How do we overcome voter apathy?

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Thor

A large portion of those who vote truly don't know what/why they vote the way they do.

HUGE reason people vote a particular way is parents/family influence tradition, and media or local opinion in workplace or school.

Thats a big reason I don't participate. Personally, I don't care what a leaders political views are, their platform or their promises. I care about the job they get done, and I don't care if they are right-wing or left-wing or center-wing in doing it. We don't have nearly the knowledge or the information to make an informed opinion on who and who are most likely to say what they are going to do. I would be far more content putting my faith in the hands of a few individuals who are ethical but knowledgeable in the behind-the-scenes, rather then me putting my opinion based on a couple sketchy platforms and see who argues harder at the debate.

The bottom line, just get the damn job done. I don't care what "style" you plan on leading with. Chances are, they should put in enough time to make a better guess as to what we need then we do.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

Thats a big reason I don't participate. Personally, I don't care what a leaders political views are, their platform or their promises. I care about the job they get done, and I don't care if they are right-wing or left-wing or center-wing in doing it. We don't have nearly the knowledge or the information to make an informed opinion on who and who are most likely to say what they are going to do. I would be far more content putting my faith in the hands of a few individuals who are ethical but knowledgeable in the behind-the-scenes, rather then me putting my opinion based on a couple sketchy platforms and see who argues harder at the debate.

The bottom line, just get the damn job done. I don't care what "style" you plan on leading with. Chances are, they should put in enough time to make a better guess as to what we need then we do.

I can get you on the next con-air flight to Nigeria if that is the type of government you want to see ruling for you. Seeing isnce you are in jail.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Do you not see the danger in that statement? Entrusting the selection of your elected officials in the hands of others. What if those others abuse that trust?

Do you note care who this country/province/city is governed by? It impacts everything- the taxes you pay, how you get health care, how you get your education, jobs...man the whole thing.

As I stated in my post above, I trust that they have done their due dilligence to make an better informed decision then I can on the situation. I see more dangor in putting the the decision in the hands of the mis-informed then a select few (the few being on the order of thousands of people, not tens)

My parents actually grew up in a communist country, by the way.

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

Have you ever heard of the saying, if you don't use it you lose it?

Because that is what will happen eventually. Who's to say that sooner or later we have a voter turn out of 10% that the government decides that since the citizens don't give a sh*t, they will forgo elections all together and save tax dollars, because no one is against saving money, it would only make sense.

Well I don't think that will happen, but I would be glad to see the millions of dollars wasted on putting people's pictures on lawns and lampposts saved.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

I can get you on the next con-air flight to Nigeria if that is the type of government you want to see ruling for you. Seeing isnce you are in jail.

I don't think we send our prisoners to Nigeria bud.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

My parents actually grew up in a communist country, by the way.

How do they feel about voting?

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

How do they feel about voting?

Both of them only vote when they don't want the favourite to win. (i.e. They vote Liberals when it looks like there is a chance the Conservatives will win.) Otherwise, they'll vote if they have time. I know they've skipped out on 1 federal election, and only voted in provincial elections when Ralph Klein was running (a fan of RK). They never vote in municipal elections.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Conservative Thing

Progressive Conservative tax policy keeps Albertans’ hard-earned money in their pockets. Albertans and Alberta businesses continue to pay the lowest overall taxes in Canada, and with the Progressive Conservatives, Albertans can look forward to more tax cuts, including the elimination of health care premiums.

Originally Posted by Wookie

So if that's all you were interested in, did you need to bother?

True, it is/was a foregone conclusion in Alberta that they were going to win. If you support someone who is going to do the only thing you are interested in I think you should still prove it.

Originally Posted by Wookie

What if you like the party but hate your representative?

Or if you have a good accountant?

Was there a single party in this election offering any different tax scheme?

If you go so far as to "hate" your representative or even just dislike him shouldn't you voice that opinion, even if it's only one vote? Sitting back and hating the person who makes decisions that concern and not even doing the bare minimum to object to that person seems kind of lazy.

How good your accountant is isn't going to change the rules that effect you or where the money you do pay in taxes is going to be spent.

I don't even know if a single party in the election was offering a different tax scheme, but they all have different ideas as to where the taxes they do collect under any scheme are going to be spent. That matters.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

I don't think we send our prisoners to Nigeria bud.

Some we do and Nigeria has just the kind of government you are looking for. One where only a hand full of people make all the decisions.

[Itse]

I'm reading this thread purely out of curiosity, since as a Finn your Canadian elections are really very distant. However...

It can take 4 hours to vote?

You have voting on weekdays?

Finland has it's good sides and bad sides like every place else, but man when I read about foreign voting procedures, I'm really thankful that at least we have THAT really well organized. Then again our election system (the way the votes turn into asses on those seats of "power") could be a lot better, although that's a rather boring and OT topic.

Not that Finnish polls have such great turnouts either, but at least we vote on sundays, and we've made it a public holiday to boot, so very few people actually have to work that day. If you live in a city the polling station is usually within a short walking distance and I don't think it has ever taken more than 30 minutes to vote, including the time it takes to get to there and back home again. The actual voting day is 1 day, but you can also vote in advance in post offices for about 5 days I think. (Any post office, so if your designated voting station is far away for some reason, you can just vote in advance to save yourself the trouble.) You can also vote from abroad, although I have no idea how that works. However, quite a bit is done to make sure everybody gets to vote.

(Then again I for example have the opinion that the whole voting thing is mostly for show, even with three major parties and several significant minor parties. Our country is just so small that all the major political players fit into one "smoke filled room", and there's no way anyone who refuses to fit in actually gets any real power. I only vote out of general principal, the lesser of two weevils and all that. But I don't question people who don't vote. I have lots of pointless principles, voting is just one of them.)

Anyway, if we can make voting fast and simple, so can you. Our countries are not that different, from what I gather.

[Hack&Lube]

The solution to overcoming voter apathy is having an economic depression or some kind of disaster.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

Both of them only vote when they don't want the favourite to win. (i.e. They vote Liberals when it looks like there is a chance the Conservatives will win.) Otherwise, they'll vote if they have time. I know they've skipped out on 1 federal election, and only voted in provincial elections when Ralph Klein was running (a fan of RK). They never vote in municipal elections.

Okay, I love this. Communists digging on Ralph Klein.

[gottabekd]

Originally Posted by Itse

It can take 4 hours to vote?

No, it took me 2 minutes. But employers must give employees a 4 hour window to get to the polling station and vote, then get back to work.

[CaramonLS]

Simply put "make me care".

It is up to the candidates to run a platform which not only pushes quality ideas but also inspires me to get out and vote. I want people in power who are angry and passionate about the things they believe in - If I saw (for example) Kevin Taft ripping textbooks apart with his barehands because they were so outdated and spewing venom at Stemach for letting education in this province get so poor and proposing some solution which made perfect sense, I'd vote for him (obviously this isn't true, but same idea in theory).

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by gottabekd

No, it took me 2 minutes. But employers must give employees a 4 hour window to get to the polling station and vote, then get back to work.

Well, technically speaking, it takes about 6.8 seconds to mark off the ballot and drop it in the box... but last federal election took me 3 hours and 45 minutes from the time I left my house in the evening, until the time I got home.

That's longer than a hockey game! In fact, that's about as much time as it would take to watch a Flames game and then 3 quarters of a Suns game right afterwards.

Fun fun.


(Before people start typing out their impassioned pleas of "but people have died for you to have that right, and you complain about 4 hours?!"... 1) I'm not complaining, I'm stating. 2) I've never not voted because it took too long.)

[Slava]

This thread is great. I only read the first 4 pages, but there are some huge cop-outs here. How many people here worked on any campaign? How many people have run, or considered running? If there is no one credible enough to vote for then it would be such an easy win for you guys with all of the answers!

I'm pretty cynical...but also very involved. I have run twice, and worked on dozens of campaigns...and I'm only 32 years old. Don't get me wrong the OP and some of the responses are great and I agree whole-heartedly with some of your comments. But the dozens of "give me a worth while option" comments and "I didn't have time" type of responses are ridiculous.

If you want to make change than you have to get out there and take a chance. Its not enough to complain about the voting system a day after a month long campaign.

/rant

[Ozy_Flame]

I'm telling you guys, conscription or of-age military service would get people out to vote in the top percentile!!

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

I have an issue with the argument that "uninformed people shouldn't vote." To me, that's like saying "people who don't shower shouldn't brush their teeth." One isn't enough--you need to do both.

Being uninformed isn't a terminal condition. Information is everywhere--it takes literally seconds to look it up on the "internets." If you're motivated to vote you'll be motivated to inform yourself on the issues.

Otherwise you end up with bad breath AND B.O. Nobody wants that.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by Slava

This thread is great. I only read the first 4 pages, but there are some huge cop-outs here. How many people here worked on any campaign? How many people have run, or considered running? If there is no one credible enough to vote for then it would be such an easy win for you guys with all of the answers!

I'm pretty cynical...but also very involved. I have run twice, and worked on dozens of campaigns...and I'm only 32 years old. Don't get me wrong the OP and some of the responses are great and I agree whole-heartedly with some of your comments. But the dozens of "give me a worth while option" comments and "I didn't have time" type of responses are ridiculous.

If you want to make change than you have to get out there and take a chance. Its not enough to complain about the voting system a day after a month long campaign.

/rant

You show me one guy that ran a platform that was 100%:

1) relevant to Albertans
2) based on ACTUAL issues with ACTUAL solutions and not just smoke and mirrors
3) didn't ONCE try to blame someone else that was running or try to make me afraid to vote for anyone else

...and I'll show you my vote.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

I'm curious to see what you think one's responsibility is towards democracy?

As I quoted, an uninformed voter is worse then non-voter.

Part of your responsibility in participating in a democracy is to take the time to research and become informed.

I say take away your ability vote. Any and all people who can't be bothered, lose it right then and there. In fact, the rest of us can vote to group all of you together and use you as medical and scientific lab rats.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by kermitology

Part of your responsibility in participating in a democracy is to take the time to research and become informed.

I say take away your ability vote. Any and all people who can't be bothered, lose it right then and there. In fact, the rest of us can vote to group all of you together and use you as medical and scientific lab rats.

I'll vote for that.