How Citizens Elect Governments

Voting  Voting in an election has been called the single most important act of political participation.  Democracies today are:  representative democracies: a democracy in which citizens elect others to represent them in government.  not direct democracies: a government in which all citizens directly participate in decision making without representatives. Ex: Ancient Athens  Citizens elect representatives to exercise their power of debate and policy making. Ex: sending people to war.

Checks on Representatives’ Powers  Elections are held frequently to ensure that representatives are responsive to the electorate.  If a politician does not keep a promise their held accountable to the electorate.  Canadian Federal and Provincial Elections must be held every five years.  Municipal must be held every three years.

The Election Process  The Prime Minster (Federal) or Premier (Provincial) choose the best time to call an election within the five year limit.  Elections also occur when a minority government is defeated in the legislature.  In a Federal Election the PM asks the Governor General to call a general election.  Must be held within 36 days of that announcement.  Election day is always a Monday unless it falls on a statutory holiday, which moves it to a Tuesday.

 The chief electoral officer, the head of Elections Canada, mobilizes the thousands of volunteers and permanent workers to prepare to election.  Notices are mailed to voters telling them where to vote. Ex: neighborhood church or school.  Canada has permanent voter’s list drawn from gov’t income tax information, drivers licenses.  Election day  By law you’re given 3 hours to vote in your job.  Show ID>get a ballot>named check off a list> go to booth>choose candidate by marking X>drop ballot in box in front of poll clerk.

What it looks like

Who Can Vote?  Gotta be over 18 years old  Must be a Canadian citizen  Same for provincial elections with requirement that the citizen be a resident of the riding or constituency where the voting is taking place.  Constituency : the body of voters represented b an elected legislator or official.

Who used to be able to vote  In 1867, the year of Canadian confederation, the vote was limited to make, British citizens over the age of 21 who owned property.  Excluded were women, renters, minorities and Aboriginal parties.  Denying the right to vote (the franchise ) has been used as a weapon.  Ex: 1885 Asians denied right to vote, WW1 conscription crisis, 1918 women granted the franchise.

Canada’s voting record (not so good).  Post 2000 election chief electoral officer proposed possible law requiring citizens to vote.  2004 election voter turnout 60%.  In Australia voting mandatory and 94%.  Also compulsory in Belgium, Greece.  Should voting in Canada be compulsory?

Political Parties in Canada  Most of Canada’s political history dominated by the Liberal and Conservative parties.  19 th century (Conservative), 20 th century (Liberal), 1930s NDP formed.  To form a majority government, a party must win one-half of Canada’s 308 ridings plus one more (155).  a minority government : one that governed and proposed legislation, but was dependent on the support of other parties.

Canada’s Political Party on the Spectrum

Two-Party and Multiparty Systems  If Canada had only two parties, every government would be a majority government.  Advantages: clear choice between two leaders and two parties.  Disadvantages:  Offers stability (no minority governments)  Ex: US, GB, New Zealand, Australia  Multi-party system  Advantages: offers a wider choice of policies  Disadvantages: less stable

FPTP vs PR  Our voting system is called the First Past the Post : an electoral system in which the candidate with the most votes wins, even if he or she receives less than 50 percent of total votes; sometimes called “simple majority.”  Some believe it should be replaced by proportional representation : an electoral system in which the number of seats each political party wins is in proportion to its share of the total vote.