Deciding my vote....

[Cdn_Brdr]

What a pain in the ass! I know which party I support but I'm really debating where to place my vote.

I'm sure that makes no sense so let me explain. I HATE the idea of throwing away my vote but if I vote for the party I support I'm essentially doing that. I'm faced with a decision to vote for who I want or else vote for another party that I don't whole heartedly support in order to do my best to prevent a certain party from gaining office.

Did that make sense to anyone? It's about as straight forward as it can be I guess. Is anybody else having any trouble making their final decisions for the upcoming election?

[Grapes]

Did that make sense to anyone?

It's a pretty standard complaint in our democratic system.

[Cdn_Brdr]

^I realize this Dave but I guess I'm playing to the lowest common denominator *shrug*

[Allya]

Originally Posted by Grapes

It's a pretty standard complaint in our democratic system.

That's why we need proportional representation in this country. Just vote for whoever has that as part of their platform. *cough NDP cough *

[dj_soo]

exact same boat.

[Wood]

just vote for who you wanna vote for. i honestly don't think a conservative minority would be that much worse than a liberal majority anyways, if that's what you're worried about. they're all fucking douchebags.

[dj_soo]

^ biggest issue is that polls are currently suggesting a conservative majority.

bleagh.

[sidekick]

please read the British Columbia page of the globe and mail today for an article that disagrees with so-called 'strategic voting'.

i'm voting NDP. so many people have been riding my ass that voting for the NDP is basically voting for the conservatives (which it's so obviously not) and it's really beginning to piss me off.

this election is NOT a two party race. no, the NDP is not going to form a government...but neither are the liberals. i would rather know that my vote went toward someone that shared the same ideals as i do, rather than voting for a party i don't like just on the unlikely chance that it will loosen the lead the conservatives have.

strategic voting would only work if you got together with everyone in your riding and all decided to vote for the same MP (whether that is liberal or NDP). how many people in your riding do you think actually know which candidate (liberal or NDP) has a better chance of winning against the conservative candidate? some people are going to vote NDP thinking that's a good strategy for ousting the conservative candidate and some people are going to vote liberal thinking the same thing.

strategic voting doesn't work unless it's organized and widespread and everyone is voting for the same person. you can't be sure that everyone who is 'strategically voting' is strategically voting for the same candidate you are.

[Wood]

Originally Posted by mofo-x

^ biggest issue is that polls are currently suggesting a conservative majority.

bleagh.

well, that would not be so good. still, all the more reason to elect representatives who you actually support.

[miss.myra]

Originally Posted by Wood

they're all fucking douchebags.

Some are douchier douches for worse reasons than the other, though.



And people complaining about Canada's system should really take a minute to read up on the enigmatic electorial college that is in place in the USA, it is far worse there.

[Two_Six]

I'm voting for the Liberals. If I have time to vote, if I do end up voting, it will be my first time ever. Before taking Politics at Kwantlen I used to think one vote can't make a difference, but it can.

Everyone should go out and vote, if you don't vote there's no point in complaining. Every vote counts, get your opinion heard.

[Grapes]

Hey is there someone smart who can answer these questions for me:

1) When's the voting (easy one)
2) How do I vote considering:

a) I'm not in the country and
b) I don't really have a riding because I don't have a home to come back to.

[decypher]

Monday, Jan 23rd

http://www.elections.ca/content.asp?...textonly=false

[galaxie]

I'm faced with the same dilemma.
I normally vote NDP, however, they don't have a hope in hell in my riding. So, to prevent evil Tory power, I have decided to vote Liberal. The way I see it, I'd much rather help the party with the CLOSEST views to mine that actually has a chance of winning the seat (nevermind the election!) than cast a pointless ballot and encourage a Tory win.

[galaxie]

Originally Posted by Two_Six

If I have time to vote

FYI, legally your employer and/or school is REQUIRED to give you a full THREE HOURS off during which you can vote. Honestly, you MAKE time for what's important to you. The way I see it, if you can't take 15 mintues to vote, you don't deserve to live in and reap the benefits of a democratic country. It may sound harsh, but I'm pretty passionate about this issue. If everyone took the passive "I dunno, I don't have time," excuse route, we'd have a gov't elected by a handful of people and that's just plain stupid. Only 1/3 of young people voted in the last election - that is PATHETIC.

[dj_soo]

Only 1/3 of young people voted in the last election - that is PATHETIC.

the sad part is the younger voters are the ones that would often be more left leaning and would vote for ndp or liberals which could offset this impending conservative majority that i'm dreading...

[Two_Six]

Originally Posted by galaxie

FYI, legally your employer and/or school is REQUIRED to give you a full THREE HOURS off during which you can vote. Honestly, you MAKE time for what's important to you. The way I see it, if you can't take 15 mintues to vote, you don't deserve to live in and reap the benefits of a democratic country. It may sound harsh, but I'm pretty passionate about this issue. If everyone took the passive "I dunno, I don't have time," excuse route, we'd have a gov't elected by a handful of people and that's just plain stupid. Only 1/3 of young people voted in the last election - that is PATHETIC.

I will find time to vote, it is important to me too. I don't want The Conservatives to win.

[ja_raul]

Originally Posted by Grapes

Hey is there someone smart who can answer these questions for me:

1) When's the voting (easy one)
2) How do I vote considering:

a) I'm not in the country and
b) I don't really have a riding because I don't have a home to come back to.

try to contact the embassy of Canada for whichever country youre staying at for canada, request to fill out a blank ballot, elections canada still counts those as "protest" votes.

if by "no home" you mean that you were deported, then... i dont know.

[LDUB]

Originally Posted by Grapes

Hey is there someone smart who can answer these questions for me:

1) When's the voting (easy one)
2) How do I vote considering:

a) I'm not in the country and
b) I don't really have a riding because I don't have a home to come back to.

"You may register to vote by special ballot using the form in this guide provided:

your primary residence is in Canada but you expect to be outside your electoral district, either in Canada or elsewhere, on polling day and during the advance polls at an election or referendum; or
your primary residence has been outside Canada for less than five consecutive years since your last return to Canada (some exceptions apply), you resided in Canada at any time before applying for registration, and you intend to resume residence in Canada. "

Link to form: http://www.elections.ca/ele/39ge/ec78610/form_e.pdf

How to fill it out if your primary residence is outside of Canada: http://www.elections.ca/content.asp?...textonly=false

I'd call them if you really want to know because the deadline for special ballot request is January 17th 6pm (Ottawa time). It needs to be faxed to them and the ballot must be received back here by the 23rd. Plus I'm not really sure if your nomadic situation works with the forms I've provided.

(613) 993-2975 from anywhere in the world.

[galaxie]

Originally Posted by mofo-x

the sad part is the younger voters are the ones that would often be more left leaning and would vote for ndp or liberals which could offset this impending conservative majority that i'm dreading...

Very true.

As much as I'd like to see young people voting Green/NDP/Liberal (ha, so pretty much just NOT conservative), I'd just like to see them VOTE period.

[fable]

Originally Posted by miss.myra

Some are douchier douches for worse reasons than the other, though.



And people complaining about Canada's system should really take a minute to read up on the enigmatic electorial college that is in place in the USA, it is far worse there.

so what your realy saying is; OTHER PEOPLE HAVE IT WORSE, SO SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!

thats some hearty reactionary bullshit. Im gonna need a fork AND a spoon.

[fable]

Originally Posted by mofo-x

the sad part is the younger voters are the ones that would often be more left leaning and would vote for ndp or liberals which could offset this impending conservative majority that i'm dreading...

what the fuck!? I must not be understanding this correctly? So young people may vote for a party(NDP) that shows any shred of representation for the working majority, and really poses the only possibility of restructuring from the inside and posing a legitimate chance of then being used as a vehicle to make substantial changes in the way of government in the far future, IS SAD!?!?! VERSUS jumping on a reactionary bandwagon stampede of "strategic voting" mentality that i personally believe was started by those in the liberal camp.

man, what was i thinking?

[Two_Six]

It will be all good as long as people don't vote for The Conservatives.

[sidekick]

Originally Posted by fable

what the fuck!? I must not be understanding this correctly? So young people may vote for a party(NDP) that shows any shred of representation for the working majority, and really poses the only possibility of restructuring from the inside and posing a legitimate chance of then being used as a vehicle to make substantial changes in the way of government in the far future, IS SAD!?!?! VERSUS jumping on a reactionary bandwagon stampede of "strategic voting" mentality that i personally believe was started by those in the liberal camp.

man, what was i thinking?

he was saying that it's sad that they're not voting because most younger voters are left leaning and would help oust this conservative majority threat. he wasn't saying it was sad that they were left leaning.

ps. is 'reactionary' your word of the moment? you've used it like three times in the last week in your posts. i'm guessing you got a word of the day calendar for christmas.

[miss.myra]

Originally Posted by fable

so what your realy saying is; OTHER PEOPLE HAVE IT WORSE, SO SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!

thats some hearty reactionary bullshit. Im gonna need a fork AND a spoon.

hahaha, not what I was saying at all, I figured what I said was fairly self explanatory.