40th Canadian Federal Election - Welcome to another Conservative Minority (whee!)

[octothorp]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Help! Anyone know where to vote in Calgary West? The search function doesn't seem to be working for me on the Elections Canada website...

It depends on where in the riding you are, there are lots of polling stations.

Are you trying this website here? It works for me. If you like, PM me your postal code and I'll tell you where it is.

http://www.elections.ca/scripts/pss/FindED.aspx?L=e

[chid]

I hurt my neck this morning and then before hitting up the doctors, I voted. The guy at the polling station thought I was an idiot since I couldnt move my neck and basically bent at the hip to talk to him and look at the lady beside him.

[Table 5]

Well, it seems I can't vote for anyone this year. Apparently you can only be away from the country for 5 years...I've been gone 5 years and two months. Doh!

I don't care who people vote for, as long as it's not Rob Anders.

[Azure]

Well, I voted for the first time.

Cool.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Well, it seems I can't vote for anyone this year. Apparently you can only be away from the country for 5 years...I've been gone 5 years and two months. Doh!

I don't care who people vote for, as long as it's not Rob Anders.

As long as you've made a pilgrimage back, you should be allowed to vote. Kind of too late now, though.

[Devils'Advocate]

(A) The woman I spoke to at the polling station said that if not tearing off that strip was a spoiled ballot, we're going to have 50% spoiled ballots this year. Woot!!

(B) When I was a volunteer scrutineer for the NDP, we all seemed to be adults about it. Only had one ass that wanted to argue that someone's "X" entered someone elses box... but the centre of the "X" was clearly beside the Liberal's name. I mean, really... do you think you are going to win by arguing one freaking vote? I very much doubt any scrutineer is going to challenge a ballot because the side wasn't ripped off.

[RougeUnderoos]

This spoiled ballot thing comes up every time, but I don't think I've ever heard a single report on the news about it. People seem to think it's a big statement, but really, nobody is going to hear it. Some flunky at Elections Canada will put your vote in an envelope and maybe write down how many they had. They will then disappear forever. Nobody will ever see it again and maybe 1 person will know how many spoiled ballots there were in that one box and it will never be heard from or even thought of again.

I worked an election once and that's what we did. Some of the spoiled ballots had messages that appeared to be addressed right to the candidate. Believe me, they aren't going to see it or even know about it.

If you want to spoil a ballot because you don't want to vote for any of them I don't know why you'd even bother voting. It does nothing. Nobody knows. Voter apathy (ie not voting) will get more attention and send a bigger message than spoiled ballots.

It would be the same for rejected ballots too. The only person who knows is the person you rejected it from.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by chid

I hurt my neck this morning and then before hitting up the doctors, I voted. The guy at the polling station thought I was an idiot since I couldnt move my neck and basically bent at the hip to talk to him and look at the lady beside him.

Must of been painful driving around with that stiff neck.

[octothorp]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

This spoiled ballot thing comes up every time, but I don't think I've ever heard a single report on the news about it. People seem to think it's a big statement, but really, nobody is going to hear it. Some flunky at Elections Canada will put your vote in an envelope and maybe write down how many they had. They will then disappear forever. Nobody will ever see it again and maybe 1 person will know how many spoiled ballots there were in that one box and it will never be heard from or even thought of again.

I worked an election once and that's what we did. Some of the spoiled ballots had messages that appeared to be addressed right to the candidate. Believe me, they aren't going to see it or even know about it.

If you want to spoil a ballot because you don't want to vote for any of them I don't know why you'd even bother voting. It does nothing. Nobody knows. Voter apathy (ie not voting) will get more attention and send a bigger message than spoiled ballots.

It would be the same for rejected ballots too. The only person who knows is the person you rejected it from.

I remember something about how when the province held their first (unofficial) senate election, there was an extremely high number of spoiled ballots. Is it different for those types of elections than for actual federal elections?

I'd be curious to see what sort of change in voting would occur if there was a 'no vote' option on the card. I think the number of votes for actual candidates might go down slightly (particularly for fringe protest parties), but actual voting would go up significantly. In an election such as the current one, I bet that a lot of people who stay home would instead go out to register their disgust. Of course, the next question would be, what good would it serve to have a whole bunch of people cast votes simply to say that they aren't happy about the whole process?

[sadora]

Originally Posted by Ronald Pagan

For argument's sake, it's more likely that you'll be hit by a bus on the way to the polling station than your vote making a difference in the election.

As some of the public choice people in this thread could attest to, it's more rationale for you to stay home and not vote as it's more in your own personal interest to do so.

I know that you're only making a statement so this is not to argue with you.

It's apathetic mentality like this that keeps votes from making a real difference. If a higher percentage of the eligible voters actually voted you would see different results.

[Dodsdomd]

Originally Posted by peter12

No. You can reject your ballot by telling the person who gives it to you that you reject because you have no other options. Then it gets counted as a rejected ballot.

Thanks Pete.

[Dodsdomd]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

This spoiled ballot thing comes up every time, but I don't think I've ever heard a single report on the news about it. People seem to think it's a big statement, but really, nobody is going to hear it. Some flunky at Elections Canada will put your vote in an envelope and maybe write down how many they had. They will then disappear forever. Nobody will ever see it again and maybe 1 person will know how many spoiled ballots there were in that one box and it will never be heard from or even thought of again.

I worked an election once and that's what we did. Some of the spoiled ballots had messages that appeared to be addressed right to the candidate. Believe me, they aren't going to see it or even know about it.

If you want to spoil a ballot because you don't want to vote for any of them I don't know why you'd even bother voting. It does nothing. Nobody knows. Voter apathy (ie not voting) will get more attention and send a bigger message than spoiled ballots.

It would be the same for rejected ballots too. The only person who knows is the person you rejected it from.

Man I'm going to be pissed if my vote isn't on the news tonight! Not sure what kind of "statement" I was supposedly trying to make. Did not like what was for sale and not voting was not a personal option. Got clarification from Elections Canada and found that the option fit my needs. Ewww the controversy.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by octothorp

I remember something about how when the province held their first (unofficial) senate election, there was an extremely high number of spoiled ballots. Is it different for those types of elections than for actual federal elections?

I'd be curious to see what sort of change in voting would occur if there was a 'no vote' option on the card. I think the number of votes for actual candidates might go down slightly (particularly for fringe protest parties), but actual voting would go up significantly. In an election such as the current one, I bet that a lot of people who stay home would instead go out to register their disgust. Of course, the next question would be, what good would it serve to have a whole bunch of people cast votes simply to say that they aren't happy about the whole process?

I don't know if they'd bother or not. I have to wonder how much disgust is actually valid and how much of that supposed disgust is simple apathy, and disgust is just an excuse.

I think a lot of people who don't vote and use the vague "I don't like any of them" or even better "they are all the same" excuse probably wouldn't be able to name any of the candidates in their riding. They aren't disgusted, they are just lazy. Not all of them of course, but a lot.

There are significant differences between the parties, but these people can't find one thing important that they agree (or disagree) on that would get them to the polls? Nothing? I just find that hard to believe.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Dodsdomd

Not sure what kind of "statement" I was supposedly trying to make. Did not like what was for sale and not voting was not a personal option. Got clarification from Elections Canada and found that the option fit my needs. Ewww the controversy.

Huh?

Clearly you were trying to make some sort of statement. All I'm saying is it doesn't get heard. Don't take it personally. My vote isn't going to be heard either. It's just the way it is.

[Russic]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Help! Anyone know where to vote in Calgary West? The search function doesn't seem to be working for me on the Elections Canada website...

This was a massive pain for me last night. I was using the site to find my polling station and all it was telling me was that there was no designated area to vote early. I eventually called them and they gave me the impression that they were very aware of how terrible the website was. They were very helpful.

[SteveToms]

Yay I just "voted"

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

If you want to spoil a ballot because you don't want to vote for any of them I don't know why you'd even bother voting. It does nothing. Nobody knows. Voter apathy (ie not voting) will get more attention and send a bigger message than spoiled ballots.

Seems the only thing you accomplish is to waste your time, that of the people working the election and that of the people behind you in line.

[Dodsdomd]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Huh?

Clearly you were trying to make some sort of statement. All I'm saying is it doesn't get heard. Don't take it personally. My vote isn't going to be heard either. It's just the way it is.

Yeah I think I know what you're getting at. Maybe just took the delivery wrong.

My vote is heard be me and in the end that's what matters I suppose.

[Ronald Pagan]

Originally Posted by sadora

I know that you're only making a statement so this is not to argue with you.

It's apathetic mentality like this that keeps votes from making a real difference. If a higher percentage of the eligible voters actually voted you would see different results.

Actually the more people vote the more meaningless your vote becomes.

[Save Us Sutter]

MOD EDIT: Removed

Am I allowed to post eastern results in a western message board??