What is Know Your Vote T.O.?

Know Your Vote T.O. is a website where voters can learn about:

• the mayoral and council candidates running in the municipal election in 2022;
• how candidates think some of Toronto’s biggest issues should be addressed; and,
• companion Know Your Vote T.O events and activities (stay tuned).

Who created Know Your Vote T.O.?

Know Your Vote T.O. is a Toronto Public Library project. The Library’s mission is to preserve and promote universal access to a broad range of human knowledge, experience, information, and ideas in a welcoming and supportive environment. Access to information and the healthy exchange of ideas are fundamental to our democracy, which is why the Toronto Public Library is expanding how it supports engaged citizenship in our city. The TPL has developed Know Your Vote T.O. to further improve access to information about candidates running for municipal elected office.

How is Know Your Vote T.O. being funded?

We are undertaking this exciting project thanks to a donation from the Toronto Public Library Foundation.

How is the Toronto Public Library making sure this website treats candidates fairly?

The Library is committed to ensuring that no candidate is given an unfair advantage through the Know Your Vote T.O. project. An independent External Advisory Committee reviewed all policies and practices to help ensure we achieve this commitment. Know Your Vote T.O.’s policies and practices were designed so that:

• fair and reasonable steps were taken to contact and remind all candidates about the opportunity to submit content to Know Your Vote T.O.;
• questions posed to candidates, as well as other learning materials posted on Know Your Vote T.O., were reasonable, fair, and balanced; and,
• the content inclusion guidelines and procedures for candidates are reasonable.

Our independent External Advisory Committee is comprised of six thoughtful and notable Torontonians representing diverse sectors, communities, and viewpoints.

This project is being undertaken following the Use of Library Resources During an Election Period Policy.

Why have some candidates not provided answers?

Starting after the candidate nomination deadline on August 22, 2022 the Know Your Vote T.O. team reached out to all registered candidates through email, phone, and/or mailing addresses they provided on publicly-accessible Nomination Forms. Some candidates may have provided answers recently, while others may have chosen not to submit answers for publication at all. Check back regularly to read new responses from candidates.

Read more about the Candidate Outreach and Content Collection Policy.

How were the questions selected for Know Your Vote T.O.?

The Know Your Vote T.O. Project Team worked with the independent External Advisory Committee to develop a set of six questions that met a series of criteria. The questions were designed to: be politically neutral in their framing; be easy to understand for both candidates and readers; allow candidates to highlight their priorities; relate to issues that are among the most important to Torontonians based on recent polling data; relate to issues that Toronto’s City Council, or Councillors individually, have significant power to address; and elicit answers that are relatively easy and quick for readers to review.

Are there any limits on what Council candidates have been able to submit?

Candidates can submit:

1. 550-character with spaces (or about 75 word) responses to the six Know Your Vote questions;
2. a link to a campaign website, social media links, and an email. No other web links are permitted, and any additional web links included within the candidates’ responses to questions will be removed;
3. A close cropped profile picture.

Are there any other considerations for what candidates can submit?

To preserve a welcoming and supportive environment, the Library has reserved the right not to post a response if it reasonably believes that the response promotes discrimination or hatred or contains language that is violent, threatening, abusive, or harassing. The goal is to not have to intervene as much as possible and let the candidates' submissions represent themselves.

More information is available in the Content Inclusion Policy.

What if I think something violates this policy?

Please send an email to candidate@knowyourvote.to or give us a call at 1-833-319-2022 if you don’t use email. We will consider what you think violates this policy, document this, consult our policy and take action accordingly.

Note: Project email addresses and telephone numbers on this website are not checked or maintained. See contact information at the bottom of the FAQs.

Do you check the grammar and spelling of the candidates’ submissions?

The short answer is — no. Again, The goal is to not have to intervene as much as possible and let the candidates' submissions represent themselves.

I am a candidate (or representative of one), and I’ve not received an email, phone, or mailed invitation to submit Know Your Vote T.O. content — how can I get some help?

Please send an email to candidate@knowyourvote.to or give us a call at 1-833-319-2022 if you don’t use email. Note: we will have to verify you as a candidate.

Note: Project email addresses and telephone numbers on this website are not checked or maintained. See contact information at the bottom of the FAQs.

How do you use my address and email on this website?

Great question! Check out our how we use your information page which explains (in reasonable language) what visitor information we use and how we use it.

I've got other questions about the project

For questions about TPL programs and services contact the Answerline service: www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/contact

For media inquiries please email: media@tpl.ca

For questions about Know Your Vote TO contact Alex Carruthers, Manager, Innovation, Learning & Service Planning at: acarruthers@tpl.ca