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Manitoba Electoral SystemWho Qualifies to Vote?Anyone may vote in a Manitoba provincial election who is:
Who Qualifies to be a Candidate?Any qualified voter can be a candidate unless they are:
A city councillor can run in a provincial election. Further, a person can be a candidate in one electoral division only. Single-Member Plurality SystemLike the rest of Canada, Manitoba’s electoral system is a single-member plurality system. The province is divided into geographically defined constituencies or districts that send one member to the provincial legislature. Voters in a constituency cast one ballot for their favorite candidate. The candidate that gets the most votes wins the election. This differs from other electoral systems such as proportional representation. Under proportional representation, representatives are elected according to their percentage of the votes cast. For example, if the Liberal Party wins 40% of the vote, they get 40% of the seats in the legislature. Voters usually choose parties and candidates from a provincial or national list. Advocates of single member plurality assert that the system allows for strong local representation, as every elected official represents and speaks for the people of a particular constituency. Further, single member plurality tends to result in strong majority governments, as a party can form a majority government without a majority of votes cast. However, this is also considered a weakness of single member plurality as it produces governments that do not necessarily have large public support. How is an Election Called?The Premier calls an election and may do so anytime during while in office. Premiers tend to call elections when they feel their party has the best chance of winning. After the Premier decides to call an election, he or she notifies the Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba. The Lieutenant Governor then issues an Order in Council requiring the Chief Electoral Officer to issue writs to the Returning Officer in each electoral division. A writ is an order to begin the election and states the election date, the nomination day, and the dates of advance polls. The length of an election runs from 33 to 44 days, from the time the Premier calls the election. How is the Government Formed After an Election?The party leader with the greatest number of elected members becomes Premier and is asked to form the government. If the Premier’s party holds over half of the seats in the legislature, then he or she forms a majority government (or a one party government). If the Premier’s party does not hold over half of the seats in the legislature, then they have two alternatives. They may either ask another party to form a government with them, or they may proceed alone and negotiate support from other parties on a legislation-by-legislation basis. What Rules are there on Contributions?A person who is normally a resident in Manitoba can make a contribution to a candidate, constituency association, or registered political party. Persons are limited to a maximum contribution of $3,000 in a calendar year. A contribution over $250 must be reported to Elections Manitoba and made public by the candidate, constituency association or registered party. What rules are there on Third Party Advertising?Third party advertising is election advertising by a person or organization, other than a candidate or registered political party. Third parties may not engage in election advertising if it meets the definition of an election expense and is undertaken with the knowledge and consent of a candidate’s campaign or a registered political party. Next >>
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