The Candidacy Calculation

Challenges to Running for Elected Office in Canada

Angelia Wagner

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English

University of Toronto Press
15 October 2025

Politics & government; Elections & referenda; Political parties

The Candidacy Calculation examines how perceptions of barriers to candidacy in Canada differ by social, economic, and political backgrounds. Through semi-structured interviews with 101 individuals from diverse social backgrounds, geographical locations, and political ideologies, this book uncovers both new and previously overlooked challenges such as online harassment and social media scandals, while also offering a deeper understanding of traditional barriers like financial constraints, work-life balance, employment issues, partisanship, and family responsibilities. The findings demonstrate that individual considerations regarding candidacy are much more complex than previously thought.

Drawing on an intersectional approach, the book analyses how factors such as gender, race/ethnicity, sexuality, age, and other social attributes intersect to create unique barriers to political careers, thereby presenting a nuanced view of the candidate emergence process in Canada. By rigorously testing the role of political ambition in fostering diversity in political representation, The Candidacy Calculation compares the experiences of women and men, various social groups, and individuals who have become candidates with those who have not. The book aims to assist policymakers and activists in identifying solutions to overcome barriers and enhance opportunities for increasing candidacy among under-represented groups in politics.

By: Angelia Wagner
Imprint: University of Toronto Press
Country of Publication: Canada
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 25mm
Weight: 1g
ISBN: 9781487558765
ISBN 10: 1487558767
Pages: 240
Publication Date: 15 October 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Primary , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

List of Figures and Tables Acknowledgments 1. The Initial Calculations: Importance of Descriptive Representation in Canadian Politics 2. The Intersectional Calculations: Approaches to the Study of Political Candidacy 3. The Family Calculation: Burdens of Family Responsibilities and Family-Unfriendly Politics 4. The Financial Calculation: Challenges of Fundraising and Post-Politics Employment 5. The Partisan Calculation: Reticence Towards Party Discipline and Ideological Misalignment 6. The Reputational Calculation: Regulation of Personal Lives and Political Personas 7. The Media Calculation: Management of Media Expectations and Biases 8. The Digital Calculation: Dangers of Social Media Scandals and Online Harassment 9. The Health Calculation: Threats to Physical and Mental Safety in Politics 10. The Final Calculations: Theoretical and Practical Insights into Political Candidacy Appendix: Interview Schedules References Index

Angelia Wagner is an adjunct professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Alberta.

Reviews for The Candidacy Calculation: Challenges to Running for Elected Office in Canada

“The Candidacy Calculation offers novel insights into the calculations made by candidates and eligibles when deciding whether or not to run for political office. The sample of interviewees is exceptionally diverse in terms of its demographic composition, and the author is able to offer a truly intersectional perspective on political candidacy in Canadian politics.” -- Roosmarijn de Geus, PhD, co-editor of <em>Women, Power, and Political Representation</em> “Angelia Wagner has authored an impressive book that deepens our understanding of representation and inclusion in politics. Meticulously researched, The Candidacy Calculation provides a definitive exploration of candidate recruitment in Canada through a feminist intersectional lens. This groundbreaking book delivers fresh perspectives into why people choose to run for office – and why many do not.” -- Alex Marland, Author of <em>Brand Command and Whipped: Party Discipline in Canada</em> “The Candidacy Calculation is a must- read for those interested in political ambition, recruitment, and representation more broadly. Drawing on more than 100 interviews, Wagner uncovers the numerous, and nuanced, barriers to political candidacy in Canada – offering new insight into why descriptive representation remains such an elusive goal.” -- Scott Pruysers, Associate Professor of Political Science, Dalhousie University