How do we overcome voter apathy?

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

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 think you're missing the point entirely.
You say you wan't someone to "Get the job done" and that you don't care how they get it done.
We aren't voting on how to get "the job" done, we're voting on what job it is we want to get done.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

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.

That is my point; you should get a few people together and put your name on the ballot! Clearly its an easy thing to appeal to the mass of unaffected voters because you have the three points to your solution there.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by Slava

That is my point; you should get a few people together and put your name on the ballot! Clearly its an easy thing to appeal to the mass of unaffected voters because you have the three points to your solution there.

Nope. Nice try though.

Is it really too much to ask that the people we are expected to vote for are both credible and accountable?

When did we all of a sudden start settling for less?

[Byrns]

People who don't vote, lose their right to bitch about the government.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Nope. Nice try though.

Is it really too much to ask that the people we are expected to vote for are both credible and accountable?

When did we all of a sudden start settling for less?

Not voting is the DEFINITION of settling for less.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Byrns

People who don't vote, lose their right to bitch about the government.

I hear people say that a lot, but I don't agree with it. Conscientously abstaining is a reasonable thing to do. In fact, it is in a way, complaining about the government and the state of democracy.

[Gozer]

Voting is not a responsibility of the people, its a right.
Waiving my rights is my prerogative.

Compelling people to vote - or forcing people to exercise free will - is asinine on its face.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I hear people say that a lot, but I don't agree with it. Conscientously abstaining is a reasonable thing to do. In fact, it is in a way, complaining about the government and the state of democracy.

I guess I follow Henry David Thorea's thinking on this matter. He wasn't a big fan of "majority rules"--because he believed that individual morality was the supreme principle. But he believed that voting was the bare bones--the absolute minimal civic duty.

Doing nothing--not voting at all--is not a protest. Quite the opposite. It's a tacit endorsement of the government you have. Voting is a very limited kind of political influence. But if you don't vote you have no influence at all.

If you don't want to vote, I'm fine with that. It's your right. But if you're not voting because you think it's a form of protest, I'd suggest a new strategy.

[JiriHrdina]

How many people don't vote out of pure laziness? Fart I'm going to add a pole.

[rockstar]

I can't be bothered to vote in this poll.

Sorry if that wisecrack was already made previously in the thread. I couldn't be bothered to search through the previous pages.

Sorry if that wisecrack was already made, too.

Sorry.

[nieuwy-89]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Is it really too much to ask that the people we are expected to vote for are both credible and accountable?

When did we all of a sudden start settling for less?

Holy Cow. You do realize that there is not a secret "politician factory" out there churning out candidates for you to vote for?

Politicians are not robots - they are normal people like you and me who have decided to put there names forward. Whatever their motivation may be, they are taking big risks and putting their credibility on the line just by signing the nomination papers.

Nobody's perfect, and today more than ever a candidate needs to be extremely careful about everything he or she says and does, out of fear that anything can be misconstrued and broadcast instantaneously.

Did you make an effort to contact the candidates in your riding? Did you phone/email/meet with them to discuss your issues? Or are you just assuming that because their campaign literature was bland and vague that they lack accountability and credibility?

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

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.

How about this: you show us a candidate that had a platform that wasn't 100% those things.

I'm positive you'll find it somewhere, and the rest of us won't have to do your work for you.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Nope. Nice try though.

Is it really too much to ask that the people we are expected to vote for are both credible and accountable?

When did we all of a sudden start settling for less?

OK, who exactly were all the candidates in your riding? And please explain why each of them was not credible and why they would not be accountable.

[Thunderball]

Looks like so far at least 2 non-voters were being honest. Lack of credible candidates excuse is such a cop-out. In my riding, there were 6 options... PC, Liberal, WRA, NDP, Green and Independent. Surely one would be "credible and accountable" enough. That surely doesn't give an excuse for the 40.2% turnout in my riding. Calgary Montrose also had 6 choices, yet had a pathetic 30.6% turnout. The worst was Calgary Cross with 27.4% turnout, yet they still had representation from all 4 major parties and the greens.

[Ayrahb]

I don't see why voting couldn't be made mandatory in some way. They force us to do jury duty, don't they? I would much rather be "forced" to drag my ass to a polling station than participate in a trial (or fight to get out of it).

How about voting only during the tax season? You can file taxes only if you get your return certified by the electoral office or Elections Canada.

[Sylvanfan]

I'm sort of living in limbo right now. Moving out of Province on the 21st of March. I guess it's a convenient excuse...but if I'm only here for two more weeks did I really need to vote as I'm 100% certain that I won't be living here? Although I guess I'll still have my house in Alberta and try to make it look like my house hold is in Alberta until I can pawn it off. If I do sell my house in time to force myself into becoming a resident of B.C. after I'm there...than yeah I'll vote in their next election.

If that isn't valid as an other than I'd say I didn't care.

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by Ayrahb

I don't see why voting couldn't be made mandatory in some way. They force us to do jury duty, don't they? I would much rather be "forced" to drag my ass to a polling station than participate in a trial (or fight to get out of it).

How about voting only during the tax season? You can file taxes only if you get your return certified by the electoral office or Elections Canada.

What about the other years where there are no municipal, provincial or federal elections? What about taxpayers under 18, would we not have to lower the voting age to 14? Even then, the system nearly failed with 41% voters, imagine the bedlam if every taxpayer had to get processed there too?

I think if people don't want to vote... they shouldn't. Mandatory voting is only effective in having 99% participation... unless its illegal to spoil ballots, you'll find a large percentage will do that.

The 41% turnout in this election is due to systemic failure, let alone the lacklustre (at best) leadership candidates. This was a poorly run election, in a system where if you don't vote for the majority party, you may as well stay home. Which is exactly what happened.

The other issue is that there wasn't a great place for disenchanted PCs to park their vote. The Liberals are too left for most PCs, and the WRA had too many religious/socially right elements in their party for many of the rest. No one had widespread appeal. But still, if there was a chance that the PC incumbents could be beat, or at least have their voice represented, a lot more would have come out.

I think Alberta needs to take a good, long look at MMP. Pure PR would never work here.

[Salt Water Cowboy #10]

I think I'm with the majority of non voters in saying this:

1. I am not interested in politcs in the sense that it seems to be a bunch of adults bitching and moaning about eachother like they were kids. Its like they can't agree, even if its obviously a good idea or whatever. it's their job to disagree with eachother. Just too frustrating to want to be involved in such bs.

2. I'd have to do research to find out what these guys actually stand for. I already know what they don't stand for, and thats the oppositions outlook and ideas/plans.

3. Any alternative to the Liberals or PCs is basically a wasted vote. Also see #2.

4. The PC's will win in Alberta. As long as the east is Liberal the west will be PC.

5. Since my vote for the environmentally minded party is useless, then I'll settle for PC. Since PC will win, I won't bother voting.

6. Environmentally minded party doesn't have enough $$ to make a solid campaign, thus not attracting enough voters. And we're in Alberta where if the Eviro minded party were to win, we'd all be "doomed" and the economy in Alberta would "collapse". people are scared to change.

7. Politics are boring, and those who actually care will vote and make the proper chioce for our province.

8. serious lack of common sense in the government. many things are far to complicated to get anything done quickly. the system just gets more and more complicated, thus leaving me more and more uninterested.

[SeeGeeWhy]

What I don't understand is how a government is able to form without a concensous that is drawn from a majority of the eligible population.

[gottabekd]

Originally Posted by Salt Water Cowboy #10

6. Environmentally minded party doesn't have enough $$ to make a solid campaign, thus not attracting enough voters. And we're in Alberta where if the Eviro minded party were to win, we'd all be "doomed" and the economy in Alberta would "collapse". people are scared to change.

No clue in the provincial elections, but in federal elections, if a party gets a certain percentage of the popular vote, they get some funding from the government.

I think in the last federal election, it worked out that every vote was worth about $2. So, by casting your vote for the Greens, they would receive $2. Very miniscule...but hey, better than nothing, right?