Quebec Block Voting and the Canadian Electoral System
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6239082 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Herman Bakvis (Dalhousie University), Laura G Macpherson (Dalhousie University) |
| Year | 1995 |
| Volume | 28 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 659-692 |
| Publication date | 1995-12-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Canadian Journal of Political Science (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0008-4239 • E-ISSN: 1744-9324 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/s000842390001934x |
| OpenAlex | W2160002130 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 37 |
| References cited | 31 |
This article examines two contrasting views of Quebec block voting in federal elections. One view has it that the Quebec electorate tends to behave in a monolithic fashion; the other, put by Cairns in 1968, claims that this phenomenon is “a contrivance of the electoral system, not an autonomous social fact.” The evidence shows that block voting, namely, the degree to which an electorate mobilizes behind the largest party, is much more pronounced in Quebec than it is in other provinces, and especially when compared to that in Ontario. Quebec is also more likely than Ontario to determine which party forms the government. The tendency of the electoral system to magnify seat allocations to the largest party, however, is only marginally greater in Quebec relative to Ontario. At the same time, the composition of the Quebec “block” vote has varied considerably over time; it has not always been a distinctively francophone phenomenon. The article further challenges the assumption that the single-member plurality system is inherently inferior to proportional representation as a means of securing the protection of minorities in ethnically diverse societies
Block (permutation group theory · Democracy · Economics · Government (linguistics · Phenomenon · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Proportional representation · Representation (politics · Voting · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Gender Politics and Representation · Law · Political Systems and Governance · Public Administration
The study of federalism, 1960–99
The Political Consequences of Germany's Mixed‐Member System
The Consequences of Russia's Mixed‐Member Electoral System
An Initial Assessment of the Consequences of MMP in New Zealand
The Consequences of Mexico's Mixed‐Member Electoral System, 1988–1997
Introduction
Choosing MMP in New Zealand
The Israeli Mixed Electoral System
Germany
Reforming the Italian Electoral Law, 1993
The United Kingdom Comes of Age
The Causes of Electoral Reform in Japan
Reforming Electoral Systems in Mexico
The Consequences of Electoral Reform in Japan
Electoral Rules and Electoral Reform in Canada
The Mixed‐Member Proportional System and Its Consequences in Bolivia
The Politics of Reform in Israel
Mixed Electoral Rules, Partisan Realignment, and Party System Change in Italy
Mixed‐Member Electoral Systems
The Sources of Electoral Reform in Venezuela
Compromise Amidst Political Conflict
The Legislative Consequences of MMP Electoral Rules in Venezuela
Conclusion
Evaluating Hungary's Mixed‐Member Electoral System
Hedging Against Uncertainty
“Extreme” Electoral Systems and the Appeal of the Mixed‐Member Alternative
Electoral Reform in Bolivia
Mixed-Member Electoral Systems
Consequences of the Unreformed Canadian Electoral System
Co-Determination
Bibliographie
Bibliographie
Group-Based Affect and the Canadian Party System
Improving Representation in the Canadian House of Commons
Alignment, Realignment, and Dealignment in Canada
Polarized Pluralism in the Canadian Party System
Une analyse du vote linguistique au Nouveau-Brunswick (1908-2020)
Languages and their territories
Electoral Systems and Party Systems
Letting the People Decide
Democracy in Plural Societies
Consociational Democracy
Rational Legitimacy
Politics and Territory
Does Canada Need a New Electoral System
Political Parties in Canada
LIP and Partisanship
Economic Policy and Electoral Self Interest
The Collapse of Canada
The Impact of the Linguistic Cleavage on the “Governing” Parties of Belgium and Canada
Party Loyalty and Electoral Volatility
Explaining Election Outcomes in Canada
The Electoral System and the Party System in Canada, 1921–1965
On Analysing the Impact of the Electoral System on the Party System in Canada
Geography and the Electoral System
Seats and Votes
The Relationship between Seats and Votes in Two-Party Systems
The Electoral System of Canada
The Protection of Minorities
| Unique citing works | 37 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1,28 |
| Citation span | 1997 - 2025 (29) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 36 |