Submission 34
What Do Voters Want out of Elections?
Panel.7-S-5
Presented by: Semra Sevi, Can Mekik, André Blais
This study examines how voters evaluate electoral outcomes by focusing on the specific features of electoral systems rather than relying on broad labels such as “proportional representation” or “first-past-the-post.” Using a conjoint experiment conducted during the 2025 Canadian federal election, respondents were asked to choose between hypothetical electoral outcomes that varied along key dimensions: vote-seat proportionality, number of parties in Parliament, ballot structure, gender and minority representation, and voter turnout. Results show that voters are not fond of ranking, they want fewer parties, fair representation for women and visible minorities, and high voter turnout. Canadians are not big fans of proportional representation, but they do not endorse majoritarianism either. These findings offer important insights for how electoral reform debates might be framed more effectively.