Notes
Future research / gaps identified:
Examine how immigrants of different genders participate in municipal elections
Key findings:
1) Immigrant communities, on average, have less self-reported interest in and knowledge of municipal politics when compared to provincial and federal politics.
2) The mean score of immigrant respondents for the likelihood of voting in the Calgary 2025 election was 3.45, which indicates that the average respondent was between “somewhat likely” and “very likely” to vote.
3) The belief that voting is a civic duty or a responsibility was among the most selected answers to why immigrants voted municipally.
4) The most common reason for not voting was the perception that they do not have enough education regarding municipal politics or government to participate in an election.
Key populations: immigrants of voting age and eligibility in Calgary, AB
Community organizations: n/a
Integration timeline: not defined
Key recommendations:
Target the following 5 areas to encourage more immigrants to vote in municipal elections:
i) Increase opportunities to learn about municipal elections
ii) Disseminate more information about the municipal government
iii) Create services to help learn about the municipal government
iv) Develop immigrant-specific services to increase voter turnout and address non-voters
v) Expand resources to help learn about and compare candidates
