Federalism, electoral devolution, and supranational elections have made multi-level governance an increasingly widespread and common practice. By dividing authority between regional, national, subnational, or supranational levels, structures of multi-level governance can have a profound impact on the shape of electoral competition as well as the character of democratic institutions such as political parties. Drawing on data from a unique survey of federal and provincial constituency associations, this paper explores how local party personnel (members, activists, and local party leaders) have responded to the decentralized multi-level nature of Canadian politics. Rather than living in isolation and embracing “two political worlds”, the data reveal important cooperative and collaborative networks between the federal and provincial realms. While informal, these personnel linkages represent a crucial aspect of vertical party integration.
