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Elections
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 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 whare 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.
In a democracy it is important for citizens to understand the most essential parts of their own electoral system. Elections is an ideal primer for undergraduate students, journalists, politicians, and citizens interested in the current state of Canadian democracy.
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 whare 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.
In a democracy it is important for citizens to understand the most essential parts of their own electoral system. Elections is an ideal primer for undergraduate students, journalists, politicians, and citizens interested in the current state of Canadian democracy.
- GenresPolitics
224 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2004
4 people want to read
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February 18, 2025
As Canada prepares for some turbulent times south of the border, it would be remiss not to talk about some of the political fallout within our own borders as well. An election is sure to occur by October 2025 and I wanted to do a little Election Prep for Canada, as I have done for US presidential elections in years past. We have a prime minister who has resigned due to some really poor polling numbers and a salivating Leader of the Opposition wanting to topple the tower right away for his own benefit. This entire experience could be extra fun, as there are whispers from high in Washington that the upcoming election could be the last for Canada as a sovereign country before we become the 51st state. Let’s see where this reading journey takes us!
As one who loves politics and the machinery of democracy, I enjoy dabbling into an academic exploration of both. John C. Courtney offers up a great look at elections in Canada, which exceeds simply casting a ballot every few years. In this great analysis of the process and its inner workings, Courtney delves into the history Canada has undertaken to extend its democratic abilities, as well as some of the shortcomings elections have yielded over the last number of decades. Well researched and analytical, as well as being easy to comprehend, John C. Courtney does the reader a great service with this tome.
While many would say that elections are the simple casting of a ballot and waiting for results, John C. Courtney illustrates that this is not simply the case. Courtney bluntly admits that elections are governed by specific rules and processes to ensure their democratic and competitive nature. Political systems rely on them for legitimacy and their proper running ensures stability for decades. When there are gaps in the foundation, things are apt to crumble and leave the political system wanting without putting these blocks in place.
Courtney explores electoral history and development in Canada using five lenses, all of which provide key aspects to success and fit together with ease. Courtney feels the following are essential blocks to enrich the electoral process: the franchise, electoral districts, voter registration, election machinery, and plurality voting. These lenses help strengthen Courtney’s arguments and provide a refreshing look for the curious reader. His synthesising of each provides strong arguments to better understand the electoral machine.
While Canada has long argued its inclusivity when it comes to democratic processes, Courtney shows how long it took to ensure universal suffrage, the means by which the population could provide their choices in an election. Some choices took too long, but Courtney feels that the eventual progress would enrich the end result and support at least a degree of proper representation. Social and racial impediments throughout Canada has taken its toll on suffrage progress, but one can hope that the ongoing opening up of the vote to various groups and removal of hurdles to keep those who have the right to share their beliefs has made Canada a stronger country. While it is not discussed in the tome, Courtney's arguments show the superiority over Canada's southern neighbour when it comes to suffrage and voting thresholds.
District allocation is yet another important aspect of the electoral process. How is the country divided to properly ensure a cross section of citizens to best represent them in the House of Commons. Courtney offers up past successes and failures, as well as the varied degree of population allocation per district in various parts of the country, which could also serve to better explain the concentration of power in certain urban communities. Each province is provided a number of representatives, based on a formula, though there are also underlying limits or thresholds that ensure minimal representation. Canada expands its districts, rather than reapportioning a concrete number of seats to a static population.
While the officials overseeing elections play a key role to their success, it is especially the means by which the vote is made and results allocated that serves to add depth and validity in elections. Courtney bandies about the different types of voting systems and how effective they have been in the provinces over the last number of years. While there has been a push to change the selection process, Courtney argues that this change to a more proportional system has its own deficiencies that cannot be ignored. The entire system, a well-oiled machine, must work effectively and have its squeaks noticed and honed, without destroying all that has been done to reinvent the wheel and its spokes.
Democracies require their citizens to understand the system used to choose their representatives. John C. Courtney ensures this is the case in this well-paced tome. He makes sure to explain all aspects of the process and provides clear ideas, both historical and present, to ensure the reader is well-versed in all that is being presented. Clear chapters lead the reader through arguments and provide citations for added research, while tying them all together as discussions progress. The book is quick and moves swiftly, all in an effort not to bemoan issues or leave the rider feeling drowned in minutiae. I have read Courtney’s academic analyses before and this is yet another powerful piece that persuades with fact, rather than inculcating the reader. I am eager to find more, both by the author and in the series to which he contributed.
Kudos, Mr. Courtney, for helping me to better understand the behemoth that is the electoral process. This will come in handy when next Canada (or my local province of Alberta) goes to the polls.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
As one who loves politics and the machinery of democracy, I enjoy dabbling into an academic exploration of both. John C. Courtney offers up a great look at elections in Canada, which exceeds simply casting a ballot every few years. In this great analysis of the process and its inner workings, Courtney delves into the history Canada has undertaken to extend its democratic abilities, as well as some of the shortcomings elections have yielded over the last number of decades. Well researched and analytical, as well as being easy to comprehend, John C. Courtney does the reader a great service with this tome.
While many would say that elections are the simple casting of a ballot and waiting for results, John C. Courtney illustrates that this is not simply the case. Courtney bluntly admits that elections are governed by specific rules and processes to ensure their democratic and competitive nature. Political systems rely on them for legitimacy and their proper running ensures stability for decades. When there are gaps in the foundation, things are apt to crumble and leave the political system wanting without putting these blocks in place.
Courtney explores electoral history and development in Canada using five lenses, all of which provide key aspects to success and fit together with ease. Courtney feels the following are essential blocks to enrich the electoral process: the franchise, electoral districts, voter registration, election machinery, and plurality voting. These lenses help strengthen Courtney’s arguments and provide a refreshing look for the curious reader. His synthesising of each provides strong arguments to better understand the electoral machine.
While Canada has long argued its inclusivity when it comes to democratic processes, Courtney shows how long it took to ensure universal suffrage, the means by which the population could provide their choices in an election. Some choices took too long, but Courtney feels that the eventual progress would enrich the end result and support at least a degree of proper representation. Social and racial impediments throughout Canada has taken its toll on suffrage progress, but one can hope that the ongoing opening up of the vote to various groups and removal of hurdles to keep those who have the right to share their beliefs has made Canada a stronger country. While it is not discussed in the tome, Courtney's arguments show the superiority over Canada's southern neighbour when it comes to suffrage and voting thresholds.
District allocation is yet another important aspect of the electoral process. How is the country divided to properly ensure a cross section of citizens to best represent them in the House of Commons. Courtney offers up past successes and failures, as well as the varied degree of population allocation per district in various parts of the country, which could also serve to better explain the concentration of power in certain urban communities. Each province is provided a number of representatives, based on a formula, though there are also underlying limits or thresholds that ensure minimal representation. Canada expands its districts, rather than reapportioning a concrete number of seats to a static population.
While the officials overseeing elections play a key role to their success, it is especially the means by which the vote is made and results allocated that serves to add depth and validity in elections. Courtney bandies about the different types of voting systems and how effective they have been in the provinces over the last number of years. While there has been a push to change the selection process, Courtney argues that this change to a more proportional system has its own deficiencies that cannot be ignored. The entire system, a well-oiled machine, must work effectively and have its squeaks noticed and honed, without destroying all that has been done to reinvent the wheel and its spokes.
Democracies require their citizens to understand the system used to choose their representatives. John C. Courtney ensures this is the case in this well-paced tome. He makes sure to explain all aspects of the process and provides clear ideas, both historical and present, to ensure the reader is well-versed in all that is being presented. Clear chapters lead the reader through arguments and provide citations for added research, while tying them all together as discussions progress. The book is quick and moves swiftly, all in an effort not to bemoan issues or leave the rider feeling drowned in minutiae. I have read Courtney’s academic analyses before and this is yet another powerful piece that persuades with fact, rather than inculcating the reader. I am eager to find more, both by the author and in the series to which he contributed.
Kudos, Mr. Courtney, for helping me to better understand the behemoth that is the electoral process. This will come in handy when next Canada (or my local province of Alberta) goes to the polls.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
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