, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Brooklin Community Centre & Library, Whitby Town Hall, and the Abilities Centre.
There are options to help make voting fit into your schedule.
The 2026 Municipal Election is Monday, October 26.
If you're an eligible elector, you have a choice to make. You can decide whether to participate - and how.
Make a plan. Show up. Have your say.
👉 Get Vote Ready at Whitby.ca/VOTE
Knowing how the system actually works beats the comments section. Every. Time.
Share facts. Not fiction.
Straight from the source ➤ Whitby.ca/Subscribe
Learn more about the Town of Whitby's 2026 Election at whitby.ca/Vote
For more Town updates: Whitby.ca/News
Subscribe to All News: whitby.ca/Subscribe
✨ By subscribing, you're automatically entered into a draw to win a $150 local gift basket. Next draw is on December 31st, 2026
Subscribe Today!
