The right to vote

[Nonpartisanindv]

I think it's disgusting that voter turnout for the 2008 Canadian Federal election was the lowest since confederation (58%). Canadians have to wake-up and remember that voting is a right. We either wake-up or ask for some sort of shake-up in the electoral process?

Edited April 27, 2011 by Nonpartisanindv

[mikedavid00]

All they need to do is force everyone to vote so we can have 100% of people voting.

I prefer to have a low number of student voters as they are too young and inexperienced to be able to vote. They should make voting start at 30 years old. The kids just vote along the lines of their unionized, civil servant teachers and professors.

[Moonbox]

Mandatory voting isn't very democratic in my opinion. You have the right to choose, but it should not be a legal obligation to do so. If people don't want to vote then that's their own damn fault.

[PIK]

All they need to do is force everyone to vote so we can have 100% of people voting.

I prefer to have a low number of student voters as they are too young and inexperienced to be able to vote. They should make voting start at 30 years old. The kids just vote along the lines of their unionized, civil servant teachers and professors.

Right on, we need to raise the age to at least 25, every kid I talk to thinks jack is going to save the world. Jack is dangerous.

[nittanylionstorm07]

Right on, we need to raise the age to at least 25, every kid I talk to thinks jack is going to save the world. Jack is dangerous.

Likewise, baby boomers, equivalent, and older should be prevented from voting as they have pretty much destroyed the North American economy.

[Bonam]

Right on, we need to raise the age to at least 25, every kid I talk to thinks jack is going to save the world. Jack is dangerous.

What a plague of bitter old fools on this forum. Young people have every bit as much of a right to vote as anyone else.

[Shwa]

What a plague of bitter old fools on this forum. Young people have every bit as much of a right to vote as anyone else.

People, people, there is enough voting to go around for everyone! Here is a compromise:

Over 30 - federal, provincial and municipal voting privledges.

25-30 years - provincial and municipal. Too young to understand federal politics or appreciate Quebec.

under 25 - municipal only since these youngsters only connect voting with garbage pickup issues.

under 18 - get one vote per person to choose which TV channel to watch. Older person's votes count as two...

[Battletoads]

Likewise, baby boomers, equivalent, and older should be prevented from voting as they have pretty much destroyed the North American economy.

I'd tend to agree.

[nittanylionstorm07]

I'd tend to agree.

I hope post-BB generations have the energy and ability to fix all of the problems the BB generation has caused.

[Posc Student]

People shouldn't be forced to vote, what if you don't support any of the parties running in your area? There was only four names on my ballot and while I like the candidate I voted for I still hated voting for any of them.

[RNG]

Rather than an age factor, I have often thought that some type of awareness test has to be written for each election, and you need to pass in order to get a ballot. The problems are that it is a system very prone to abuse, like in the US south in past years, and turnouts are low enough already, this would probably make them even lower. But people voting for him/her just because some ass/asset looks good on TV is what got us Trudeau and the US, Kennedy.

Edited April 27, 2011 by RNG

[ToadBrother]

Rather than an age factor, I have often thought that some type of awareness test has to be written for each election, and you need to pass in order to get a ballot. The problems are that it is a system very prone to abuse, like in the US south in past years, and turnouts are low enough already, this would probably make them even lower. But people voting for him/her just because some ass/asset looks good on TV is what got us Trudeau and the US, Kennedy.

You bet it would be prone to abuse. I can see a million things wrong with the idea, and at best one thing right with it.

[RNG]

You bet it would be prone to abuse. I can see a million things wrong with the idea, and at best one thing right with it.

I've told you a gazzillion times, don't exaggerate.

[mikedavid00]

Mandatory voting isn't very democratic in my opinion.

How can you have democracy when only a portion of the people are voting?

To ensure democracy, everyone should be obliged to vote.

Let me remind you that every day we are obliged to do thousands of things (like pay taxes). I'm sure they can pass a law saying everyone has to vote.

As an example, I'm not voting this election and have never voted. I support the Conservatives this election. But I will not vote for them because I feel it's futile and waste of time as my riding is a Liberal stronghold. I wonder how many like me feel the same way and would vote CPC if we were forced to go out and vote?

[ToadBrother]

As an example, I'm not voting this election and have never voted. I support the Conservatives this election. But I will not vote for them because I feel it's futile and waste of time as my riding is a Liberal stronghold. I wonder how many like me feel the same way and would vote CPC if we were forced to go out and vote?

That may count among the dumbest things I've ever read.

[mikedavid00]

People shouldn't be forced to vote, what if you don't support any of the parties running in your area?

You're allowed to vote for nobody.

Just like you are forced to do jury duty, you really should be forced to vote. It's the only way to ensure democracy.

My beef is, you should not have the right to vote unless you are a tax contributor. So someone like a civil servant would not be allowed to vote as they do not pay taxes (their paychecks are FROM taxes.. the dumb dumb left on the forum don't worry about that topic.. it's a bit to complicated for you guys to understand what a 'tax contributor' is).

[mikedavid00]

What a plague of bitter old fools on this forum. Young people have every bit as much of a right to vote as anyone else.

All they do is vote for who their parents or *teachers* tell them to. Gee.. who do you think those people are?

Actually if some of you actually lived around immigrants, you would see them in CAR LOADS bringing the whole family to vote and hijack riding's. The kids just vote what their parents want them to. Usually the most important issue to them is bringing over a relative from another country who is overdue for a surgery. It's very, very important to them.

[ToadBrother]

My beef is, you should not have the right to vote unless you are a tax contributor. So someone like a civil servant would not be allowed to vote as they do not pay taxes (their paychecks are FROM taxes.. the dumb dumb left on the forum don't worry about that topic.. it's a bit to complicated for you guys to understand what a 'tax contributor' is).

Okay, this is the dumbest thing I've ever read.

[mikedavid00]

Okay, this is the dumbest thing I've ever read.

It's beyond your scope. The whole 'tax contributor' thing.

No civil servants are not tax contributors. If you don't work, are collecting disability, going to school, etc etc you are NOT a tax contributor.

*MY HOUSEHOLD* is a tax contributing household. I just did my taxes and owe the gov't $6,200. That $6,200 was NOT from a gov't paycheck. It's from real work in the private sector. Since I am contributor, and most on this forum and Canada do NOT (75% are not), I should have the say in how the money is spent. Not the people who do not contribute to our system.

Get it?

Nah. I Didn't think you would.

Edited April 28, 2011 by mikedavid00

[ToadBrother]

It's beyond your scope. The whole 'tax contributor' thing.

No civil servants are not tax contributors. If you don't work, are collecting disability, going to school, etc etc you are NOT a tax contributor.

*MY HOUSEHOLD* is a tax contributing household. I just did my taxes and owe the gov't $6,200. That $6,200 was NOT from a gov't paycheck. It's from real work in the private sector. Since I am contributor, and most on this forum and Canada do NOT (75% are not), I should have the say in how the money is spent. Not the people who do not contribute to our system.

Get it?

Nah. I Didn't think you would.

Even if I agreed with your math, the whole notion would push the electoral system back to the early 19th century. Like I said, it's among the dumbest things I've ever read. At the very least it's a tie with Mr. Canada's admiration for Franco's Spain.

[cybercoma]

How about this idea, Mike. Your vote is only as valuable as the amount of taxes you pay. The person that pays $100,000/year in taxes has a vote worth 100x the vote of the person that pays $1,000/year in taxes.

Great idea, right?

[mikedavid00]

How about this idea, Mike. Your vote is only as valuable as the amount of taxes you pay. The person that pays $100,000/year in taxes has a vote worth 100x the vote of the person that pays $1,000/year in taxes.

Great idea, right?

Yes that works for me. I agree with that.

Those who contribute most should have a bigger say.

Since the vast majority of people make between a certain range a year, the populous would have much more power than the FEW wealthy in Canada.

Most making over 200k in Canada are some kind of civil servant (public utility executives, etc) and would NOT be eligible to vote at all.

[ToadBrother]

Yes that works for me. I agree with that.

Those who contribute most should have a bigger say.

Since the vast majority of people make between a certain range a year, the populous would have much more power than the FEW wealthy in Canada.

Most making over 200k in Canada are some kind of civil servant (public utility executives, etc) and would NOT be eligible to vote at all.

Stop it already. You've already the Dumbest Post in History Award. We won't be giving out the Lifetime Awards until 2013.

[nittanylionstorm07]

Yes that works for me. I agree with that.

Those who contribute most should have a bigger say.

Since the vast majority of people make between a certain range a year, the populous would have much more power than the FEW wealthy in Canada.

Most making over 200k in Canada are some kind of civil servant (public utility executives, etc) and would NOT be eligible to vote at all.

I'm surprised you don't live in Alabama.

[ToadBrother]

I'm surprised you don't live in Alabama.

I'm surprised he doesn't live in the 18th century.