Let give Gallup a run for their money.

[Shiny Side Up]

What if a majority chose "none of the above"?

What indeed....

[xsbank]

In my riding, the incumbent is a Liberal who has been re-elected every election since Noah. Therefore, my vote does not count, nor are there enough of us who wish to toss her out. To be fair, she has not done a bad job, she just represents the Liberal-Pillage-and-Steal Party that I despise. The Conservative candidate is a beginner and likely would not do as well to represent our riding but he is the correct party. All of this has meant that I am tempted to not bother voting but nevertheless I trail down to the local polling booth and get my licks in, even if it is largely a waste of time. If I was really serious about all this, I would join the Conservative Party and go to the nomination meetings and make sure the guy that gets the nod is not a flake, then my vote would be more useful.

[iflyforpie]

In my riding, we have a new Conservative MP that has replaced a 15 year Conservative/Alliance/Reform incumbent. Since we are more closely tied to Alberta than BC in the East Kootenays I doubt anything will change whichever way I vote.

[Hedley]

And on that note, Conrad Black just observed:

All parties may wish to remember that Belgium is functioning quite normally, as it approaches its 300th consecutive day without a government. It could be Belgium’s greatest political contribution to the world since it bravely resisted German aggression in the First World War, to remind the world that politicians are fundamentally dispensable.

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/201 ... -a-debate/

[Darkwing Duck]

We should all get out and vote. I do not think a big ole F_CK YOU is in order on the ballot but a NONE choice should be. But until that happens then if you choose not to select a member in your riding then just spoil your ballot. I did this once in a municiplle (too lazy for spell check, bite me) election for the mayoral candidates.

Election day when they count the votes they should have a SPOILED count as well. This will show the population just how dissident the riding is to all the candidates.

Voting for a party that has no chance of getting in and you do not agree with the party platform is wrong. Because they will take this as they have the right approach and not change the platform. It send them the wrong signals. See I would never do this for the NDP because I hate the Conservatives.

Also remember that you should vote for the candidate, not the party. Sure the party affiliation has a lot of pull as a nation but if Candidate A has a better platform then Candidate B whom is with your preferred party then do that.

But regardless, if you do not vote you cannot bitch. No one needs to know you spoiled you ballot.

[Shiny Side Up]

I do not think a big ole F_CK YOU is in order on the ballot but a NONE choice should be.

For those who didn't listen to the last youtube clip, the idea of voting NONE is that if this gets the majority of the vote then the election is re-held, but each party must submit new candidates. Personally I despise the whole party system. MPs should be elected based upon which candidate best represents a riding. We should be able to then elect a prime minister from amongst those MPs that get elected.

Personally I put a vote for Green if only because I can't stand the Liberals and the NDP and some of their platform I can live with. Truth be told, none of the Party platforms are completely representative of the wishes of Canadians - voting really becomes a choice between the lesser evils rather than something one can honestly say they endorse.

[North Shore]

But regardless, if you do not vote you cannot bitch.

Why so?

Very few of us are entitled to vote in foreign elections, but there's lots of talk on here about those results. And, the chances of my individual vote being the winning one for my chosen candidate are ridiculously low, so what's the downside in not voting, as a protest, if I feel that no particular candidate/party represents me?

[niss]

We should all get out and vote. I do not think a big ole F_CK YOU is in order on the ballot but a NONE choice should be. But until that happens then if you choose not to select a member in your riding then just spoil your ballot. I did this once in a municiplle (too lazy for spell check, bite me) election for the mayoral candidates.

Election day when they count the votes they should have a SPOILED count as well. This will show the population just how dissident the riding is to all the candidates.

Voting for a party that has no chance of getting in and you do not agree with the party platform is wrong. Because they will take this as they have the right approach and not change the platform. It send them the wrong signals. See I would never do this for the NDP because I hate the Conservatives.

Also remember that you should vote for the candidate, not the party. Sure the party affiliation has a lot of pull as a nation but if Candidate A has a better platform then Candidate B whom is with your preferred party then do that.

But regardless, if you do not vote you cannot bitch. No one needs to know you spoiled you ballot.

You and I agree on everything except for your last sentence.

[Prairie Chicken]

The flip side is, why should you be allowed to vote if you can't identify the various leaders, or parties of Canada? Watching TV, it is amazing how many people can't recognize a picture of Steven Harper, let alone the other leaders!

It's down-right depressing.

I like niss' idea of None. Unfortunately, from what I'm reading no one is counting spoiled ballots, whereas the percentage of the elligible population that do vote is tracked.

Ah, I'll likely break down & vote for Harper's gang. They're all thugs, all politicians; all parties, but at least Harper is the biggest, smartest bully in the schoolyard.

[Hedley]

what's the downside in not voting, as a protest

Hold on a sec. Not voting is NOT a protest - at least, no one registers it as such. Instead it's apathy. Is your time so valuable you really don't have 15 minutes on voting day?

no one is counting spoiled ballots

Don't rationalize apathy. You underestimate the power of your vote. If ten million disgusted Canadians wrote "F_CK YOU" in large capital letters with a sharpie on their ballot, it would make the front page headlines and scare the crap out of some very slimy people.

Stop whining like a Garrett, people. Do something. I know that's un-Canadian - Trudeau wouldn't approve - but try it, once. Trudeau's dead now anyways, so you can stop living like he wanted you to, anytime now.

[Shiny Side Up]

If ten million disgusted Canadians wrote "F_CK YOU" in large capital letters with a sharpie on their ballot, it would make the front page headlines and scare the crap out of some very slimy people.

I still think its debateable whether this would make it into the headlines or whether it would scare any of the intended slimy people. After all, if they're that slimy, they wouldn't care how slim a margin they got elected, only that they got elected. As of yet there's no provision for spoiled ballots to affect the outcome of an election - unless of course they were all spoiled ballots, an extremely unlikely probability without anything short of an violent revolution - though then that's defeats to purpose of the whole democratic process. I commend your attempt at intimidation though to turn people to your point of view - are you going to stand outside a polling station and accuse everyone of being un-Canadian if they don't do like you think? Remember it takes only one legal ballot to elect an MP.

To be fair though, I would change my mind on this if come election day you can show us where the media covers how the spoiled ballots affected the election and if any messages got through to any candidates running.


What does get the attention of the media though, and certainly the parties in power is when one of their sure bet traditional voting ridings elects someone else. This is what we really need to send the message about to our MPs is that none of their jobs are secure. Right now MPs align themselves with which party is going to win - its sickening to see some of them jump ship, or run under which flag is going to win. While normally I would vote conservative, I can't stand the idea of voting for the bible-thumping schmuck who "represents" them in my riding. Every one of those seats should be in jeopardy come election day, if they knew this, we might get some more action out of them.

[Giveitago]

Whatever your position on the political spectrum, on May 2nd we have the opportunity to exercise a very important hard fought for right we should all be greatful for. Although we all may vote for different parties we should all at least be united in sharing in the magnitude and importance of this act. Never take it for granted, because its not guaranteed and not everyone in the world has it. Of course im talking about the three consecutive paid hours off your employer must give you on election day. Dont squander them!

Perhaps youi've forgotten that you have allready posted this in a different thread....

For Sale: One vote in the 41st Canadian General election. As a disinterested voter I will sell my vote to the highest bidder. Whoever offers the most money, I will vote for the party of their choice. I will verify casting my vote by recording with cell phone camera. Let me double your voting power!!

So obviously you neither care about the "magnitude and importance of this act" (your words)Or you are not going to vote and are only looking to steal time from your employer.

You are obviously a stellar example of an upstanding citizen.