1. HOW OUR ELECTORAL SYSTEM WORKS IN CANADA

2. VOTING MATTERS
The most fundamental principle of democracy is that citizens have the right AND responsibility to vote
While there are many issues w/ our democracy, we first need to understand how it works

3. TYPES OF DEMOCRACY
DIRECT DEMOCRACY – Every citizen votes of EVERY law/policy idea
- Athens did this, yet it’s rarely used today
- WHY??
REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY – Reps are sent from certain areas to speak for all people from their area
- What are the benefits to this system?
- What are the drawbacks?

4. Electoral Districts Candidates Campaign Voting Counting Votes
Forming Government

5. ELECTORAL DISTRICTS
Provinces & Territories are divided into electoral districts called – RIDINGS
Each riding will send 1 REPRESENTATIVE to parliament to be their voice on issues
Ridings in Canada – 338 (as of Aug. 2, 2015)
Ridings in Ontario - 122

7. CANDIDATES
In each riding, CANDIDATES announce they will run in the election
There is no limit to the number of candidates per district
Typically, political parties nominate members to run

9. THE CAMPAIGN
In the weeks leading up to an election, candidates go BANANAS trying to convince voters to vote for them
Ric Mercer – “If there were more than 5 paraplegic, lesbian, Inuit women in Labrador…they would be a target.”
Voters are subjected to numerous strategies
Ads, media reports, phone calls, door-to-door, debates, social media campaigns…

14. DEBATE BURNS!! OBAMA VS ROMNEY
LAYTON VS IGNATIEFF

15. TRUMP DEBATE BURNS…ON HIMSELF
THE DUMBEST ANSWER IN HISTORY!!!

16. HOW VOTERS ARE INFLUENCED
By yourself - Read the 10 ways voters are influenced when it comes to voting (Pg )
W/ a partner – Pick a top 5 influencers and rank them from most influential to least

17. NEXT…..VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
On election day, voters go to polling stations
What’s a polling station look like??
Each polling station has a deputy returning officer who oversees everything
Poll clerks check ID, cross names off voter lists and give voters their ballot
Voting is done in secret
How has voting changed over the years?? (HINT – a LOT has changed)

20. COUNTING THE VOTE Sounds easy right…..it’s a freaking GONG SHOW!!!
Poll Clerks count the votes, but scrutineers from each political party watch the counting
WHY??

21. HOW TO COUNT THE VOTES
This title isn’t a typo…there are many different ways to actually COUNT the votes
Canada uses the FIRST PAST THE POST system
The candidate that receives the most votes in a riding becomes its rep
The political party with the most ridings/reps overall wins
It’s literally a metaphor for horse racing
Good system or bad system?? WHY??
justin-trudeau-promises-electoral-reform/article /

22. A DIFFERENT WAY TO COUNT
A different way to tally the votes is to use a system called PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION
This system awards parties seats in parliament based on their OVERALL PERCENTAGE of the entire country’s vote
So if your party gets 10% of the votes, you get 10% of the seats (10% of the power)
How many seats would this be in Canada?
Still don’t get it……..let’s do a goofball high school election to help