- Start with your own ballot: find your riding, ward or district first, so you only research races you can actually vote in.
- Compare candidates on the same questions, and check record and ratings, not just campaign slogans.
Start with the ballot you actually have
Most advice on who to vote for starts with ideology. A better first step is practical: find out which races are on *your* ballot. A single address can sit in a federal riding, a provincial riding, a municipal ward and a school district at once, and each has its own candidates.
Use Choseno's find your district tool to enter your address or postal code and see every race that applies to you.
Step 1: List the candidates in each race
Open each race and write down who is running and for which party, or whether they are independent. For a quick overview of an entire election, browse the elections and races directory.
Step 2: Compare candidates on the same questions
Comparing candidates is fairer when you hold them to the same questions. Read each candidate's statement and look for specifics: what they would do, in which role, and with what budget or authority. Our guide on how to compare candidates fairly covers this in more detail.
Step 3: Check the role's real powers
Local and provincial roles decide different things. A city councillor does not set healthcare policy, and an MP does not run your school board. Judge each candidate against what the job can actually deliver.
Step 4: Look at track record and ratings
For incumbents, look at what they did in office. For everyone, read voter ratings and feedback from people in the same riding or ward. Choseno shows public ratings so you can see how constituents rate the people who represent them.
Step 5: Decide, and confirm the logistics
Choseno does not endorse candidates; the decision is yours. Before voting day, confirm your voting place, hours and ID rules with your official election authority.
Short on time?
Our 15-minute method for researching local candidates works even when there is little media coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I figure out who to vote for?
Find the races on your ballot, list the candidates, compare them on the same questions, check the powers of the role and any track record or ratings, then decide. Choseno helps with the first four steps and does not endorse candidates.
Is there an app or website that tells me who to vote for?
Choseno does not tell you who to vote for. It shows you who is running in your riding, ward or district, lets you compare candidates side by side and read voter ratings so you can decide for yourself.
How do I find who is running in my riding?
Enter your address or postal code in Choseno's find your district tool. It lists the federal, provincial and municipal races on your ballot and the candidates in each.