Who handles electoral reform & voting?
Electoral Reform & Voting
Electoral matters are managed at each level of government. Federal handles federal elections through Elections Canada, provinces manage provincial elections, and municipalities run municipal elections.
⚠️ Shared Jurisdiction: This area involves multiple levels of government. The information below shows the primary responsibility at each level, but overlap is common. When in doubt, start with the level most directly related to your issue.
Key Facts
- ● Canada's current voting system is first-past-the-post, where the candidate with the most votes in each riding wins.
- ● In 2016, the federal government held a national consultation on electoral reform, receiving over 6 million responses.
- ● Voter turnout in Canadian federal elections has ranged from 58.8% (2021) to 68.8% (2004) over the past two decades.
Federal
Parliament of Canada
- ● Federal elections (Elections Canada)
- ● Electoral boundaries redistribution
- ● Federal campaign finance rules
- ● Federal electoral reform proposals
💡 Example: Contact Elections Canada about voter registration, or your MP about electoral reform.
Provincial
Provincial Legislature
- ● Provincial elections (provincial election agencies)
- ● Provincial electoral reform and referendums
- ● Provincial campaign finance rules
- ● Provincial riding boundaries
💡 Example: Contact your provincial elections office, or your MPP/MLA about voting reform.
Municipal
City / Town Hall
- ● Municipal elections
- ● Municipal voter registration
- ● Local campaign rules
- ● Municipal ward boundaries
💡 Example: Contact your municipal clerk about voting or running for office.
Quick Reference — Who to Contact
🏛️ Federal
Your Member of Parliament (MP)
🏢 Provincial
Your MPP, MLA, or MNA
🏘️ Municipal
Your City Councillor
How to Get Involved
You can make your voice heard on this issue by contacting your elected representatives at all levels of government.
- ● Contact your MP about federal policies and programs
- ● Reach out to your provincial MLA/MPP about provincial programs and regulations
- ● Attend municipal council meetings to discuss local initiatives
- ● Join advocacy organizations focused on this issue
- ● Register to vote and encourage your community to participate in the democratic process.
- ● Contact your MP about electoral reform proposals and share your views on voting system improvements.
Ready to Take Action?
Use MyCivicVoice to find your representatives and draft a letter about the issues that matter to you.
Take Action →Frequently Asked Questions
Electoral reform refers to proposed changes to Canada's voting system, including ranked ballots, proportional representation, and mixed-member proportional systems. The 2016 referendum on ranked ballots saw 63.9% voting against change.
Canada uses first-past-the-post (FPTP) for federal elections. The candidate with the most votes in each riding wins, even without a majority. This system has been criticized for producing disproportional results.
Proportional representation (PR) is a voting system where a party's share of seats roughly matches its share of the popular vote. Examples include Germany's mixed-member proportional system and New Zealand's MMP system.
No province has changed its voting system. British Columbia held a referendum in 2005 (58% in favour, but fell short of 60% threshold) and again in 2009 (38% in favour). Ontario held a referendum in 2007 (63% against).
Contact your MP about electoral reform, join organizations like Fair Vote Canada, participate in public consultations, and vote in referendums if held in your province.