Decoding: By-Elections

by Apathy is Boring — November 23, 2010


 

Is a by-election happening in your riding? Overwhelmed about what exactly a by-election is and how it works? If so, you’ve come to the right place: We’ll discuss what a by-election is, how it works, and how you can take part.

What exactly is it?

A by-election takes place when a Member of Parliament vacates their seat in between general federal elections. In order to fill the empty seat, an election is held in the riding in question. If several seats become empty around the same time, all of the by-elections will usually be held on the same day. By-elections work in almost the exact same way as general elections, except they’re held in a limited number of ridings rather than the entire country.

What the results can mean

Although they happen somewhat regularly, by-elections can still be quite significant. Some people believe that by-election results are a report card of sorts for the government, with the ruling party’s performance in the election considered a reflection of public approval of the party. By-elections have also been used to get newly-elected party leaders into Parliament. For example, Joe Clark re-entered Parliament through a by-election in 2000, after winning the leadership of the Progressive Conservatives.
It’s important to vote when a by-election happens in your riding. Although the by-elections results may not have a major effect initially, they can strongly influence the direction of government and bring new personalities into the house.
 
To make sure you’re ready for any upcoming by-elections, check out our elections page. You can also get more information from Elections Canada.

 

Source:Elections Canada

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