OTTAWA -- Cumberland ward voters head to the polls during the COVID-19 pandemic to elect a new councillor today.

The City of Ottawa is holding a byelection in the east-end ward to fill the seat left vacant when Stephen Blais stepped down in March to become the new MPP for Orleans.

Voting places will be open from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. today.

The city says Ottawa is offering "anywhere voting," meaning that electors can vote at any voting place regardless of their address. Electors can cast a ballot at any of the following locations on voting day:

  • Bearbrook Community Hall, 8720 Russell Road
  • Carlsbad Springs Community Centre, 6020 Piperville Road
  • François Dupuis Recreation Centre, 2263 Portobello Boulevard
  • Navan Memorial Centre, 1295 Colonial Road
  • Redeemer Alliance Church, 4825 Innes Road
  • R.J. Kennedy Arena and Community Hall,1115 Dunning Road
  • Sarsfield Community Hall, 3585 Sarsfield Road
  • South Fallingbrook Community Centre, 998 Valin Street

Eligible electors should bring an acceptable piece of identification with their name and qualifying Ottawa address when they vote.

To encourage physical distancing and to limit the spread of COVID-19, the city has introduced a number of measures for voting day.

Masks are mandatory inside the voting stations and there will be sanitization stations at each location.  Electors will get their own single-use pen and privacy sleeve when casting their ballots.

The city says if you feel sick, have symptoms of COVID-19, or if you have travelled in the last 14 days, stay home. You can arrange to have someone vote for you by proxy.  You can contact the Elections Office by phone at 613-580-2660.

The City of Ottawa reported 2,275 people cast a ballot during two days of advance voting last week.

There are ten candidates on the ballot for Cumberland councillor:

*Denis Labrèche withdrew from the race after the deadline, so his name remains on the ballot, but he is now supporting another candidate.