Elections, You and Your Public Library

Election Day for the municipal and school board election is October 26, 2026. There's a wide variety of election information available, so we've included a few of the most important resources to help you become a more informed voter. We need your help to ensure the candidates are committed to helping build great communities by supporting great libraries. Voice your support and share your love of your ideaLAB & Library during the election.

The Library helps people access information and take part in their community, but it must stay completely neutral politically. During elections, it must be clearly non-partisan in everything it does, its services, programs, spaces, resources, and communications.

The Library and Political Elections Policy explains how Library spaces, services, and resources can and cannot be used during elections at all levels. It also makes sure the Library follows all relevant election laws and local rules.

Summary of the Policy
The Library must stay completely neutral during elections.
Library spaces, staff, and resources cannot be used for campaigning or anything that could influence voters.
The Library cannot give money, goods, or services to any candidate or campaign.
If the Library shares information, access, or opportunities with one candidate, it must offer the same to all fairly.
The Library can provide general, factual election information and host all-candidates meetings, as long as everything is fair and non-partisan.
No campaign activities are allowed in the Library, including handing out flyers, putting up signs, giving speeches, or asking for votes.
Candidates can use Library services like anyone else, but not to create or promote campaign materials.
People attending Library programs or events cannot campaign or promote themselves.
Meeting rooms may be booked, but not for campaign events or political promotion.
Staff, volunteers, and board members must stay politically neutral while working, but may take part in politics on their own time.
The Library must follow all election laws, and those laws take priority over this policy.

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Support your ideaLAB & Library

What can you do to support your ideaLAB? It’s easy to get involved!

For more ideas on how to help, check out these simple actions you can take today to ensure that Innisfil ideaLAB & Library continues to be a valued resource and community asset.

• Ask: Find out if your candidate uses the Library. Inquire about what they will do to help support library services and meet the needs of library users.
• Advocate: When candidates come to your door, tell them you love the ideaLAB & Library and they should too. 
• Attend: Participate in candidate forums in your electoral district. Voice your support for libraries and ask your candidates to support your ideaLAB & Library too.
• Learn: The Ontario Library Association and the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries has released an Ontario Party Platform Analysis and Library Commitments.

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