Chow’s Back, Toronto! Incumbent Claims Second Mayoral Win on Strength of Scarborough and Downtown Support

TORONTO — Olivia Chow has won a second term as Toronto mayor, defeating challenger Brad Bradford in the October 26, 2026, municipal election, according to unofficial results released Monday night.

With 99.2 per cent of polls reporting, Chow secured 529,042 votes, or 54.2 per cent, compared with Bradford’s 401,415 votes. The result gives Chow her first full four-year term after she won the 2023 mayoral byelection.

Chow’s victory was fuelled by strong support in Scarborough and downtown Toronto, where she recorded commanding leads across several wards.

The incumbent swept all six Scarborough wards, capturing approximately 51 to 57 per cent of the vote in each. Downtown support proved equally significant, with Chow winning nearly 70 per cent or more in several wards, including Parkdale–High Park, Davenport and Toronto–Danforth.

Bradford, meanwhile, found stronger backing in parts of Etobicoke and North York, winning Etobicoke Centre, York Centre and Eglinton–Lawrence.

The race was considerably tighter in some parts of the city. Chow’s lead stood at just 0.7 percentage points in Don Valley North and 0.9 points in Etobicoke North, underscoring the geographic differences in voter support across Toronto.

Voter turnout jumps

The election also saw a substantial increase in participation. Approximately 976,550 mayoral votes were cast, compared with 563,124 ballots in Toronto’s 2022 municipal election.

That represents an increase of roughly 73 per cent in the number of mayoral votes cast, although the figures do not by themselves establish the overall voter-turnout rate, which depends on the number of eligible voters.

Chow’s re-election positions her to continue leading Canada’s largest city for the next four years, with the campaign’s ward-by-ward results highlighting the importance of support across Toronto’s diverse neighbourhoods.