If America were Canada, the election would have been over long ago

Right now, the United States is suffering from election fatigue as the presidential campaign drags into its 19th month. And, as a Canadian living in Washington, DC, it’s easy to feel smug about this.

In Canada, after all, the typical federal election campaign only runs for about 45 to 50 days. Up north, we don’t have to suffer through the same sort of slog.

Last year was an exception that just underscored the difference: In 2015, Canadians were outraged because the federal election campaign lasted a ridiculously long time — 78 entire days. But typically, it’s way less than that.

So just think about it: If America had an election cycle that looked more like Canada’s, the campaigning would have started around the end of September, and it’d be over before anyone knew it.

So why do American presidential campaigns last so long?

Colorado Springs Gazette / Contributor

One key reason campaigns drag on so long in the United States has to do with the creation of primary elections, established so the public could pick the presidential candidates rather than party elites. Over the years, as more states decided to hold primaries, the start of campaign season has creeped up earlier and earlier.

In contrast, Canada doesn’t have primaries. The party leaders are chosen well ahead of time by the party’s rank and file at leadership conventions. Arguably, the candidates in Canada also don’t need to go through the same intense public scrutiny.

These candidates "can’t just come out of thin air," explained Donald Abelson, chair of the department of political science at Western University. In other words, he added, "You can’t have a Donald Trump figure." To run for federal party leadership in Canada, you’ve got to be a party member. "You have to be a proven commodity, and work within the party system — not just pitching yourself as an outsider to shake things up."

You could debate whether Canada’s system is preferable from a democratic standpoint, but there’s no question that it’s quicker.

(Chesnot/Getty Images)

Another reason the US campaign season drags on has to do with fixed election dates. America has presidential elections that run exactly every four years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November, a rule that’s enshrined in the Constitution. As soon as there’s a new president, the four-year clock starts counting down on the search for a successor.

Up north, things are a little more spontaneous. Canada also has fixed dates: A general election must be held on the third Monday of October in the fourth calendar year after the previous election. But the prime minister and governor general can still dissolve parliament and call an election at any time. That makes it tricky for candidates to hit the campaign trail months or years in advance when they don’t really know when the next election will be held.

One outcome of the protracted election season in the US is that it gives the world ample time to pay attention. "We’re obsessed," Abelson said. On a trip to Montreal recently, I thought I’d get a reprieve. Instead, nearly every conversation I found myself in turned to Trump and Clinton. I’ve heard about wall-to-wall US election coverage as far afield as India and Germany. So, just know you’re not the only ones who are tired of thinking about your election. Your foreign friends probably are, too.

Clarification: A previous version of this post stated that party leaders in Canada had to be members of parliament. Some parties now make allowances for non-elected officials who want to run for the leadership.

Will you support Vox’s explanatory journalism?

Most news outlets make their money through advertising or subscriptions. But when it comes to what we’re trying to do at Vox, there are a couple of big issues with relying on ads and subscriptions to keep the lights on:

First, advertising dollars go up and down with the economy. We often only know a few months out what our advertising revenue will be, which makes it hard to plan ahead.

Second, we’re not in the subscriptions business. Vox is here to help everyone understand the complex issues shaping the world — not just the people who can afford to pay for a subscription. We believe that’s an important part of building a more equal society. And we can’t do that if we have a paywall.

So even though advertising is still our biggest source of revenue, we also seek grants and reader support. (And no matter how our work is funded, we have strict guidelines on editorial independence.)

If you also believe that everyone deserves access to trusted high-quality information, will you make a gift to Vox today? Any amount helps.

One-Time Monthly Annual

$5/month

$10/month

$25/month

$50/month

Other

$

Yes, I'll give $5/month

Yes, I'll give $5/month

We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. You can also contribute via