Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-ws8qp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-29T12:10:06.762Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

(In)Significant Elections? Federal By-elections in Canada, 1963–2008

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 March 2010

Peter John Loewen*
Affiliation:
University of Toronto
Frédérick Bastien*
Affiliation:
Université Laval
*
Peter John Loewen, Department of Political Science, University of Toronto at Mississauga, Mississauga ON, L6L 1C6, peter.loewen@utoronto.ca
Frédérick Bastien, Département d'information et de communication, Université Laval, 1055 avenue du Séminaire, Québec QC, G1V 0A6, frederick.bastien@com.ulaval.ca.

Abstract

Abstract. Despite the development of electoral studies in Canada, by-elections have received little attention from researchers. We believe that these are important political events. This research note examines the 121 federal by-elections held between general elections from 1963 to 2008. Our analysis indicates that turnout in by-elections is driven by the larger societal determinants of turnout and not the characteristics of each race. We also find that the support of the government party in a by-election is affected by changes in national opinion towards the government, but only in the third-party system. We find that minor parties and independent candidates perform better in by-elections than in general elections. And we find no difference in the re-election rates of by-election winners and those who enter parliament through general elections.

Résumé. Malgré le développement des études électorales au Canada, les élections partielles ont reçu très peu d'attention de la part des chercheurs. Nous croyons qu'il s'agit pourtant d'événements importants dans la vie politique canadienne. Cette note de recherche examine les 121 élections partielles fédérales survenues entre les élections générales de 1963 à 2008. Notre analyse indique que le taux de participation aux élections partielles est davantage influencé par des déterminants sociétaux que par des caractéristiques propres à chacune. Nous constatons aussi que les fluctuations de l'opinion publique canadienne à l'égard du gouvernement influençaient la performance du parti gouvernemental lors des élections partielles avant le réalignement partisan de 1993, mais que ce n'est plus le cas dans le système partisan actuel. Nous observons également que les petits partis et les candidats indépendants enregistrent de meilleures performances lors des élections partielles et qu'il n'y a pas, aux élections générales qui suivent, de différence notable entre le taux de réélection des gagnants aux élections partielles et celui des autres députés sortants.

Type
Research Note
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Political Science Association 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anderson, Christopher J. and Ward, Daniel S.. 1996. “Barometer Elections in Comparative Perspective.” Electoral Studies 15(4): 447–60.Google Scholar
Blais, André, Gidengil, Elisabeth, Nadeau, Richard and Nevitte, Neil. 2002. Anatomy of a Liberal Victory: Making Sense of the Vote in the 2000 Canadian Election. Peterborough: Broadview Press.Google Scholar
Blais, André, Gidengil, Elisabeth, Nevitte, Neil and Nadeau, Richard. 2004. “Where does turnout decline come from?European Journal of Political Research 43(2): 221–36.Google Scholar
Carty, Kenneth. 1988. “Three Canadian Party Systems: An Interpretation of the Development of National Politics.” In Party Democracy in Canada: The Politics of National Party Conventions, ed. Perlin, George. Scarborough: Prentice-Hall.Google Scholar
Carty, Kenneth, Cross, William and Young, Lisa. 2000. Rebuilding Canadian Party Politics. Vancouver: UBC Press.Google Scholar
Chase, Steven and Bailey, Ian. 2008. “Tories all smiles over Liberal win in Vancouver; Conservatives see strong finish as proof they're capable of wooing voters in metropolitan ridings.” The Globe and Mail (Toronto), March 19: A5.Google Scholar
Feigert, Frank B. and Norris, Pippa. 1990. “Do By-Elections Constitute Referenda? A Four-Country Comparison.” Legislative Studies Quarterly 15(2): 183200.Google Scholar
Franklin, Mark. 2001. “The Dynamics of Electoral Participation.” In Elections and Voting in Global Perspective, ed. Leduc, Lawrence, Niemi, Richard and Norris, Pippa. 2nd ed.Thousand Oaks CA: Sage.Google Scholar
Johnston, Richard, Blais, André, Brady, Henry E. and Crête, Jean. 1992. Letting the People Decide: Dynamics of a Canadian Election. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press.Google Scholar
Kay, Barry J. 1981. “By-Elections as Indicators of Canadian Voting.” Canadian Journal of Political Science 14(1): 3752.Google Scholar
Martin, Pierre. 2005. Dynamiques partisanes et réalignements électoraux au Canada (1867–2004). Paris: L'Harmattan.Google Scholar
Massicotte, Louis. 1981. “Les elections partielles provinciales au Québec depuis 1867: Un bon thermomètre, un mauvais baromètre?Recherches sociographiques 22(1): 105–24.Google Scholar
Mughan, Anthony. 1986. “Toward a Political Explanation of Government Vote Losses in Midterm By-Elections.” American Political Science Review 80(3): 761–75.Google Scholar
Mughan, Anthony. 1988. “On the By-Election Vote of Governments in Britain.” Legislative Studies Quarterly 13(1): 2948.Google Scholar
Norris, Pippa. 1990. British By-Elections: The Volatile Electorate. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Pammett, Jon H. and Dornan, Christopher, ed. 2004. The Canadian General Election of 2004. Toronto: Dundurn GroupGoogle Scholar
Patten, Steve. 2007. “The Evolution of the Canadian Party System.” In Canadian Parties in Transition, ed. Gagnon, Alain-G. and Tanguay, A. Brian. 3rd ed.Peterborough: Broadview Press. 5581.Google Scholar
Rallings, C., Thrasher, M., and Borisyuk, G.. 2003. “Seasonal factors, voter fatigue and the costs of voting.” Electoral Studies 22(1): 6579.Google Scholar
Scarrow, Howard A. 1961. “By-Elections and Public Opinion in Canada.” Public Opinion Quarterly 25(1): 7991.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Simpson, Jeffrey. 2007. “Liberals in Quebec: Up the down staircase.” The Globe and Mail (Toronto), September 19: A23.Google Scholar
Smith, David. 1985. “Party Government, Representation and National Integration in Canada.” In Party Government and Regional Representation in Canada, ed. Aucoin, Peter. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.Google Scholar
Studlar, Donley T. and Sigelman, Lee. 1987. “Special Elections: A Comparative Perspective.” British Journal of Political Science 17(2): 247–56.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor, Stan and Payne, Clive. 1973. “Features of Electoral Behaviour at By-Elections.” In By-Elections in British Politics, ed. Cook, Chris and Ramsden, John. London: Macmillan.Google Scholar
Wolfinger, Raymond E. and Rosenstone, Steven J.. 1980. Who Votes? New Haven: Yale University Press.Google Scholar