Increasing Engagement and Reducing Barriers to Participation among Immigrant Voters in Canadian Big-City Elections

In this mixed-methods study, we aim to identify specific experiences and institutional barriers that prevent recent immigrants from engaging with and participating in municipal elections in the city of Calgary, Alberta. Using a systematic literature review and data from focus groups and in-depth interviews in Calgary, we will first develop a list of the concrete local factors that reduce interest and engagement in municipal elections among new Canadians. We will then use a large-scale public opinion survey to further test these factors and to explore (using experiments embedded in the survey) the likely effects of a suite of possible interventions to improve engagement and participation. Our intention is to develop a set of recommendations, based on high-quality local evidence, to mitigate barriers and inform effective voting program design in Calgary for the 2025 general election.

Faculty Supervisor:

Jack Lucas

Student:

Partner:

City of Calgary

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Public administration; Utilities

University:

University of Calgary

Program: