Quote:
Originally Posted by Thunderball
Pragmatically, N/A doesn't elect anyone. So what happens if the CPC candidate gets 30%, the Liberal gets 29% and the N/A box gets 35%? Does the CPC candidate win despite lacking a plurality? Did that riding just vote to have no representation? Or, does that riding have to have a by-election?
As well, if people in large numbers are so sure that the existing parties are full of morons, then why aren't they running as independents, forming new parties, or buttressing existing small parties, rather than staying home or scrawling "morons" on their ballot?
|
a) Well I can't speak for GGG but for me the CPC candidate gets elected (assuming you kept the current "first past the post" in your example).
I think a n/a or spoiled ballot, counted and vocalized publicly, is a way of giving voice to a potential public belief that the system may be flawed however which way. How do we really know, for example, that if the 40% or whatever of this election didn't vote because they were a) lazy or b) think the system somehow is the bigger problem? If 35% in your example are going to make time to go and vote n/a or spoiled ballot, I would think that suggests something major is not right - i.e. the system needs to be fixed. Especially if that level occurs across the country.
b) You are assuming that "all the parties are morons" is the reason why most people aren't voting. I think instead it is a variety of "system issues". It could be the aforementioned, it could be that they are lazy, it could be that first past the post doesn't work (for them), it could be that they support their party but hate the candidate running (e.g. rob anders), it could be...
And second, running for elected office costs a lot - time, money, risk/putting yourself out there, etc. Most people don't have a lot of that to spare; I know you aren't saying "everyone" but I think expecting people who don't vote to instead run for office is highly unlikely. They are turned off of the system for some reason.