The Politics That Bind Us: Minority Voting Behavior in Canadian Local Elections

• In Event: Social Media and Canadian Politics

Abstract

For Canadians, local government is the level closest to people’s daily life; however, many would be surprised at the tiny proportion of Canadian elections research that is devoted to the municipal elections of large Canadian cities. Additionally, the existing literature on voting behaviour and political leadership is primarily based on aggregate data, with the daily concerns of voters – and how these concerns impact their voting choices – tending to be dismissed or overlooked. This research aims to fill the gap in municipal elections in Canada from a unique perspective: online discussions regarding the 2023 Toronto city mayoral election, from the perspective of certain minority groups. We ask: What matters do different minority city residents focus on when they are asked to choose between three racialized and/or female candidates in the 2023 election? How did they respond online following the result, when first-generation Hong Kong migrant Olivia Chow made history by becoming the first minority mayor of Toronto? To answer these inquiries, this research conducts a qualitative comparative analysis of online discussion in online lifestyle forums and social media discussion groups across the Caribbean, Middle Eastern/Arabic, and Chinese-speaking diasporas during and after the 2023 Toronto city mayoral election. By focusing on the discussion surrounding candidates’ ethnicity, gender, election campaigns and city residents’ social status and homeland experience across different minority groups, this research challenges the perspective of previous research that often highlights the connection between Olivia Chow’s marginalized identity (a female minority) and her previous electoral failures. We find that that although different minorities tend to vote based on various considerations unique to their group - including their personal background, along with a given candidate's personal characteristics and political positions - in terms of their daily online discussions, there are clear commonalities that cut across different ethnic groups, in particular, a focus on economic and livelihood issues. We also note a tendency toward polarized rhetoric in municipal contests, similar to federal and provincial elections. This research will contribute to the literature by illustrating one aspect of how the diversity (and complexity) of Canada’s population is reflected in local elections.

Authors

• Yu-Chen Chen, York University

• Sarah Hasbini, York University Toronto, ON

• Nordiah Newell