Elections

by John C. Courtney

Overview

Open and competitive elections governed by widely accepted rules and procedures are essential to the legitimacy of any political system. Elections assesses the history and development of five building blocks of the Canadian electoral regime: the franchise, electoral districts, voter registration, election machinery, and plurality voting. Arguing that on balance the Canadian electoral system is truly democratic, John Courtney demonstrates its vast improvements over the years. The right to vote is now generously interpreted. The process of redrawing electoral districts is no longer in the hands of elected officials. Voter registration lists include all but a small share of eligible voters. And those who manage and supervise elections on behalf of all citizens are honest and trustworthy officials. Using the recent push for reform of the plurality vote system as one example, Courtney also examines why certain electoral institutions have been amenable to change and others have not.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780774809177
Publisher:	University of British Columbia Press
Publication date:	02/28/2004
Series:	Canadian Democratic Audit
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	(w) x (h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

John C. Courtney is a senior policy fellow in the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy and professor emeritus of political studies at the University of Saskatchewan. He is author of several books, including Commissioned Ridings: Designing Canada’s Electoral Districts.

Table of Contents

Figures and Tables

Foreword

Acknowledgements

Introduction

1 The Rules of the Electoral Game

2 Who Can Vote?

3 From Gerrymandering to Independence: Territorially-Based Districts

4 Registering Voters

5 Electoral Machinery: From Partisanship to Professionalism

6 Representation, Plurality Voting, and Democratic Deficit

7 Auditing Canada’s Electoral Democracy Discussion Questions

Appendix: Three Challenges and Possible Reforms

Glossary

Works Cited

Index

Editorial Reviews

Courtney, a leading scholar on the topic, presents an excellent analysis of elections in Canada. In each section, there is a full consideration of how the system evolved, taking the story back to 1867 and then going forward. Moreover, the volume is well written, so its targeted readership—- undergraduates and (perhaps) the general public—- will find it interesting and even easy to read. His few comments on plurality voting are a refreshing change from the ongoing debate in Canada as to the unrepresentiveness of the present system. Highly recommended.

Choice

"Courtney, a leading scholar on the topic, presents an excellent analysis of elections in Canada. In each section, there is a full consideration of how the system evolved, taking the story back to 1867 and then going forward. Moreover, the volume is well written, so its targeted readership—- undergraduates and (perhaps) the general public—- will find it interesting and even easy to read. His few comments on plurality voting are a refreshing change from the ongoing debate in Canada as to the unrepresentiveness of the present system. Highly recommended."—Choice

From the Publisher