Voting in Canada

Criteria to be a candidate

1. A Canadian citizen

2. 18+

3. Living in your riding for the last six months

4. pay $1000

5. collect 5-25 signatures

6. Governor General “calls: and election

7. First past the post

• in a riding (geographic area w/ ~100 000 ppl), the candidate w/ the most votes wins a seat
• the party that wins the most seats (ridings) forms the gov. (338 seats total)
• the party with second most seats forms opposition
• type of gov. that can form first past the post
    * majority
      * when a political party wins more than half of the ridings (more than the other other political parties combined)
      * pros: stable, they win all bills my majority
      * cons: they can do whatever they want
    * minority
      * when a political party wins the more ridings than any other party (but not combined)
      * pros: laws are passed with more perspective, as the party has to rely on other party member to win a majority to pass a bill
      * they work well with other other parties
      * cons: can become unstable
    * coalition
      * when no part has a majority of the ridings → two or more parties join to form a government (the “loser”)
      * pros: have more votes to become à majority
      * cons: Very unstable and voters get upset

Questions

1. Why aren’t people voting?
2. What can be done to increase voter turnout