Elections are the most fundamental aspect of democracy. Through elections, individuals have the ability to choose who they believe will best represent them and who will work towards the betterment of their community. Many Canadians are very familiar with the way in which they elect representatives on a federal and provincial level. The way in which we elect individuals at these levels is usually very similar. However, more variety in electoral systems and unique results of elections can be found at the municipal level. The two most commonly found electoral systems are the ward system and the at-large system. Both the ward and at-large systems effect how different groups are represented with elections, voting and other factors also effecting representation. What are the effects of elections and electoral systems on the amount of representation citizens feel? What can be done to increase representation in municipal government?
Wards and at-large systems work in drastically different ways and have varying results of representation. A ward system typically has one elected representative from varying geographically defined wards located in the city. The majority of municipalities’ electoral system is ward based, meaning each individual who is eligible to vote, can vote for one candidate to represent them on city council. The candidate with the most votes, not necessarily the popular vote, then becomes the councilor for that ward. A ward system presents some issues when it comes to representation. The ward system does well at representing groups but only if they are geographically concentrated. Typically, ethnic and cultural groups will all live in one area. However, these does not always occur and this can make it more difficult for this group to be represented. The at-large systems works in such a way that all eligible voters do not choose only one councilor from their area but instead choose multiple councilors from a longer list to represent the entire city. This system is believed to be the best way to end parochialism and change the focus of elected officials from a narrow and ward based to a wider and more inclusive focus and overall representative. However, the at-large system can make it more difficult for groups to be represented as the at-large system works mostly in favor of the majority, in the case of Canada this majority is white middle-class suburban residents. In many of Canada’s largest cities, women and historically oppressed minorities are vastly under-represented at the council and mayoral level. Only about 29% of elected councilors are women, while 8% of mayors are women. Visible minorities are also dramatically underrepresented at the municipal level (Bird et al., 2016, p 376). Despite the significant changes immigration has made to the demographics of cities, very few councilor seats across the country are held by visible minorities. It has been shown that representation of women at the federal and municipal level are the same (Tolley, 2011), visible minorities remain drastically underrepresented. Looking beyond just electoral systems, one must also examine the way in which voting plays an crucial role in representation. …show more content…
At the heart of elections and democracy is the ability of individuals to vote and have their voice heard through their casting of a ballot. There are many different factors individuals take into account when voting. Some of these factors that heavily influence local elections include the popularity of the candidate, whether or not they are an incumbent, and political leanings/ideology. One factor that is closely tied to representation itself is the idea of affinity voting. What if any, does the role of affinity voting have on the results of municipal elections?
Research has shown that affinity voting is not particularly common in federal politics because of political parties. However, as most cities don’t have political parties and candidates are seen simply as individuals there is potential for affinity voting to take hold (Bird et al., p 360). The idea behind affinity voting is that an individual will vote for a candidate based on the fact that they share some a distinct and recognized identity trait. This includes gender, race, and ethnicity. The success of female and minority groups is dependent on the turnout patterns across gender and ethnicity categories. In the example of
Wards and at-large systems work in drastically different ways and have varying results of representation. A ward system typically has one elected representative from varying geographically defined wards located in the city. The majority of municipalities’ electoral system is ward based, meaning each individual who is eligible to vote, can vote for one candidate to represent them on city council. The candidate with the most votes, not necessarily the popular vote, then becomes the councilor for that ward. A ward system presents some issues when it comes to representation. The ward system does well at representing groups but only if they are geographically concentrated. Typically, ethnic and cultural groups will all live in one area. However, these does not always occur and this can make it more difficult for this group to be represented. The at-large systems works in such a way that all eligible voters do not choose only one councilor from their area but instead choose multiple councilors from a longer list to represent the entire city. This system is believed to be the best way to end parochialism and change the focus of elected officials from a narrow and ward based to a wider and more inclusive focus and overall representative. However, the at-large system can make it more difficult for groups to be represented as the at-large system works mostly in favor of the majority, in the case of Canada this majority is white middle-class suburban residents. In many of Canada’s largest cities, women and historically oppressed minorities are vastly under-represented at the council and mayoral level. Only about 29% of elected councilors are women, while 8% of mayors are women. Visible minorities are also dramatically underrepresented at the municipal level (Bird et al., 2016, p 376). Despite the significant changes immigration has made to the demographics of cities, very few councilor seats across the country are held by visible minorities. It has been shown that representation of women at the federal and municipal level are the same (Tolley, 2011), visible minorities remain drastically underrepresented. Looking beyond just electoral systems, one must also examine the way in which voting plays an crucial role in representation. …show more content…
At the heart of elections and democracy is the ability of individuals to vote and have their voice heard through their casting of a ballot. There are many different factors individuals take into account when voting. Some of these factors that heavily influence local elections include the popularity of the candidate, whether or not they are an incumbent, and political leanings/ideology. One factor that is closely tied to representation itself is the idea of affinity voting. What if any, does the role of affinity voting have on the results of municipal elections?
Research has shown that affinity voting is not particularly common in federal politics because of political parties. However, as most cities don’t have political parties and candidates are seen simply as individuals there is potential for affinity voting to take hold (Bird et al., p 360). The idea behind affinity voting is that an individual will vote for a candidate based on the fact that they share some a distinct and recognized identity trait. This includes gender, race, and ethnicity. The success of female and minority groups is dependent on the turnout patterns across gender and ethnicity categories. In the example of