Why is this the norm down under? Here its unheard of for parties not to field candidates... even in ridings considered un-winnable (i.e the tories will no doubt run in Toronto-Danforth, even thougth they will never win)
One other significant difference between Australia and Canada is compulsory voting. If the Tories don't run in T-D, tory voters just won't show up to vote. In Australia, since voting is compulsory, they'd show up to vote and without a tory candidate, would probably vote Liberal, and could potentially throw a spanner in the works for the NDP.
Thanks, great history too on by-elections, i followed all of them and always found it odd... But Australia unlike Canada uses the AV preference system so parties can play around strategically like that. Here we have FPTP and no manditory voting... so by-elections usually have less then 50% turnout unless its hotly contested or a marginal/winnable riding for more than one party. If we go by May 2011 results, tories and liberal combined would still not win since the NDP won with 60%+ but that was with Jack.
Also Australia can and tends to elect a large number (comparatively so) of Independants.
