Toronto voters who want to cast their ballots ahead of election day can now do so as advance voting opens today.

Starting Friday, advance polls will be open for eight straight days until Oct. 14.

Fifty advance voting locations will be open across the city between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. each day.

Voting locations will also be open during the Thanksgiving long weekend.

“For the 2022 election, there are three additional advance vote days compared to 2018 and voting locations are open during the Thanksgiving long weekend to allow more time to vote and to provide students home from school the opportunity to vote in person,” the city wrote in a news release Thursday.

An individual is eligible to vote in Toronto’s election if they are a Canadian citizen, at least 18 years old, not prohibited from voting under any law, and a Toronto resident or a non-resident but they or their spouse own or rent property in the city.

Voters must fill out a ballot in the ward where they live and are encouraged to visit MyVote to learn where they can vote and to ensure they are on the voters’ list.

MyVote also has information about the candidates running in each ward, a ward map and accessibility information for voting locations.

A Voter Assist Terminal will be available at all vote locations to help voters with disabilities mark their ballots privately and independently. The terminal includes a touch screen, audio function, braille keypad, sip/puff tube device, rocker paddle/foot switch and zoom features to adjust font sizes and colour contrast.

Voters who were approved to vote by mail cannot vote during advance voting or on election day if they have returned their completed mail-in ballot. However, if they change their mind and want to vote in person they can complete a declaration at a voting location stating that they have not voted.

Voters are reminded to bring ID showing their name and qualifying Toronto address, and their Voter Information Card that they received in the mail when they go to vote.

A list of acceptable ID options is available on the Toronto Elections Identification webpage.

If a voter does not receive their Voter Information Card by mail they can use MyVote to print or download a digital copy to their smartphone.

If individuals don’t have a chance to vote early, they can still head to the polls on election day on Oct. 24.