The Electoral System

1
The Electoral System

• electoral system means by which votes cast for
  candidates are translated into legislative seats
• the governments are formed, on the basis of the
  number of MPs elected to the House of commons,
  regardless of the overall percentage of votes
  their parties achieve.

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FEATURES OF THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM

• Organizing the Vote
• collective decision-making. It means the winner
  of the most seats is the party who sits in
  Parliament or the Legislature. It is based on
  the assumption that there are only TWO parties in
  contentionstill true in the USA, but there are
  other parties in Canada for electionNDP, BQ,
  Green Party, etc.

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• The result in Canada is the party with a minority
  of the popular vote wins the majority of seats
  they may have a majority of seats, but fall short
  of an absolute of votes cast.
• June 1997 federal electionLiberals won 155/301
  seats but got only 38 of the popular vote.

4
Eligibility for the Vote

• Shortly after Confederation, the provinces
  regulated who could vote in federal elections.
• Only adult males (property owners) had the right
  to vote.
• Some women received the right to vote in 1917, in
  federal elections. The right to vote for
  Manitoba women came in l916. In other provinces
  the right to vote came later.
• Quebec women got the right to vote in 1940.

5

• Those in prison got the right to vote in 1992 if
  time left to serve is two years or less however
  the Court of Appeal overturned this in Jan. 1996.
  Those in prison can now vote under the section
  of democratic rights in the CRF.

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Drawing of Constituency Boundaries

• Parliament or Leg. can re-adjust constituency
  boundaries they use population and
  geographyconcessions are made for large or
  remote rural or Northern areas. (See text re
  gerrymandering)
• Since 1964, Electoral Boundaries Commission in
  each province reviews boundaries after each
  census. (10 years). Next review after 2001
  Census.

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• Federally, each riding has about 86,000-92,000
  people. Provincially each constituency has about
  25,000 people. Municipally each ward has about
  45,000 people.

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4. Length of Time

• Length of time between issuing a writ to calling
  an election and voting day is now 36 days for a
  federal election. (was 47). WFP April 3, 1997,
  p. 31 Federal Election day is on a Monday.
• For Manitoba 49 days, although 35 is common and
  election day is usually on a Tuesday. (35 days is
  minimum)

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Voters List

• Voters list is now drawn from the National
  Register of Electors, updated regularly since it
  was set up in 1997.
• Two weeks after an election is called, all voters
  will receive an voter information card in the
  mail--if not call Elections Canada.
• www.elections.ca

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ELECTORAL PROCESS IN CANADA

• G.G. dissolves parliament/Lt. G. dissolve
  legislatures in the provinces, on the request of
  the P.M./Premiers
• Cabinet (Governor-in-Council) instructs the Chief
  Electoral Officer to issue writs of election to
  Returning Officers in every riding.

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Returning Officers

• R.O.s are "responsible" for preparing voters'
  lists and appointing Deputy R.O.'s to the
  subdivisions in every riding receiving
  nominations of candidates and authorizing of
  printing ballots designating locations of
  polling stations.
• Final revision of the lists must be completed 12
  days before the election. There is now a
  permanent voters list which will eventually be
  used for all elections.

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• At polling stations, Deputy R.O. and Poll Clerk
  watch over the polling process under scrutiny of
  two agents representing each candidate.
• In Civic elections in Wpg. there is no Poll
  Clerk, however two people must attend the
  computer terminal at each venue.

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• Cost for 2000 Federal Election 200 million
• Manitoba election 1995
• Cost
  3.5 million
• Compensate parties/candidates 3.0
  million
• Total
  6.5 million

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CANDIDATES FOR OFFICE

• Any qualified voter may seek election.
• Must provide riding RO with signatures of 100
  qualified voters from that constituency if
  federal.
• Do not have to run in constituency in which you
  reside.
• If federal, pay a deposit of 1000 - refundable
  if candidate gets 15 or more of votes cast, and
  expense account is submitted within four months.

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Running for Office

• Do not have to belong to a political party, but
  it helps.
• If running for a political party, must have the
  okay of the leader.
• In Manitoba, if candidate gets 10 of the popular
  vote, he/she gets back 50 of elections expenses
  incurred. No deposit is necessary. In MB 100
  signatures required. Each candidate in MB is
  allowed to spend 1.35 per voter (if a remote
  riding it is 2.11 per voter).

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Chief Electoral Officer

• Chief Electoral Officer for Canada or Manitoba
  ensures rules are followed. The CEO and the
  301/57 Returning Officers only vote in the event
  of a tie.
• They act as police for eligibility, spending
  limits, etc.

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Majority Systems

• Designed to produce either a simple plurality or
  an absolute majority for one candidate
  representing a single constituency. Appear as
  single-member constituencies or can be as
  multi-member constituencies.
• FPTP advantages equal representation and one
  rep. elected from each riding

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Electoral Systems

• In Canada,

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• FPTP disadvantages winner is FPTP, but does not
  necessarily command majority of votes cast
  over-represents the winning party in H of C or
  Leg. and under-represents losing ones

20
Proportional Representation

• Designed to give the minority political
  viewpoints a share of the seats in the
  legislature based on their proportion of popular
  vote. Appear in constituencies using party-list
  systems and single-transferable vote.
• PR advantages votes are given legislative
  representation in proportion to total of the
  popular vote.

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• Accurately represents the electoral results of
  political parties according to their relative
  strength in the electorate
• PR disadvantages voter has no choice among
  candidates once "party list' is prepared vote
  for the party, not the candidate

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Voting Behaviour in Canada

• Federally, on average about 75 of those eligible
  to vote do so however in 1997 turnout was only
  67. (1993 was 69)
• Provincially, average turnout is about 69.
• Municipally, average turnout is 31 however in
  1995 turnout was 51. In 1998, voter turnout was
  53.1.

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• Turnout is lowest among the very young (first
  time voters), the very poor, the old, and those
  with relatively limited levels of education, plus
  a new group the disgusted.
• 1984, 1988, 1993, 1997 federal elections showed
  voter volatility.
• See Table 11.3

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• Most voters maintain the same preference from
  election to election it is the minority (the
  rest) who determine electoral outcomes and these
  people vote on short term phenomena.
• Party strategists place their emphasis on these
  people.

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HOW PEOPLE CHOOSE A GOVERNMENT

• LEADERSHIP
• Image of leader assumes great importance Trudeau
  was star quality--he had charisma, a highly
  efficient way of making a choice, since most
  party policies are vague.

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• ISSUES
• Can have an effect on outcome of elections
  issue(s) has to provoke a strong opinion at
  election time and parties have to take radically
  different positions from each other.
• ELECTORAL ORGANIZATION
• Good organization can mobilize support.
• Ability to attract the support of newer
  immigrant groups.

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• Party in power enjoys and advantage can call
  an election whenever it chooses their access to
  patronage and their inside knowledge can keep
  the party machine well-oiled and always ready.
• PERSONAL POPULARITY
• In a riding of the incumbent or challenger.
• OPINION POLL RESULTS
• MEDIA IMPACT (TV DEBATE)

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• TACTICAL VOTING
• (also known as STRATEGIC voting)
• When voters primary desire is to defeat
  someone by choosing among the alternatives on the
  basis of which of them is most likely to assist
  him/her in achieving the objective.

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PUBLIC OPINION

• Refers to general public attitudes those
  opinions held by private persons which govts
  find it prudent to heed.
• Measuring Public Opinion
• Is done by polling
• 1. Professional organizations Gallup, Reid
• 2. Political pollsters Decima, Goldfarb
• 3. Media pollsters CBC, CTV, Free Press

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POLITICAL OPINION

• Relates to all matters of government and
  political affairs.
• PROPERTIES OF POLITICAL OPINION
• 1. They have content.
• 2. They have direction.
• 3. They have intensity.
• 4. They have stability.

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POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION

• Master concept to account for the ways in which
  the content of a political culture is transmitted
  to new generations.
• Starts at 5 years of age.
• Parents transmit political messages (directly or
  indirectly) through speech, behaviour.
• Next is school, then peer groups.
• TV and radio MASS MEDIA

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• First expression of partisanship is likely to
  follow parents.
• Do not see politics or govt in partisan terms
  till teen years.
• Groups/associations.

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SOCIALIZATION BY MASS MEDIA

• MM is increasingly an important force within and
  across national borders--it breaks down the
  traditional barriers of distance.
• Canadians, because of huge territory and sparse
  population depend on MM for political
  information.

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• MM reflects values and tastes of society they
  serve, but act as gatekeepers for the
• citizenry by selecting which beliefs and
  perspectives will be presented, thus they shape
  values of society and influence political
  process.

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• MM do offer a broad range of information and
  informed commentary and provide a voice for govt
  and opposition but they can offer a distorted
  selection of facts and unbalanced, biased
  viewpoints.
• MM is a powerful tool because they reach vast
  audiences and manipulate content to reinforce or
  challenge norms of society.

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• They determine issues and individuals that people
  think and talk about. The subtle and indirect
  influence of MM on public perception helps,
  overtime, to bring about changes of attitude.
• They build and destroy public images of political
  figures. Investigative journalism also exposes
  issues that invite strong public reactions.
• Strong evidence for the effectiveness of MM
  (print media) in contributing to political
  knowledge.

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• TV is growing as the preferred source of
  political information among Canadians.
• The way in which issues are presented is an
  important factor in promoting or discouraging
  national unity.
• Public attitudes closely parallel regionalism
  provincial newspapers support the provinces when
  federal/provincial governments are in conflict.
  Inter-regional conflicts occasionally surface in
  editorials. Eg Western Alienation, Quebec Unrest

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• MM are unlikely to create new tensions they
  often reinforce existing ones.
• MM cannot deliberately swing elections, but they
  certainly do help to form images of leaders and
  perceptions of issues.
• Election campaign information and election
  results come from TV.
• (See by-elections, referendums p. 256-7)