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What do the different voting systems look like? The following explanation is adapted from What We Talk About When We Talk About Electoral Reform, by Samara Canada with Stewart Prest.

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FIRST PAST THE POST

OVERVIEW: First Past the Post (FPTP) is Canada’s current electoral system. Voters in each riding vote for one candidate in that riding. Whoever has the most votes is elected the MP for that riding.

WHAT FAMILY DOES IT BELONG TO? Non-proportional.

WHERE IS IT USED TODAY? It is used in 58 countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States and India.

HOW DOES THE SYSTEM WORK FOR VOTERS? People vote for one candidate to become the MP in their riding. These candidates are normally associated with a party, and the name of the party appears on the ballot along with the name of the candidate.