PowerPoint 5: Local Candidates and Issues

What is a constituency? A constituency is the name given to a geographical area represented by an elected official. It is also known as a riding, electoral district or electoral division. The size of a constituency is determined by population size and geographical features (roads, landmarks, etc.). Urban ridings are small and densely populated, while rural ridings are large and sparse.

What is an MLA? At the provincial level in Saskatchewan, the elected official is called a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). MLAs represent the needs and interests of their constituents (people living in their constituency) and deal with issues at the local level. Saskatchewan will be electing 61 MLAs in the 2016 provincial election.

How do we select our MLAs? Saskatchewan uses a system called First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) for selecting MLAs. One member is selected for each constituency. Voters can only choose one candidate on their ballot. The winning candidate must receive the most number of votes.

How does our system work? Below is an example of a constituency with 100 ballots cast in the election. CANDIDATE NUMBER OF VOTES Lisa (Banana Party) 40 Mohamed (Pear Party) 15 Emma (Apple Party) 11 Thomas (Independent) 34 Lisa wins because she has the most votes.

How does someone run for election? A person running for election is called a candidate. Any person who wants to run in the provincial election must file nomination papers with Elections Saskatchewan by the nomination deadline. Political parties select candidates to run for their party in constituencies across the province. Candidates can also run as independents (without any affiliation to a party). Elections Saskatchewan posts the names of the candidates on their website: www.elections.sk.ca

Your Own Political Views Your political views are developed from your experiences, personal feelings and opinions. Your views are also shaped by talking to people whose opinions you respect, by researching in the media and by thinking about your values.

Getting to know the Candidates There are many ways to gather information about your local candidates: town hall meetings or candidate debates, radio and television, newspaper and magazines, websites and social media, and campaign offices and events. To make an informed decision, it is helpful to reflect on how you feel about the topics discussed throughout the campaign.

Final Thoughts How should you evaluate candidates? What characteristics or skills do you expect from your MLA? What local issues are important to you?