1. Secondary PowerPoint 3: Municipal Elections

2. Opening Discussion Have you ever voted for something before?
How was the winner decided?
Did you think the process was fair? Why or why not? 2

3. Elections
Elections are contests of leadership, ideas, power and politics.
An electoral system or voting system is the method of electing our politicians.
Voting systems differ based on the way choices are presented on a ballot and the process for determining which candidate wins.

4. First-Past-the-Post
First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) is the voting system currently used across Canada and for municipal and school board elections in Nova Scotia.
The winning candidate must receive the most votes – this is called plurality or a “winner-take-all” approach.

5. Example of First-Past-The-Post
CANDIDATE NUMBER OF VOTES Thomas 340 Lisa 401 Mohamed 155 Emma 191 Question: Which candidate will become the elected representative?

6. The Municipal Election Process
Chair of the Council:
Mayors are all elected at-large (by all eligible voters in the municipality).
Wardens are chosen from and by the elected councillors after the election. This is called an in-direct election.
Councillors:
They can be elected at-large or by a district or ward system, where the municipality is broken down into smaller geographic areas that vote for their own representatives.
Some municipalities use a mix of district and at-large systems.

7. Single vs Multi-Member Races
In single-member races, only one candidate is elected.
For example, such as in the case of a mayoral race or a council race where only one person is selected to represent one district/ward.
In multi-member races, voters elect more than one representative.
For example, six councillors may be elected at-large for the entire community. Another example is where two councillors are elected per district.
Under each election type, voters mark their ballots for as many candidates as there are seats up for contest (i.e., six choices if six candidates are elected at-large).

8. Candidates
A candidate is an individual who competes for the job of elected representative.
Candidates campaign during elections to share their ideas and try to convince fellow citizens to vote for them.
There are no political parties at the municipal level in Nova Scotia. The council candidates still have campaign strategies and a list of goals for the community, but they work as independent politicians.

9. Discussion Would you ever be a candidate and run for election?
How would you share your message and convince others to vote for you?
What are the benefits and drawbacks of working as an independent politician?

10. How does someone run for election?
In order to run as a candidate in the municipal election in Nova Scotia, you must:
Have turned 18 years of age on or before the nomination day (September 13, 2016);
Have been living in the municipality in which you intend to run for at least six months prior to nomination day (March 13, 2016);
Have obtained a certificate from the municipality confirming that all debts and taxes owing to the municipality have been fully paid;
Not be considered a “disqualified person” under section 18 of the Municipal Elections Act.

11. Getting to know the Candidates
There are many ways to learn about your local candidates:
Traditional media sources (radio, TV, newspaper and magazines)
Social media (websites, Twitter, Facebook)
Candidate debates or town hall meetings
Campaign offices and events, door-to-door canvassing
Discussion with family and friends

12. Final Thoughts How should you evaluate candidates?
What characteristics or qualifications do you expect from politicians or local leaders?
Which local issues do you feel need to be addressed by the next municipal council?
What else do you want to know or research before making your decision?