Should the government attempt to influence foreign elections?

Last answered 1 hour ago

Yes

506 votes

14%

No

3,014 votes

86%

Distribution of answers submitted by Canadian voters.

7%

Yes

81%

No

4%

Yes, but only to protect the country from human rights violations by a tyrannical ruler

5%

No, and we should not try to influence any other country’s elections or policy

2%

Yes, but only to address security threats, not monetary interests

1%

Yes, but only to influence public opinion, not tamper with a fair voting process

4 Yes answers

2 No answers

0 overlapping answers

Data includes total votes submitted by visitors since Aug 1, 2018. For users that answer more than once (yes we know), only their most recent answer is counted in the total results. Total percentages may not add up to exactly 100% as we allow users to submit "grey area" stances that may not be categorized into yes/no stances.

Foreign electoral interventions are attempts by governments, covertly or overtly, to influence elections in another country. A 2016 study by Dov H. Levin concluded that the country intervening in most foreign elections was the United States with 81 interventions, followed by Russia (including the former Soviet Union) with 36 interventions from 1946 to 2000. In July 2018 U.S. Representative Ro Khanna introduced an amendment that would have prevented U.S. intelligence agencies from receiving funding that could be used to interfere in the elections of foreign governments. The amendment would ban U.S. agencies from “hacking foreign political parties; engaging in the hacking or manipulation of foreign electoral systems; or sponsoring or promoting media outside the United States that favors one candidate or party over another.” Proponents of election interference helps keep hostile leaders and political parties out of power. Opponents argue that the amendment would send a message to other foreign countries that the U.S. does not interfere in election and set a global gold standard for preventing election interference. Opponents argue that election interference helps keep hostile leaders and political parties out of power.  See recent Foreign Elections news