Dominion Elections Act
{{Short description|Act of the Parliament of Canada}}
{{italic title}}
{{Infobox legislation
|short_title = Dominion Elections Act
|legislature = Parliament of Canada
|image =
|imagesize =
|image_upright =
|imagealt =
|caption =
|long_title = An Act respecting the Election of Members of the House of Commons and the Electoral Franchise
|citation = S.C. 1920 (10 & 11 Geo V), c. 46{{Cite canlaw |short title=Dominion Elections Act|abbr=S.C. |year=1920 |chapter=46 |link=https://archive.org/details/actsofparl1920v01cana/page/168/mode/2up}}
|enacted_by = House of Commons of Canada
|date_enacted = June 29, 1920
|date_assented = July 1, 1920
|bill = 12[https://parl.canadiana.ca/view/oop.bills_SOCHOC_1304_1/51?r=0&s=1 Bill 12]
|bill_citation =
|bill_date =
|introduced_by = Hugh Guthrie
|1st_reading = March 11, 1920[https://parl.canadiana.ca/view/oop.debates_HOC1304_01/352?r=0&s=1 March 11, 1920]
|2nd_reading = March 25-26, 1920[https://parl.canadiana.ca/view/oop.debates_HOC1304_01/724?r=0&s=1 March 25-26, 1920]
|3rd_reading = June 28, 1920[https://parl.canadiana.ca/view/oop.debates_HOC1304_05/342?r=0&s=1 June 28, 1920]
|bill2 = 12
|enacted_by2 = Senate of Canada
|introduced_by2 = James Alexander Lougheed
|1st_reading2 = June 29, 1920[https://parl.canadiana.ca/view/oop.debates_SOC1304_01/832?r=0&s=1 June 29, 1920]
|2nd_reading2 = N/A
|3rd_reading2 = June 29, 1920[https://parl.canadiana.ca/view/oop.debates_SOC1304_01/838?r=0&s=1 June 29, 1920]
|date_conf_committee =
|white_paper =
|amends =
|repeals = {{plainlist|
}}
|amended_by = {{plainlist|
- SC 1921 (11 & 12 Geo V), c 29[https://archive.org/details/actsofparl1921v01cana/page/194/mode/2up SC 1921 (11 & 12 Geo V), c 29]
- SC 1925 (15 & 16 Geo V), c 42[https://archive.org/details/actsofparl1925v01cana/page/280/mode/2up SC 1925 (15 & 16 Geo V), c 42]
- SC 1929 (19 & 20 Geo V), c 40[https://archive.org/details/actsofparl1929v01cana/page/160/mode/2up SC 1929 (19 & 20 Geo V), c 40]
- SC 1930 (20 & 21 Geo V), c 16[https://archive.org/details/actsofparl1930v01cana/page/202/mode/2up SC 1930 (20 & 21 Geo V), c 16]
}}
|repealed_by = Dominion Elections Act, 1932{{Cite canlaw|short title=Dominion Elections Act|abbr=S.C.|year=1934|chapter=50|link=https://archive.org/details/actsofparl1934v01cana/page/1108/mode/2up}}
|related_legislation = Canada Elections Act
|summary =
|keywords =
|status = repealed
}}
The Dominion Elections Act ({{langx|fr|Acte des élections fédérales du Dominion}}){{cite web |title=Civilisations.ca - L'histoire du vote - Chronique : La période 1920-1997 à la loupe |url=https://www.museedelhistoire.ca/cmc/exhibitions/hist/elections/el_036_f.html |website=www.museedelhistoire.ca |publisher=Musée canadien de l’histoire |access-date=20 January 2024}} was a bill passed by the House of Commons of Canada in 1920, under Robert Borden's Unionist government. The Act allowed white women to run for the Parliament of Canada. However, women from most/all minorities, for example, Aboriginals and Asians, were not granted these rights.{{cite web |url=http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&dir=his&document=chap3&lang=e#a31 |title=Chapter 3: Modernization, 1920–1981 |work=A History of the Vote in Canada |access-date=25 January 2015}} This bill was passed due in part to the advocacy of Nellie McClung, a women's rights activist from Manitoba.
The law established the agency now known as Elections Canada with the position of Chief Electoral Officer as head of the agency.{{cite web|title=The Role and Structure of Elections Canada|url=http://elections.ca/content.aspx?section=abo&dir=role&document=index&lang=e|website=Elections Canada|access-date=8 January 2017|language=en}}
Background
{{main|Conscription Crisis of 1917}}
During World War I, the country was split on the issue of conscription. Ahead of the 1917 election, the Liberal Party experienced splits among individual MPs. Protests erupted over the government's plan to introduce conscription in what became known as the Conscription Crisis of 1917. Pro-conscription Liberals joined forces with the Conservative Party to form the Unionist Party in 1917, led by Prime Minister Robert Borden.
In an effort to increase votes for the new Unionist Party, Borden granted the vote to female relatives of active-duty soldiers. The 1917 election had the highest female voter turnout out of any other election, and the Unionist Party won a safe majority, with only Quebec voting majority Liberal.