Download presentation
Presentation is loading. Please wait.
1
Slide Deck 4: Municipal Elections
2
What do you see: half-empty or half-full?
3
Your Values and Worldview
Your worldview is your outlook on life and the world, and how you understand everyday events Your worldview relates to your values, which are the principles, standards and priorities you believe in
4
Which people and experiences do you think have had the largest impact on your own worldview?
5
What is a political ideology?
A political ideology is a set of shared ideas or beliefs about the role of government and how society should work A political ideology is your political worldview
6
Which statement do you agree with and why?
Society should adapt or change as quickly as possible Change should only occur when it is absolutely needed and it should happen slowly
7
Which statement do you agree with and why?
Government should not interfere in the lives of individuals. People should not rely on the government for help Government has an obligation to help people in need and should be involved in the lives of citizens
8
How many political ideologies can you name?
9
Common Ideologies Liberalism – Favours individual liberty but acknowledges the need for some form of government intervention in the economy Conservatism – Advocates for the preservation of society (tradition) and opposes radical changes Socialism – Favours a political and economic system in which the means of production, distribution and exchange are owned by the community collectively Libertarianism – Advocates for minimal state intervention in the lives of citizens
10
Other Ideologies Communism – Promotes the establishment of an egalitarian and classless society based on common ownership and control of the means of production and property Fascism – Favours strict social and economical measures as a method of empowering the government and limiting the freedom of citizens
11
Which ideology do you most closely identify with?
How does it align with your values?
12
Why do we have elections?
13
Elections Elections are contests of leadership, ideas, politics and power They provide citizens an opportunity to decide on their next government and the future direction of their country, province or community
14
Have you ever voted for something before? How was the winner decided?
Did you think the process was fair? Why or why not? 14
15
On October 16, 2017, Albertans will elect candidates to their municipal councils
Elected candidates make decisions about local government services and the planning, growth and safety of their community
16
Candidates A candidate is an individual who competes for the job of elected representative Their job is to share their vision, ideas and commitment to the job in order to win the support of voters during a campaign Municipal candidates run as independents and they are not affiliated with any political party
17
The Municipal Election Process
The size and arrangement of the municipal council influences how the election process is organized Council members can be elected at large (by all eligible voters in the municipality) or by a ward or division system (where the municipality is broken down into smaller geographic areas that vote for their own representatives) In some cases, the head of council is elected at large; in other cases, elected council members choose someone from among themselves
18
Electoral Systems An electoral system is a set of rules that determine how choices are presented to voters, how preferences are recorded and the methods used for determining which candidate wins There are many different electoral systems used around the world
19
First-Past-the-Post First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) is the voting system currently used across Canada and for municipal elections in Alberta A successful candidate must receive the most votes, or at least one more vote than any of the other candidates (plurality), in order to be elected in their area
20
Example of First-Past-The-Post
CANDIDATE NUMBER OF VOTES Thomas 340 Lisa 401 Mohamed 155 Emma 191 Question: In an election to select one representative, which candidate would win?
21
Do you think First-Past-the-Post is a fair way to elect our representatives? Can you think of any alternatives?
22
Municipal Election Ballots
Voters can mark their ballot as many times as there are councillors/aldermen to be elected in their ward/division Some municipalities elect multiple councillors/aldermen per ward/division Depending on the race, there may be two, three or even ten or more candidates running for a seat
23
Question: How many candidates can you mark your ballot for if six councillors/aldermen are elected at large for an entire municipality?
24
Answer: Voters can mark their ballot for up to six candidates The six candidates with the most number of votes earn a seat on council
25
Question: How many candidates can you mark your ballot for in a ward/division system where only one councillor is elected?
26
Answer: The voter can only choose one candidate The candidate with the most number of votes is elected as councillor/alderman for the ward/division
27
Acclaimed Candidates A candidate can be elected by acclamation if they have no opponents No vote is held for that race and the lone candidate becomes the representative
28
How does someone run for election?
In order to run as a municipal election candidate in Alberta, you must: Be at least 18 years of age; Be a Canadian citizen; and Have been a resident of the local jurisdiction for the six consecutive months immediately preceding nomination day (the deadline for filing candidate nomination paperwork). Additional qualifications may apply, depending on the municipality you choose to run in as a candidate
29
What experience or qualifications should a council member have?
What characteristics or values should they demonstrate?
30
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
31
Debrief What do you look for when evaluating the candidates?
If you were a candidate, what would your platform focus on? Which issues would you prioritize if elected? Why are elections important?
Similar presentations
© 2025 SlidePlayer.com. Inc.
All rights reserved.