As a political studies graduate, I revel in electoral campaigns. I find them fascinating and entertaining. During elections, I'm usually glued to my TV and reading every newspaper article I can get my hands on in order to keep up to date on the latest developments.
Frankly, I must confess, if a federal election is triggered in the next couple days - which to my chagrin will likely occur - I will for the first time ever join the chorus of Canadians who are suffering from electoral fatigue.
I'm also a card-carrying member of political parties at the provincial and federal level - though I won't say which ones, I'm sure one can figure out my political leanings based on previous posts - I am not compelled to participate in the upcoming election by voting. In fact, I'm going to sit the next one out.
No blue door, no red door, no orange door, no green door. This election campaign, I'll be staying indoors.
What do you hope to achieve by foregoing your democratic duty?
ReplyDeleteI live in a swing riding. It narrowly went to the Conservatives last time, and it's highly contested. My refusal to vote - and additionally the fact that I haven't contributed financially to my preferred candidate this time either - will act as more of a protest than anything. One vote doesn't always make a difference, but if enough people think the way I do, it very well could.
ReplyDeleteA protest against what? The right to participate in an election and debate issues is the greatest gift of democracy. Millions have died in their attempt to get the right to peacefully defeat a govt over policy, argue ideas and then choose new representatives. The fact that your riding is highly contested is all the more reason to think you vote actually matters. Get off your political-science-journalistic high-horse and don't be part of the 40% of apathetic Canadians. If you're going to protest protest actively, not passively.
ReplyDeleteLast time I voted it was a fiasco, literally, it took 30 minutes for the woman—whom I told I was in a hurry—to explain the ballot to me, which I understood, having voted in previous elections. My riding is and will forever be Liberal—I live in Wolseley.
ReplyDeleteGo Quebec and Ontario where the voted actually counts.
I feel as if Canadian politics are just a puppet show and possess a certain lack integrity.
Perhaps I'm jaded having been a around solely for Canada's weakest Prime Minister's, which leaves me uninterested in the outcome.
Not one Candidate has ever made me excited, or hopeful for that matter.
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ReplyDeleteSo then the best course of action is be remove yourself from the process and remain silent on the issue? Wolseley will be forever Liberal? Talk about political complacency. Anita Neville only won by a very small margin in the last two elections (16,438 to 14,108 in 2008 and 16,296 to 13,077 in 2006).
ReplyDeleteI find it troubling that some people are actually trying to justify not voting. Its one thing to protest the electoral process if the process itself is corrupt (ie. Uganda's last election), but to protest because you don't feel passionate or excited about a party is pretty petty and trivial.
Pamela,
ReplyDeletePamela, name a democratic country where it's citizens wouldn't characterize their politics as a 'puppet show'? Politics are a bitch and always will be. This nostalgic view that at some point 'back in the day' politics were civil, ethical and possessed more integrity is complete hogwash. They are as nitty and gritty as they have always been. Politics are about power and ideology and that won't change. Your job as a citizen is to ensure that power and ideology doesn't get out of control....you do that by voting.
I'll open this up for discussion: If an individual typically supports Party A but finds that Party A has acted recklessly and precipitated an unwarranted election, why should that very same person vote for Party B or C to protest? Wouldn't abstaining be just as effective?
ReplyDeleteI don't think a political system has to be morally bankrupt in order to justify not voting.
You know who else wants you to vote? P Diddy.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjyIXE8uIwA
By the way, anonymous, people have the right to not vote if they don't want to. It's part of that whole "free country" thing we always brag about.
(Formerly Anonymous)
ReplyDeleteDave, no it would not be just as effective. In fact, the concept of elections is that voting against a party, is a punitive sign that you disagree with their actions and conversely, voting for is a for reinforcement. Its like comparing 1, 0 and -1: there's definitely a difference.
Jaremy, of course you have the right not to vote. I also have the right to poke myself in the eye with a fork, seeing as it's agree country...doesn't mean its the best course of action.
Here's a simple question: All things considered, which do you think is better? A generally higher voter turnout and participation rate in elections or lower turnouts?
As Churchill said “democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried.” If you don't any of the parties over another, then pick the least of the poisons. The way I see it, if you don't vote, you have nothing to complain about.
Or scratch your ballot...
ReplyDeleteCommenters on this post can spew the usual stuff about civic duty and freedom and everything else, but it just doesn't resonate this time. We have literally been given the choice between a douche and a turd. I'm voting just because I want the right to complain about one of them; that may be the most effective argument in favor of participating in this farce of an election.
ReplyDeleteI'm very impressed with your decision to stand up to your own party. There are so many CPC loyalists on Twitter who refuse to acknowledge their questionable ethics. They simply remind people who call them on it that the Liberals have had a few scandals of their own. If our political discourse has been reduced to choosing who has the shorter list of instances of getting caught, I weep for Canada.
Also, if you plan on spoiling your ballot, I strongly urge you to join me in starting a write-in campaign for pie. I bet pie could get more votes than Harper and Iggy put together.