Community Votes — Unlock Democracy Canada

There are tens of thousands of Community elections in Canada, and they happen all the time. Every day! And most are still using First Past the Post. 😭 This campaign helps you bring democratic reform to YOUR group, workplace or school.

Condo Boards Unions Student Councils Tenant Associations

Co-ops Corporate Neighbourhood Groups Non-Profits Clubs

These are the easiest elections to reform, and provide an easy path for us to raise awareness about better voting systems!

First Past the Post is a divisive election system that amplifies polarisation, pushes out new candidates, encourages strategic voting and reduces diversity. At Unlock Democracy Canada, we believe that better voting systems lead to better outcomes: More diversity, more choice, less negativity and fair results. But we don’t have to wait for our governments to reform our general elections. We can lead by example!

Three easy steps:

Take a moment, and think about the elections that you participate in: At work, school, in a club, union, etc.
Ask for a copy of the bylaws, and check to see which voting system you’re using. (TIP: If it just says “The candidate with the most votes is declared the winner” …. that’s First Past the Post)
If you want to change the voting system, reach out to us and we’ll help you out. Contact us at: info@UnlockDemocracy.ca

Here are three examples, below, of groups who have switched to a ranked ballot:

Case study #1: University Toronto Students’ Union

The UTSU uses a ranked ballot for their elections. Single-seat elections require 50%+ to win. Multi-seat elections use proportional STV.

RESOURCE: Elections Procedure Code

In 2015, Auni Ahsan, a UTSU Member-at-Large, lead the union to change their voting system to a ranked ballot. Under the new system, the results were dramatically different. In the 2016 elections, there were three slates (groups of students who run together under a single banner) and one independent candidate. Historically there have been only one or two slates running in a given election.

The eventual winner of the presidential race came in second on the first ballot, and the independent candidate Anne Boucher, won! Anne is the first independent candidate to win a spot on the executive since the UTSU first allowed students to run on slates.

“It was easier to run a an independent because of the
ranked ballot. I wasn’t splitting anyone’s vote”
~ Anne Boucher

Case study #2: Scouts Canada

Scouts Canada switched to ranked ballots in 2013. They use the Scottish STV counting method, for each chapter to elect their representatives.

“Scouts Canada’s councils vary greatly in size and membership, so some areas have many candidates for three positions, and others have only a few. STV was the logical choice that made sense in all scenarios to ensure that the elected representatives truly could speak for the majority of members in their council.” ~ Bruce Hallsor

Case study #3: University of Manitoba Students’ Union

In 2024, the University of Manitoba Students’ Union switched to Ranked Ballots!

Check out this amazing presentation that explains WHY they switched.

RESOURCES: Board motion // News article

“Ranked Ballots encourage a broader range of candidates to run and empower students to support candidates who may represent minority groups. Individuals from various backgrounds and perspectives feel encouraged to participate, as they are assured that their candidacies won't fragment votes or be marginalized due to the 'spoiler effect' seen in other voting systems.”