Study calls for mandatory byelections after a floor-crossing
Only six per cent of voters are motivated to get out to the ballot box by an individual candidate, compared to the 39 per cent who are motivated by the party leader.
A new Fraser Institute study is calling for mandatory by-elections if an MP decides to cross the floor as a means to restore democratic legitimacy as well as Canadians’ faith in the electoral system.
“Politicians mistakenly credit their merit alone for their electoral victories, but that’s a self-serving myth. Most voters choose the party, leader, or broader issues, rather than the personal qualities of the individual candidate on the ballot,” said study author and former NDP member Nathan Cullen.
