Fighting for Votes

How do political parties successfully influence voters during provincial election campaigns?

This book shines a light on how parties, the media, and voters interacted during a recent Ontario election, providing one of the most complete accounts of a provincial election available.

Elections are not just about who casts ballots – they reflect the citizens, parties, media, and history of an electorate. Fighting for Votes examines how these factors interacted during a recent Ontario election.

The authors begin by examining the province’s political culture and history. They then delve deeply into the campaign by exploring three lines of enquiry that help define representative democracy: How do parties position themselves to appeal to voters? How is information from and about parties transmitted to voters? And how do voters respond to the information around them?

Looking at information from a wealth of sources – from political party websites and debate transcripts to Twitter feeds – they provide a sophisticated analysis of the interplay between voters and political parties in an era of new media. The most complete account of a provincial election available, Fighting for Votes illuminates the evolving electoral landscape.