Adedokun Waliyu 
It’s Toronto’s mayoral byelection today and the polls open at 10 a.m.
From 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., eligible Toronto residents can cast their votes for which of the 102 mayoral candidates they want to see at the helm of city hall.
Residents must cast their vote in their ward. They must bring a piece of identification with their name and Toronto address on it.
The almost unprecedented open race drew interest from a record 102 candidates who signed up to run.
They include a slew of politicians who have held other roles and a number of civic activists, as well as an 18-year-old and a dog, among other contenders. Of the more than 100 contenders, around seven key candidates have managed to garner enough support in the polls to get media coverage, inclusion in most debates and to be considered viable.
The leading candidates in the race are Olivia Chow, Ana Bailao, Mark Saunders, Josh Matlow, Anthony Furey, Mitzi Hunter and Brad Bradford.
Polls by Forum Research and Mainstreet Research found that Chow remains the front-runner in the mayoral race, but that a previously commanding lead has dwindled down to single digits. Chow, who has been leading in all mayoral polls, remained the top choice for 34 per cent of decided voters surveyed in Mainstreet’s poll, and 29 per cent of decided and leaning voters in Forum’s poll.
Nine points behind her is Ana Bailao, who polled at 25 per cent according to Mainstreet and 20 per cent according to Forum. She has seen a bump in her numbers since former mayor John Tory endorsed her last Wednesday.
