PowerPoint 5: Ridings and Local Candidates

What is a riding? A riding, also known as an electoral district or constituency, is a geographical area represented by an elected official. The size of a riding is determined by population size and geographical features. Urban ridings are small and densely populated, while rural ridings are large and sparse.

What is an MP? At the federal level in Canada, the elected official is called a Member of Parliament (MP). MPs represent the needs and interests of their constituents (people living in their riding) and address issues at the local level. Canadians will elect 338 MPs in the current federal election.

What is an electoral system? An electoral system is the way that citizens’ choices, expressed as votes, are translated into legislative seats. All electoral systems have three basic elements: –District magnitude: the number of members elected per riding –Ballot type: the way in which choices are presented to voters –Electoral formula: the method for determining which candidate gets elected

What is Canada’s electoral system? Canada uses a system called First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) or Single-Member Plurality. Citizens elect one member per riding. Citizens can only choose one candidate on the ballot. The winning candidate must receive at least one more vote than any other candidate. This is also known as a plurality.

How does First-Past-The-Post work? An example of FPTP, in a riding with 100 ballots cast. CANDIDATENUMBER OF VOTES Leila (Banana Party) 40 Mohamed (Pear Party) 15 Emma (Apple Party) 11 Thomas (Independent) 34 Leila wins because she has the most votes (40), even though most voters chose someone else (60 voters).

How does someone run for election? Elections Canada is the independent, non-partisan agency responsible for conducting federal elections. A person running for election is called a candidate. Any person who wants to run in the federal election must file nomination papers with Elections Canada by the nomination deadline (21 days before election day – September 28). Political parties select candidates to run for their party in ridings across the country. Candidates can also run as an independent or without any association to a party. Elections Canada posts the names of the candidates on their website:

Your Own Political Views Your political views are developed from your experiences, personal values and opinions. Your views are also shaped by talking to people whose opinions you respect, researching media and by reflecting on your values.

Getting to know the Candidates There are many ways to gather information about your local candidates: town hall meetings or candidate debates, radio and television, newspaper and magazines, websites and social media, and campaign offices and events. To make an informed decision, it is helpful to reflect on how you feel about the topics discussed throughout the campaign.

Final Thoughts How should you evaluate candidates? What characteristics or qualifications do you expect from your MP? Which local issues are important to you?