Saskatchewan voters head to the polls today, wrapping up a veritable season of provincial elections: Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador - not to mention the Yukon and Northwest Territories. Alberta, with a Progressive Conservative party ballot, could almost be counted among the company, too. As the dust settles, what can we learn?
The November issue of Policy Options, published by the Institute for Research on Public Policy, provides an excellent starting point with several articles surveying the provincial landscapes. One was of particular relevance to Samara’s recent work.
Robert V. Sears, dissecting the Ontario election, observes that, “disengagement was the order of the day”. Sears makes a case that, with a record low voter turnout of 49 percent, the majority of Ontarians shied away from the ballot box because McGuinty, Hudak and Horwath failed to provide an inspired choice; instead, voters preferred “none of the above.”
According to Sears, such a low turnout, means that “it will not be easy to respond in policy or political terms to the delegitimization of the party elites.” Indeed, “no one in political life should dismiss the seriousness of a continued slide in participation.” Considering Manitoba, PEI, the Northwest Territories and Newfoundland and Labrador (1), also experienced lower voter turnouts, critical reflection is not a luxury, but an imperative.
So perhaps the question is not “what can we learn?”, but “what should we learn?”
Sears believes “efforts to reach out to new and young voters and discuss the reasons for their feelings of disempowerment will have to be an important step.” From Samara’s point of view, he couldn’t be more prescient.
From August to October 2011, Samara’s researchers conducted a series of focus groups with politically disengaged citizens across Canada. Our full report based on this research will be released on November 30th, 2011. However, we will tease you here with a taste of our findings:
Where Sears describes the low voter turnout as a “collapse in support for democracy,” Canadians we spoke to remain very supportive of democracy. This view is in line with value studies, which found that Canadians’ support for democratic ideals have never been stronger (2). However, the same cannot be said for their views on politics.
How can one be increasing, while the other falls? This is a paradox Samara’s research explores in greater detail. Check back here on November 30th to read more! Or join our newsletter to have the report delivered to your inbox.
(1) Elections Newfoundland and Labrador have yet to report voter turnout, but media coverage following the election suggests it is around 57.7% - the lowest yet for the province. Northwest Territories voter turnout figures are also based on media reporting while official tallies are yet to be released.
(2) See Pharr, Susan J. And Robert D. Putnam. 2000. Disaffected Democracies: What’s Troubling the Trilateral Countries. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton UP. Page 7.