In Canadian elections, both
federal and provincial, winners are
chosen through the plurality, or "first past the post" system.
In other words, the candidate winning the most votes in a constituency is the
winner, even if he or she received less than 50 percent of the total number of
votes cast. Another voting system used by some democracies is proportional
representation, in which parties win seats according to the total votes cast in
their favour. One country using this system is Israel.
At one time there was a belief that property owners were
more committed to their community and cared more about the kind of government
they elected, so only men who owned property could vote. Women's right to
vote was recognized in Alberta in 1916, but they were not the last adult
Albertans to be given the vote. Natives' right to vote in Alberta's
provincial elections was finally recognized in 1965.
Curious about how federal
elections work in Canada? Click
here to visit the Elections Canada website!