The Apathetic Voter Thread - 2011

[Ark2]

Originally Posted by llama64

Why exactly? When people vote Conservative/Liberal simply because that's how they've always voted I really don't see the difference.

How many voters ACTUALLY consider the candidate they vote for these days? The campaigns themselves are not about the party nor are they about any sort of platform - they are about the leaders. And NONE of the leaders are worthy of my vote.

Don't call me out because I'm thinking of alternate reasons to cast my ballot. Call out people who don't think about why they are voting.

I'll say it again, please just stay home and don't vote if you are going to be so frivolous with your decision. I'll say the same thing for any one that intends to vote for a party for equally frivolous reasons. That goes for people that vote for the CPC just because everyone else does as well.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by HOOT

They would be counting a lot of spoiled ballots.

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

No thanks. I hate the idea of paying or requiring people to vote. Lots of people, maybe most, couldn't care less and are ignorant of the issues and the candidates. Let them stay home. They would just guess and make the votes less important for those of us who are informed.

Voter apathy is unfortunate but don't try forcing people to vote. Voters who guess or vote for the best-looking candidate is worse than apathy.

I would say that requiring people to vote would get them engaged.

What happens in Australia?

[Rhettzky]

Originally Posted by Delthefunky

280 million is only 2 new fighter jets!!

...or 11.2 peace bridges!!

Seriously though, which candidate would look the best with a mullet? That's who I'll be casting a vote for.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by Isbrant

In my ideal world, I would have voting be manditory but you have to pass a test first in order to vote. Everyone would have to make an informed decision.

Hopefully there isn't a spelling section.

[Isbrant]

Originally Posted by HOOT

Hopefully there isn't a spelling section.

Hopefully not as I would never get to vote. Mandatory. Any I missed?

[Lionel Steel]

I'll probably just do a write-in vote for Paul Martin

[llama64]

Originally Posted by Ark2

I'll say it again, please just stay home and don't vote if you are going to be so frivolous with your decision. I'll say the same thing for any one that intends to vote for a party for equally frivolous reasons. That goes for people that vote for the CPC just because everyone else does as well.

Wow...

This is a thread titled "Apathetic Voter Thread - 2011". Seriously, tongue in cheek runs amok in here.

It's my vote, I'll vote how I want and by what criteria I want. It's something I get for being a citizen of Canada. If you want to impose your own moral system on top of that I suggest you move to North Korea for all the respect you have of democracy.

[Ark2]

Originally Posted by llama64

Wow...

This is a thread titled "Apathetic Voter Thread - 2011". Seriously, tongue in cheek runs amok in here.

It's my vote, I'll vote how I want and by what criteria I want. It's something I get for being a citizen of Canada. If you want to impose your own moral system on top of that I suggest you move to North Korea for all the respect you have of democracy.

Where have I imposed my will on you or anyone for that matter? I simply asked you not to vote if you care so little about making an informed decision. The choice is yours and I trust that you do however you see fit. That isn't me imposing anything.

I don't subscribe to the theory that you should vote no matter what and it's because of people like you that I feel that way. That doesn't mean I would ever try to infringe on your ability to vote however, so let's not delve into the North Korea crap.

[Shazam]

It may dismay you Ark2, but people vote for politicians with the same decision making processes they use to purchase their other goods and services.

[billybob123]

Originally Posted by Shazam

I would say that requiring people to vote would get them engaged.

Keep dreaming! Forcing people to do it wouldn't result in people getting engaged any more than they do now. All that would happen is random voting among the 35-40% who avoid voting already. Perhaps you might manage to convince a small proportion (5% or less) to actually take an interest.

People who don't care, don't care. Making them do it is not going to change that. There are an awful lot of people who hate politics; and the way these elections are heading aren't making things better. "Vote for me because he's a scumbag liar pedophile" doesn't engage people, it turns them off. I would say if you want better voter engagement, stop playing stupid political games and instead make elections about issues. And stop wasting our time with elections every two years that end up with the same result.

I doubt Australia sees more engagement by their legal requirement to vote, though I am willing to admit error if it's true.