# Examining the Effects of 2SLGBTQI+ Candidates on 2SLGBTQI+ Voter Turnout in Canada

## TL;DR

This paper examines how having 2SLGBTQI+ candidates in Canadian elections affects the voting behavior of 2SLGBTQI+ voters.

## Contribution

It is the first study to analyze the impact of local 2SLGBTQI+ candidates in a multi-party system on voter turnout.

## Key findings

- 2SLGBTQI+ voters are more likely to vote in districts with 2SLGBTQI+ candidates.
- The presence of such candidates increases voter turnout among 2SLGBTQI+ individuals.

## Abstract

Affinity theory suggests that 2SLGBTQI+ candidates might empower and motivate 2SLGBTQI+ voters to become more politically engaged because they demonstrate that the political system is open to queer participation and voices. However, most research has focused on high-profile 2SLGBTQI+ candidates. Little attention has been paid to the impact of local candidates, particularly in a multi-party parliamentary system. This paper explores this candidate–voter affinity by incorporating information about the 70 2SLGBTQI+ candidates who ran in the 2021 Canadian federal election into survey results of the 2021 Canadian Election Study (CES). Comparing responses of 2SLGBTQI+ voters in districts with 2SLGBTQI+ candidates to those of 2SLGBTQI+ voters who do not have such candidates to select enables us to demonstrate the impact of these affinities on voter turnout. Our results reveal positive affinities, meaning 2SLGBTQI+ individuals are indeed more likely to vote and their turnout is higher in the districts with 2SLGBTQI+ candidates.