Why are fewer Canadians voting?

[The Ditch]

Ablonczy was going to win my riding by a huge margin. I didn't feel like there was any point in voting, and apparently she did end up winning by a large margin.

[ken0042]

I know I almost didn't vote because of the long line at the poll last night. It went out from the community centre and snaked 1/2 way around the skating area. I recall standing there thinking that my MP was going to win by a landslide (and he did) so why did my vote matter.

I pretty much stuck it out so that I could say that I made my choice on election day to those who didn't, yet complain about the gov't.

So my riding along with many in Calgary is unique with its numbers; had all the non-voters gotten together and voted for one person besides the CPC guy, the CPC guy still would have won. But looking at ridings in Ontario where a person gets elected by a 5% margin, and seeing that 40% of the people didn't vote, it makes you wonder what the true results might mave been.

[chris lindberg]

I finally voted this year, also got another 6 family members to vote who otherwise wouldn't have, even paid the cab fair to do it.

I know less than 25% Native Canadian Indians vote, this year, they also made it harder to vote, now they require both photo ID along with proof of your address on it too!

I've heard most Natives don't even have a photo ID and their only address is their First Nation Community in a lot of cases, so that's about 1 million lost votes right there. (assuming they wanted to vote)

So, we show up at the polling station and we find out we need photo ID and proof address which my son & daughter didn't have on them but their mother and I were allowed to vouche for them and it's a good thing my other son who is of voting age wasn't there because we were only allowed to vouche for one child each, what kind of rule is this, I don't get it?

This new photo ID and proof of address requirement wasn't even on the cards they mailed out, makes me wonder how many people were turned away because of this?

I wonder if there will ever be an election that comes right to your door, I'm sure we'd get more than a 58% turnout if that ever happened?

[Ronald Pagan]

I think the electoral system is a reason. For example, I would have no incentive to vote if I was a non-conservative supporter living in Alberta. There is zero reason for me to waste an hour of my time to go vote.

Another reason would be that people are becoming much more disconnected from policy as we move to an increasingly global economic and financial system. Domestic policy, writ-large has focused on piece-meal retail styled social policies over the last 5 years. Most economic policy is out of government's hands and I think alot of people know that.

Rising standards of living are another reason for lack of voter turnout and explains why turnout has been steadily dropping in almost all of the western industrialized countries over the past 20 years. People aren't as polarized or fired up and are generally comfortable. They have jobs, are making money and care about other things in life besides politics, petty campaigns and the like.

[worth]

I voted, and the guy I voted for only got around 300 votes!

So if that's not a fruitless endeavor, I don't know what is. But I will continue to vote in every election for the party that best represents my views.

[Canada 02]

I tried to vote, but didnt receive my absentee ballot in time

[Frequitude]

Originally Posted by icarus

I was one of the 42% because I am overseas and it was too much of a pain in the ass to arrange to vote in a riding which was a foregone conclusion anyway.

Exact same thing and same reason here, except I was in Fort Mac on the prevote and election days.

[Resolute 14]

People are lazy. Period.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Changes need to be made, there is no doubt about that. But I get a little angry with people who say that there is just no person that they can really agree with or I live in this riding and it is going to go to this party anyway so no bother.

The people that run the parties and run as candidates are humans and are never going to have the exact same beliefs as you. You need to pick the person or party that overall best represents you. They don't have to represent exactly what you believe.

I live in Crowfoot riding. Kevin Sorenson is the MP. He has the highest election percentage out of any federal MP. Last year it was 82.6% of the vote. Yesterday, I still went and voted. Both myself and my wife. She has a very bad cold and would have preferred to just stay in bed but she came with me and voted.

I understand that sometimes life gets in the way of voting and it just is not possible some times. I understand that if you are overseas it is a little harder to vote, still possible but a little harder. But when people just don't give a s**t I get angry. If you can't take this duty seriously in your life then maybe people need to look a little more closely at their priorities in life.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Ronald Pagan

I think the electoral system is a reason. For example, I would have no incentive to vote if I was a non-conservative supporter living in Alberta. There is zero reason for me to waste an hour of my time to go vote.

I can buy your other two arguments, but this one is a crock.

Tell me who won the Edmonton-Strathcona riding.

You are very much self defeatist in this regard, and very definitely typical of your party's attitude. "Can't win, don't try". Not to mention that party funding is directly related to votes. Lazy Liberals in this province only hurt their own party.

The Liberal party loses in this province because it can't be bothered to put in the time and effort to build a base. The "rightful ruling party" arrogance does not work out here. Out here, the Liberals have to earn our trust and prove they deserve our vote. They haven't even tried.

[Bobblehead]

But I wonder if there aren't so many polls now that people feel like the actual election is a mere formality?

[habernac]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

People are lazy. Period.

agreed.

[Ronald Pagan]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

I can buy your other two arguments, but this one is a crock.

Tell me who won the Edmonton-Strathcona riding.

You are very much self defeatist in this regard, and very definitely typical of your party's attitude. "Can't win, don't try". Not to mention that party funding is directly related to votes. Lazy Liberals in this province only hurt their own party.

The Liberal party loses in this province because it can't be bothered to put in the time and effort to build a base. The "rightful ruling party" arrogance does not work out here. Out here, the Liberals have to earn our trust and prove they deserve our vote. They haven't even tried.

Your partisan lens of analysis is arrogant and annoying.

As much as you'd like to believe, I don't have a party, I've voted for 4 different parties in my life. I've actually gone out, read platforms and voted for the party that best satisfies my personal wishes. You on the other hand come across as a died-in-the-wool conservative supporter. Which, in my opinion, discredits almost every political post you make on this board.

The first past the post system routinely ignores over half of the voters in a riding. As a voter, does that give you incentive to go out and vote? I'm not saying it's the sole reason for a decline in participation but it's definetely in the mix.

[mykalberta]

They dont vote because its simply inconvienient to vote.

If they wanted people to vote, example in the metro areas they would setup polling stations in the work centres and allow people to vote for their riding in a centralized location.

For me I barely made it to the polling station before it closed last night. I am not changing my daily schedule for an election where no party treats the Bloc like they should be treated - as traitors to Canada. If that shat happened in Alberta you would have all the pinkos in Toronto yelling to the atheist version of the heavans. But because its French and Quebec we treat them like some nephew who has criminal problems. You smile at Holidays but in the back of your mind you wonder why you even invite them but dont have the guts to say so outloud.

The whole thing is a complete farce, and completely 100% Canadian.

[Phaneuf3]

I didn't vote. I was sicker than a dog and wasn't leaving the house for any reason. All the candidates and their platforms sucked this time around so I didn't feel too bad about it as I was considering just spoiling my ballot anyway. Also, if I was going to vote and not spoil my ballot, I was leaning towards conservative and they slaughtered everyone else in my riding anyway.

[Thunderball]

In my opinion, these are the reasons that people don't vote:
-Apathy
-Ignorance
-Laziness
-Not in Country
-Lack of respect for right to vote
-Desired candidate is overwhelmingly hopeless
-Desired candidate is overwhelmingly ahead and "doesn't need help"
-No candidate/party appeals to them enough

What are the solutions?
-Mandatory voting: This has definite drawbacks, primarily uninformed voters, massive spoiled ballots, expense in elections and enforcement.
-PR electoral system: The drawbacks? You'll never see a stable majority government again. Minorities and coalitions will reign supreme. With that will come elections yearly to bi-annually. You'll also see lunatic fringe parties like the MLPC and Marijuana Party become factors, especially if coupled with mandatory voting.

Long story short, there's a problem and no good way to solve it.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Ronald Pagan

Your partisan lens of analysis is arrogant and annoying.

As much as you'd like to believe, I don't have a party, I've voted for 4 different parties in my life. I've actually gone out, read platforms and voted for the party that best satisfies my personal wishes. You on the other hand come across as a died-in-the-wool conservative supporter. Which, in my opinion, discredits almost every political post you make on this board.

The first past the post system routinely ignores over half of the voters in a riding. As a voter, does that give you incentive to go out and vote? I'm not saying it's the sole reason for a decline in participation but it's definetely in the mix.

Yes, I am a strong conservative supporter. And I won't deny it. As much as that may discredit my opinions in your mind, the fact that you are blatantly liberal trying to pass yourself off as non-partisan renders your opinions equally worthless in my mind.

Now that we are done (I presume) attacking each other's characters, lets get back to the argument. Your rebuttal only serves to reinforce my point: "Oh, woe is me! I support the party that didn't win, therefore my vote is ignored!"

Cant win, don't try. Defeatist.

Yes, massive electoral reform certainly needs to happen. A mixed-member format at the very least. But the FPTP system is not why Alberta is effectively a one-party state. If there really is more than just a small minority of Liberal party supporters in Alberta, then those people should be ashamed of themselves for not voting. As we saw in Edmonton-Strathcona, even a far left wing party can win in Alberta if they put in the effort and prove they are a better alternative than the Conservative incumbent.

[MelBridgeman]

I was at the bar

[RedHot25]

Some completely random points...

Originally Posted by Thunderball

massive spoiled ballots,

Minorities and coalitions will reign supreme.

a) Spoiled ballots - sounds weird to say, but for me that is ok. Allowing people to spoil ballots (I think it is technically illegal, but...) to me is fine. People should be allowed to spoil ballots and that number should be reported. Its a way to voice displeasure with the system, no one represents me, etc etc...whatever the reason...but still show that you are engaged. I.e. a way to say the system or all the parties suck.

b) Coalitions, minorities, etc - a bit of a devil's advocate here, but for lack of better words, "so what"? If that is how the people of Canada feel/think, than that is how Parliament should be. Besides, I kind of like minorities and coalitions - it makes for some good policy/discussion, etc. I'd almost rather have them most times than a majority government (regardless of political stripe).

[JohnnyFlame]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

You're basically voting for who you want to screw you... and for many, it's not worth two cents to even bother. I, for one, don't believe for one second that any of them care enough to follow through with their promises if it goes against self-preservation and job security.

I personally don't feel like bestowing any of them with that privilege. That, combined with working 14 hours today, gave me little reason to bother voting.

Ahh my sentiments exactly. They are a collection of blow in the wind blowhards that will change policies if there is a slight breeze blowing against them. If I had the day off and could vote by pushing a button on my remote control I still wouldn't feel the slightest compunction to do so!!!!!!!!!!!