Avik Banerjee
Candidate for City Councillor, Ward 2, City of Oshawa
Straight answers and specific commitments. See where Avik stands below.
Oshawa votes online this election. Voting opens October 13 and your code arrives by mail.
Meet Avik
Avik Banerjee (friends call him Avi) has lived in Oshawa for many years, in the south end of downtown. He works in IT contracting, project-based work that means reading a budget and a timeline the same way whether it's a client's system or the city's.
For years he's put that same attention into volunteer leadership across Durham Region: work with community organizations supporting residents who need it, including local food banks. He describes the job he's running for simply: carrying residents' problems to City Hall, and being able to talk about budgets, accountability, transparency, feasibility, and business impact in the same conversation.
Each ward in this election elects two separate representatives: a city councillor, who sits on Oshawa City Council and decides on local matters for the city, and a regional councillor, who represents the same ward at the Region of Durham's offices in Whitby. Avik is running for the Ward 2 city councillor seat, not the regional seat.
The voting information below is current as of September 18, 2026, and is summarised from the City of Oshawa. It covers the part of this election that catches people out: Oshawa votes online, and the code you need arrives in the mail.
Out and About in Oshawa
A few of the places Avik shows up: local sport, newcomer services, and the everyday events that make up a ward.
Where Avik Stands
Specific commitments, published in full: what gets done, and how you can tell whether it happened.
Keeping Property Taxes in Check
No new increases to property taxes is the starting position, worked out with the City and Region rather than set on its own, aimed at keeping life in Oshawa affordable. The specific budget vote this translates to is still being finalized with Avik and will be added here.
Safety and Reliable City Services
Public safety and services residents can count on, starting with snow clearing completed within 12 to 24 hours of a snowfall ending, every storm.
Better Transit Connections
More Durham Region Transit service into Scarborough, East York and North York, better GO service from Metrolinx, and reviving the push for express Union–Oshawa service on the Lakeshore East line, targeted within the next two to four years.
Attracting Innovation and Industry
Bringing science, technology, manufacturing, automotive and agri-tech investment to Oshawa, alongside digital transformation of city services.
Accountability and Transparency at City Hall
Decisions made in the open, with the community consulted before they're made, not after.
Simpler, Clearer Bylaws
Bylaws that are simple to understand, follow and enforce, for residents and businesses alike.
How to Vote in Oshawa
Oshawa runs internet voting this election, and paper ballots are available on one day only.
Your voting code arrives in the mail
The City mails a Voter Information Letter to eligible electors before voting opens, and that letter explains how to register for the code you need to vote online. No letter usually means you are not on the voters' list.
So the thing to do now is confirm your listing at oshawa.voterservices.ca. Everything else follows from that.
- Online voting opens
- October 13, 10 a.m.
- Vote from anywhere, using the code set up through your Voter Information Letter.
- Assisted voting locations
- October 13–17, 19–23
- Staffed locations that help you vote online and can issue credentials if yours never arrived.
- Voting Day
- Monday, October 26
- Online voting closes at 8 p.m. This is the only day paper ballots are available.
- Confirm you are on the voters' list. Check and update your information at oshawa.voterservices.ca. This is what triggers your Voter Information Letter, so do it first.
- Watch for the letter and set up your voting code. The City mails it to eligible electors ahead of the voting period, and it carries the registration instructions for the code.
- Vote. Online any time from October 13 at 10 a.m. until October 26 at 8 p.m., at an assisted location during the advance windows, or on paper on Voting Day.
Common Questions About Voting
Summarised from the City of Oshawa on September 18, 2026. For anything official, the City is the source.
| Date | What is open | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 13–17 | Online voting and assisted locations | Online voting opens October 13 at 10 a.m. |
| Oct 18 | Online voting | No assisted locations this day. |
| Oct 19–23 | Online voting and assisted locations | Second advance window. |
| Oct 24–25 | Online voting | Weekend before Voting Day. |
| Oct 26 | Online voting and paper ballots | Voting Day. Everything closes at 8 p.m. |
What's the difference between a city councillor and a regional councillor?
Each ward elects two separate representatives. The city councillor sits on Oshawa City Council and decides on local matters for the city. The regional councillor represents the same ward at the Region of Durham's offices in Whitby. Avik is running for the Ward 2 city councillor seat, not the regional seat.
When is the Oshawa municipal election?
Voting Day is Monday, October 26, 2026, and voting closes at 8 p.m. You do not have to wait for that day: internet voting opens almost two weeks earlier, on October 13 at 10 a.m., and runs continuously until the close of polls.
Can I vote online in Oshawa?
Yes. Oshawa is running internet voting for the 2026 election, from October 13 to October 26. You vote with a code rather than a paper ballot, and the instructions for setting up that code come from the City.
What is the Voter Information Letter?
It is the letter the City of Oshawa mails to eligible electors before the voting period opens. It explains how to register for the voting code you use to cast a ballot online. If one never arrives, that is usually a sign you are not on the voters' list.
How do I check if I am on the voters' list?
Use the City's elector lookup at oshawa.voterservices.ca. The same portal lets you update your information if you have moved, changed your name, or are voting in Oshawa for the first time. This is the single most useful thing to do before October.
Can I still vote on paper?
Yes, but only on Voting Day, Monday October 26. The advance windows on October 13–17 and October 19–23 are staffed locations that help you vote online rather than paper polls, so if a paper ballot matters to you, October 26 is the day.
What if my letter never arrives?
Go to one of the assisted voting locations during the advance windows, where staff can issue credentials, or contact the City's election team directly at vote@oshawa.ca or 905-436-3311. Do not leave it until the evening of October 26.
Get Involved
A lawn sign, a few hours of your time, or something you think needs fixing on your street. It all gets read.
Email
avik4oshawa@gmail.com
Phone
289-481-1432
Contributions are accepted by e-transfer, in any amount, to avik4oshawa@gmail.com. There is no online payment gateway: transfers go directly to the campaign. A receipt is provided for every contribution.