#VOTING BLOCS AND BEHAVIORS FREE#

Party dynamics and voters change, so can individuals’ party affiliations. Indeed, while vote choice can change at each election, voters’ party identities tend to be more stable over time. However, vote choice and partisan identity are not the same: one does not perfectly predict the other. Unsurprisingly, voters who identify with a specific party will be more likely to voteįor that party. Voters’ social background and attitudes tend to align them with certain political parties. Conversely, Liberal and NDP supporters are more likely to be open to cultural diversity.

#VOTING BLOCS AND BEHAVIORS FREE#

On the other hand, Canadians who are more skeptical of the free market and those who tend to be more socially progressive are more likely to support the Liberal Party and the Conservative supporters are also more likely to emphasize that minorities need to “fit in with mainstream Canadian society.” The same can be said for those who prefer the free market over government intervention in the economy. In general, Canadians who support more socially conservative views, such as restricting abortion and LGBTQ2 rights, tend to be more supportive of the Conservative Party. Opinions on important topics such as abortion, immigration,Įconomic policy and LGBTQ2 rights can have an influence on vote choice. The Bloc mainly draws support from francophone Quebeckers non-francophones living in Quebec were instead drawn to the Liberals and NDP.Ĭanadians’ attitudes and values on social and economic issues have a large effect on their choice of political party. Meanwhile, Liberal supporters were mainly in Ontario and Quebec, as well as in the Atlantic provinces. In the 20 elections, Conservative support was solidly anchored in the West - namely, in Alberta, Regionalism also has an immense influence in shaping Conservative and Liberal support. The most obvious example of regionalism is the Bloc Québécois,Ī federal party that only represents Quebec. With a country as large and diverseĪs Canada, different regions of the country often end up developing different attitudes and, sometimes, opposing interests. Perhaps the most influential long-term socio-demographic factor is regionalism: where voters live and how it affects their electoral behaviour. Instead, religiosity has increasingly become an important factor: non-religious people tend to be less supportive of the Conservatives and more favourable of the Liberals and the NDP. In the wake of the Sponsorship scandal, Catholic support for the Liberals has dropped.

However, the Catholic-Protestant religious split has weakened in recent years. Meanwhile, Canadians with no religious commitments have been more drawn to Historically speaking, Catholics have been more likely to support the Liberals, while Protestants have preferred the Conservatives. One long-standing socio-demographic factor of great importance is religion. Under Prime Minister Stephen Harper - to the extent that the Liberals no longer have a distinct advantage. However, there is evidence that the Conservative Party has made significant gains among white immigrants in recent years, particularly This is in line with how, historically, immigrants have been more likely to support the Liberals. Racialized Canadians ( see Visible Minority) tend to be far more supportive of the Liberal Party than other Canadians. ( See also Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights in Canada.)Įthnicity, race and immigration play an important role in shaping political party preferences. Moreover, data shows that voters who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender are particularly less supportive of the Conservatives. Conversely, there is some limited evidence that women are less likely to support right-wing parties like the Conservative Party. Parties like the New Democratic Party (NDP). As such, women outside of Quebec are more likely than men to support left-wing More likely to be skeptical of the free market and less likely to hold socially conservative views.

Research on the effects of gender on political attitudes has shown that women tend to be more ideologically left-leaning and progressive than men.

These are considered long-term factors as they shape our attitudes from a young age. Religion and region of residence can shape which political party one prefers. Socio-demographic factors such as gender, race, ethnicity, Voters’ social background can have an important long-term effect in shaping their attitudes in politics. (courtesy of Ingrid Cold/flickr) Social Background

Voting blocs and behaviors