Ontario voters in three ridings head to the polls Sept. 3 as by-elections are called

Voters in three Ontario ridings will head to the polls on Sept. 3 after by-elections were officially called Tuesday for Hamilton East–Stoney Creek, Scarborough Southwest and York–Simcoe.

Elections Ontario announced the writs for the three provincial contests on Aug. 5, setting up a month-long campaign that includes Scarborough Southwest in Toronto's east end and York–Simcoe, which covers parts of York Region and Simcoe County.

Several ways to vote

In-person voting won't be limited to election day. According to Elections Ontario, voters in the three districts can cast ballots in person starting Aug. 6 and running through Sept. 2, either at their local election office or at additional locations during advance voting periods.

Voters who prefer to vote from home can apply to cast a ballot by mail through elections.on.ca.

"There are many days and ways to mark your X in these by-elections," the agency said in a news release announcing the votes.

Who can vote

Canadian citizens living in Hamilton East–Stoney Creek, Scarborough Southwest or York–Simcoe who will be at least 18 years old on election day are eligible to cast a ballot.

Elections Ontario is encouraging eligible voters to check, update or add their information to the voters list at RegisterToVoteON.ca ahead of time. Those on the list will be mailed a voter information card with details on when, where and how to vote.

Voters can also confirm their registration and access a digital voter information card through the ElectionsON app.

What's at stake

The by-elections will fill three vacant seats in the Legislative Assembly at Queen's Park. The results could slightly shift the balance of seats at the provincial legislature, where the outcome in each riding will determine which party's candidate represents the district for the remainder of the current parliament.

Full details about the three by-elections, including voting locations and examples of accepted identification, are available at elections.on.ca.

Elections Ontario described itself as the non-partisan agency responsible for administering provincial elections, by-elections and referenda. The agency is led by the Chief Electoral Officer and governed by the Election Act and the Election Finances Act. Voters with questions can call 1.888.668.8683.

Election day voting takes place Sept. 3 from morning until evening at assigned polling locations in each of the three districts.