1. Lesson 5: Municipal Elections

2. What is an election? Why do we have elections?

3. Elections are contests of leadership, ideas, politics and power, where interested individuals campaign for our vote.
Municipal elections provide us with an opportunity to choose their political representatives and to discuss and debate the future direction of our community.

4. What is a candidate?
An individual who seeks public office or competes for the job of a political representative is called a candidate
At the federal level and the provincial level, most candidates are associated with a political party – however, at the municipal level, there are no political parties. Each candidate runs independently.

5. What is an electoral system
What is an electoral system? Which system do we use for municipal elections?

6. An electoral system or voting system is the way in which voters are able to express their preferences and how the winners are determined. Different electoral systems exist around the world.

7. Electing Municipal Councils
Council members can be elected in two ways:
At-large – by all eligible voters in the municipality.
By ward – where the municipality is broken down into smaller geographic areas that elect one or more representatives for each ward.
The head of council (mayor or reeve) is elected at large in single-tier or lower-tier municipalities.

8. Examples of Ward Systems
Toronto
Peterborough
Ottawa

9. First-Past-the-Post
Most municipalities in Ontario use a system called First-Past-the-Post (FPTP). A successful candidate must receive the most votes in order to be elected in their area.
In some cases, more than one candidate is elected. This is called a multi-member election.
For example, if there are six council members elected at-large, the six candidates with the most number of votes are elected.

10. Ranked Ballots
Changes to the Municipal Elections Act in 2016 gave municipalities the option of using ranked ballots in municipal elections.
The City of the London is the first municipality to adopt ranked ballots starting with the 2018 elections.
More municipalities may choose this option in the future.

11. Ranked Ballots – How does it work?
In a ranked ballot election, you rank candidates according to your preference (first choice, second choice, etc.).
Each winning candidate must have a majority of the vote (more than 50% of the votes).
If all the first choice votes are counted and one candidate does not have a majority, then the candidate with the fewest number of votes is eliminated and the ballots are counted again, this time using the next candidate choice from ballots where the first choice candidate was eliminated. This keeps going until a winner is determined.

12. Acclamation
The number of candidates running for a position can range from one to many.
If a candidate has no opponents, or if the number of candidates match the number of council seats to be filled, the candidate(s) win automatically and there is no election. This is called acclamation.

13. How can I learn about the election candidates?

14. Getting to know the Candidates
There are many ways to learn about the election candidates:
Candidate websites or social media pages
Candidate campaign literature
Election coverage in the news (local newspapers, media websites, news broadcasts)
Town halls or all-candidate debates in the community
Campaign events
Door-to-door canvassing when candidates knock on doors

15. Your Own Political Views
Your political views are developed from your experiences, values, opinions and perspectives.
Your views are also shaped by talking to people and listening to their opinions, following the news and reflecting on your values and what matters to you.

16. Final Thoughts
Which issues are most important in the upcoming election and why?
Which candidate(s) most align with your views?
What do you think has shaped your political views the most?
Why is it important to respect others viewpoints even if they different from your own?