Voter Turnout Embarrassing

[pfezziwig]

Here in Halifax, Nova Scotia we just had a municipal election with just under a 40% turnout ! Our national election was about 60%, another low number.

They even introduced electronic voting in Halifax to make it more accessible.

What gives ?

I know people are busy with other things but between voting in person or online a 40% turnout is embarrassing.

Will online voting be the savior when it's fully rolled out or are we all just too apathetic nowadays?

Does anyone care about their community these days or does international news from CNN concern them more?

[Sir Bandelot]

I can't speak for others, but I myself did not vote because I couldn't bring myself to support any of the candidates. None of them inspired me to want to vote. I have no confidence in their leadership.

I would never vote for Harper because of his anti-Canadian attitude. The CPC is not a true conservative party anyways. The liberal leader was just a bad joke. NDP and Green never had a chance and seemed like they would say anything to anyone, in order to get more votes. Gilles Duceppe, while he has charisma and leadership I can't even vote for him if I wanted to. So I went out to play hockey that night with some friends, and came home feeling alot more satisfied.

[capricorn]

I can't speak for others, but I myself did not vote

So I take it we can ignore your posts complaining against the Conservative government.

[wulf42]

Here in Halifax, Nova Scotia we just had a municipal election with just under a 40% turnout ! Our national election was about 60%, another low number.

They even introduced electronic voting in Halifax to make it more accessible.

What gives ?

I know people are busy with other things but between voting in person or online a 40% turnout is embarrassing.

Will online voting be the savior when it's fully rolled out or are we all just too apathetic nowadays?

Does anyone care about their community these days or does international news from CNN concern them more?

Hello fellow Haligonian!.................yes it was kinda embarrassing........Peter Kelly said he wants better turn out next time....i voted online it was pretty cool.

[Sir Bandelot]

So I take it we can ignore your posts complaining against the Conservative government.

Whatever turns your crack

[guyser]

Whatever turns your crack

I hope you meant "crank" because otherwise that would mean..........never mind.

[Topaz]

So I take it we can ignore your posts complaining against the Conservative government.

I don't think we should, if there is no one a voter supports. Why vote for someone you don't support just for the sake of voting? IF the Progressive conservatives had had a Federal party, I think more people would have voted for that party than any of the others. Since members of the Conservatives have said they are a different party than the PC, then there's no reason why the PC can't have a Federal party. Danny Williams vs Stephen Harper just think what the House would be like in question period!!

[August1991]

Here in Halifax, Nova Scotia we just had a municipal election with just under a 40% turnout ! Our national election was about 60%, another low number.

That's better than Montreal. In teh past municipal election, turnout was 32%.

Having spent the entire election campaign talking about cleanliness, Gérald Tremblay has swept Montréal, chalking up a 16% lead over rival mayoralty candidate Pierre Bourque and winning 83 of the 104 positions up for grabs, according to the latest available data as we go to press.

The municipal election was marred, however, by the lowest voter turnout rate in 40 years. According to fragmentary results, just over 32% of voters cast their ballots yesterday.

Link

104 counsellors? I'm afraid to learn what their salary is.

[M.Dancer]

That's better than Montreal. In teh past municipal election, turnout was 32%.

Link

104 counsellors? I'm afraid to learn what their salary is.

In the voting years I lived in Montreal I never voted in a civic election. I have an excuse. I lived in Montreal North and while I wa there, Yves Ryan usually ran unopposed. When I lived in Montreal proper, Drapeau was the mayor....

[ReeferMadness]

I think that the problems with voter turnout are the canary in the coal mine when it comes to the whole political system. I have deep suspicions that most people are voting because it's the 'right thing to do' as opposed to a belief that they're getting results they want from the the system. Casting a ballot isn't in itself, democracy.

The leadership, organizational and communication skills; the drive and commitment required for a top level political political position (prime minister, premier, even a large city mayor) would earn you millions in the private sector yet we expect politicians to work for some small fraction of that. If we want the best people in the top political jobs, either we need to offer politicians more of fix it so CEO's earn less.

Next let's talk about working conditions. How would you like to work in a situation where the company hires someone to follow your every move and do everything they can to try to make you look bad. That's the job of the leader of the opposition. We have two institutions in this country (and in most western countries) that are based on adversarial relations - politics and law. Both are in continual states of disrepute. Go figure.

Consider expectations. Nepotism, influence peddling, interest conflicts, and questionable ethics are part of life in the private sector yet they are considered scandalous in government. Joseph Marie de Maistre said "Every country has the government it deserves." If we don't like what we see in our governments, maybe we need to clean up society, not just focus on the government.

Government bashing is a sport for a large portion of the population. People need to complain less and get involved more. I know this isn't easy. Capitalism is so grossly inefficient that many if not most people pour almost all of their creative energy into work. They have no energy left to take on additional challenges.

[William Ashley]

Perhaps it is the partisan politics, disenfranchisement due to requirements for voting, and the lack of politicans who actually care about people. Simple put same old same old, won't change their life, only things a given is death and taxes to most people.

The community doesn't exist due to a destruction of the family unit by the justice system, and laws which override personal freedoms. Simply put people are disempowered and not involved in the political process.

Vote rigging could be another answer. Eg. lets throw out half the votes, no one will guess.

Here in Halifax, Nova Scotia we just had a municipal election with just under a 40% turnout ! Our national election was about 60%, another low number.

They even introduced electronic voting in Halifax to make it more accessible.

What gives ?

I know people are busy with other things but between voting in person or online a 40% turnout is embarrassing.

Will online voting be the savior when it's fully rolled out or are we all just too apathetic nowadays?

Does anyone care about their community these days or does international news from CNN concern them more?

but I've got nothing to wear.. and I just worked, I'd rather go home eat and sit infront of the television. It is not like my vote matters. I'm a fundamentalist judeochristianislamist and since they havn't given an iota that I'd like a new car bought for me with my tax dollars and laws saying that no one should care about anything I do, I'm just not going to vote. 0 stake. 0 motivation.

It is not like their policies mean anything to me anyway.

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If people would like to bring out the vote, they'd offer pastries and a coffee to people who vote.

As a matter of fact, if elected, I will motion for the 1.30$ given to political parties for each vote they receive, instead go to serve people pastries and refreshements on election day to those who vote.

It cost money to go. and a collectable "I voted looney."

Edited November 2, 2008 by William Ashley

[Sir Bandelot]

I chose not to vote for the first time in many years, because I would not give my support to any of the leaders. I do not believe any of them is the right choice for the country according to my own views. I know many would blame people like me and say its irresponsible, but the fact is I don't care which of them gets in power, each is a useless boob to me so let others vote if they will. I am glad to see many people also did not vote, which is very unusual and I suspect the real reason is a silent majority who feel as I do. When there is a leader of skill and charisma who has the vision of Canada for the people you will see the numbers go up. The politicians, they know why.

[BC_chick]

When there is a leader of skill and charisma who has the vision of Canada for the people you will see the numbers go up. The politicians, they know why.

Agreed. Look what just happened with the voter turnout south of the border.

[August1991]

Agreed. Look what just happened with the voter turnout south of the border.

Really?

When you strip away the spin, this is what you find:

Census Details Voter Turnout for 2004

More than 125 million Americans -- 64 percent of those ages 18 and older -- went to the polls in last year's presidential election, according to data scheduled to be released today by the Census Bureau.

Washington Post

And in 2008?

About 133.3 million people cast ballots — or about 62.5% of the electorate, said Michael McDonald, a leading voter-turnout expert at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.

USA Today

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I have always felt that a far better measure of a State's legitimacy is tax compliance. People utlimately show their agreement with a regime in place when they pay their taxes. In countries where the State is seen as illegitimate, tax evasion is endemic.

[Sir Bandelot]

I have always felt that a far better measure of a State's legitimacy is tax compliance. People utlimately show their agreement with a regime in place when they pay their taxes. In countries where the State is seen as illegitimate, tax evasion is endemic.

But it is illegal, so not popular unless you're willing to risk being charged.

Edited November 6, 2008 by Sir Bandelot

[Huston]

I know people are busy with other things but between voting in person or online a 40% turnout is embarrassing.

40% turnout is embarrassing for the politicians. They suck!

Will online voting be the savior when it's fully rolled out or are we all just too apathetic nowadays?

No, because that does not address the problem.

Does anyone care about their community these days or does international news from CNN concern them more?

I care about my community. The Provincial and Federal governments do not care. It is time for smaller government. The bigger government has destroyed communities by taking away the responsibility, and has created the situation you commented on, time! Self or social righteousness. They say we need cars. Now cars have taken up our time. We need to work to afford them.. barely for 1/3, and take out time stuck in traffic, because people need to live somewhere affordable to own the car, while their job is in another city or town. Now that the auto inductry is fail to many people are at risk at losing their jobs and destroying the economy. When anything big is allowed, the more risk involved. The recessions and depression throughout the 20th century have been a huge detrement for many people. Another state institution, education is economically unsustainable, coersive (socially unsustainable), and also takes up people time with useless liberal arts courses. Geography, history, etc. Why are we reading Hemmingway and not actual documentation that is needed in real life.

[Huston]

Government bashing is a sport for a large portion of the population. People need to complain less and get involved more. I know this isn't easy. Capitalism is so grossly inefficient that many if not most people pour almost all of their creative energy into work. They have no energy left to take on additional challenges.

How is capitalism inefficient? State intervention has teken time away by helping us buy useless and expensive products, like cars. It has misregulated the industries where you need to spend so much money on schooling, and them hurt the poor even more when they have to pay 8% interest plus a floating 2.5% on top of that, while the government only pays 4% interest off the loan. It of top down socialism that is infficient since it is so reliant on bureaucracy. Real capitalism is not workers working in a factory making clothes, but people wrking with establish professionals learning the trade, so they go out on their own to make clothes. Imagine a clothing industry that is all customized. There would be 100 of thosands of different designers for all income classes, because even poor people can start a business designing clothes. Government regulation needs excessive amounts of schooling that costs money, and is highly speculative. Spend 20k on schooling right out of high-school only to find out that there is no demand for it, and end up working in a factory. Factories and large industries are supported by governement. It is government that is the biggest polluter, because it allows it. The anarcho-capitalist, Murray Rothbard, claims real protery rights would discurage pollution because it damages other people property and of course their health. They should be sued. Just like the U.S. banks, the auto-intustry, and other nationalized corporations must be punished for the coersion. Coersion and harm is not allowed in a free-market system.

Edited December 2, 2008 by Huston