Slide Deck 9 My Candidates How are candidates

Slide Deck 9: My Candidates

How are candidates elected in provincial elections? Who are my candidates and how do I choose who to vote for?

People develop different opinions about society and how things should be run in their community, province and/or country. Individuals join parties that match their political views and then run in elections representing themselves, and their party goals.

Elections • An election is the process for choosing our political representatives (to make decisions on our behalf) and who will lead the government. • Elections are contests of leadership, ideas, politics and power, where interested groups and individuals campaign for our support and, ultimately, our vote.

The Role of Candidates • A candidate is an individual who competes for the job of political representative. • At the federal and provincial levels in Alberta, most candidates are associated with a political party. • It is the role of candidates to work with the political party to help get them voted into government.

Who are my candidates and how do I choose between them?

Choosing a Candidate to Vote For: • Figure out your priorities and positions on issues in your community • Try to find a candidate who matches those interests

What is an electoral division? • Alberta is divided into smaller electoral divisions (or ridings), which are defined geographic areas • The size of electoral divisions is determined by factors such as population size, demographic make-up and geography • Urban electoral divisions are often smaller and more populous, while rural electoral divisions are larger with less dense populations Elections AB

An electoral system is the way in which voters express their preferences and the process for determining which candidates get to become representatives. Different electoral systems exist around the world.

What is our electoral system? • Alberta uses a system called First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) or Single-Member Plurality • Only one member is elected per electoral division • The rules: – Voters can only choose one candidate on their ballot – The candidate that receives the most votes wins (this is called plurality)

Some candidates choose to run as an independent and they are not affiliated with any party. What do you think are the strengths and challenges of being an independent candidate or being a candidate associated with a political party?

If you were a candidate, how would you share your platform and ideas? How would you try to gain the support of voters?

Final Thoughts Which candidate would you support and why? What do you like or dislike about each candidate? Why? What would your ideal candidate believe in?