Fighting for Votes: Parties, the Media, and Voters in an Ontario Election

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.

Table of Contents:
1 Introduction 2 The Political and Economic Setting 3 The Run-Up to 2011 4 The Campaign 5 The Parties' Campaign Messages 6 From 1.0 to 2.0: The Online Campaign 7 The Leaders' Debate 8 The Parties' Campaign Strategies 9 At the Races: The Toronto Star's Coverage of the Election 10 Did the Parties' Campaign Efforts Affect Voters? 11 Vote Choice 12 Fighting for Votes Appendix Notes References Index

About the Author :
William P. Cross is a professor and Bell Chair in Canadian Parliamentary Democracy in the Department of Political Science at Carleton University. His research focuses on comparative party organization and intra-party democracy. His recent publications include The Challenges of Intra-Party Democracy (with Richard S. Katz, 2013). Jonathan Malloy is an associate professor and chair of the Department of Political Science at Carleton University. His research and teaching interests are on Canadian political institutions. He is a former Ontario legislative intern and policy analyst for the Ontario government. Tamara A. Small is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Guelph. She is co-editor of Political Communication in Canada: Meet the Press, Tweet the Rest (UBC Press, 2014). Laura B. Stephenson is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Western Ontario. Her research focuses on political behaviour and the effects of institutions. Her work has been published in several journals including Electoral Studies, Political Psychology, the International Journal of Public Opinion Research, and the Canadian Journal of Political Science. She is co-editor of Voting Behaviour in Canada (UBC Press, 2010).