A Simple Guide To How Canada Votes
By: EjazUlHaqBhat
Image: AFP
Canada will vote on April 28 in a federal election that will decide who forms the next government
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By law, the maximum time between federal elections in Canada is five years
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The next vote was officially scheduled for 20 October 2025, but with the snap election call, the polls will be on April 28
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There are 343 federal ridings - also called constituencies or electoral districts - across the country
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All the seats in the lower chamber, the House of Commons, are up for grabs during an election
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Members of the Senate, the upper chamber, are appointed and not elected
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Canada has a "first-past-the-post" electoral system. The candidate who gets the most votes in each riding wins the seat
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The leader of the party with the largest number of elected MPs normally forms the government
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If no party ends up with an overall majority, the result is known as a hung parliament or a minority government
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Practically, it means the party with the most seats will not be able to pass legislation without the help of other parties
Image: AFP
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