Devotee, Strategist, or Last Minute Chooser

[ClearWest]

We've had threads asking you who you plan to vote for - but another topic I would like to explore is voting habits. Throughout your voting history, have you consistently supported a single party? Do you switch depending on the candidates in your riding, or depending on strategy? What were the circumstances under which you decided to vote for a party that you didn't normally support. I've noticed a lot of us are quite devoted to a certain party. How many of you are registered with a political party? Devotee, stategist, last minute chooser, or other?

I'm interested in hearing your comments.

[geoffrey]

Provincially I'm a PC Party member, and will remain so... I really do support the party in Alberta.

Federally, I am a CPC member, but will not be renewing when it comes due at the end of the month. There is a big government ideological shift in Harper's leadership that I simply can't endorse. There is a lot of good ideas from the CPC, but overall, it's not the party for me right now.

Voting, purely strategic. I don't do things idealistically. I vote for whoever is going to make my life better, bottom line, nothing else. Therefore I'm not one to vote on anything related to SSM either way, abortion, immigrant relations, all that crap. Taxes mean alot to my standard of living, as do business regulations. My vote is pretty much based on the party's economics, social agendas are not really of issue to me.

[Slavik44]

Hmm...

Well I am not a member of any political party,

Provincialy I have no problem voting for the B.C Liberals, Obviously that could change but untill I am given a good reason, they get my vote.

Federally it is a mess, I really don't like any of the parties. The only strategic basis I might have to my vote in any upcoming federal election is the maitenance of some form of minority government. But that would only come into play if my riding itself was a very close race. So I guess you could pencil me in as a last minute chooser. Chances are my vote would be based less on party and more on the local candidate. If all the local candidates suck, then I might look at giving a vote to the Libertarian party and if they are not running, screw it I will vote for the Marijauna party, and if they are not runinng, then I might vote for the Green Party just because they have no hope in hell of wining and theoretically they do claim to be left on social issues and right on economic issues. Which beats the party I voted for last election who were left on social issues and wrong on economic issues.

[mikedavid00]

Chances are my vote would be based less on party and more on the local candidate.

That's another problem our electoral system has.

[Saturn]

I consider myself a strategist and vote based on who is promising what, my assessment on how likely they are to keep their promises and how likely they are to do things they didn't promise and what these things may be, who is running and has a good chance of getting elected in my riding and winning the election. Typically, it is not a difficult decision because there isn't that much choice, now is there? This time though, things are a bit different. I know I won't vote for Harper - he's clearly all talk and no substance in addition to being a control freak. If the liberals are near majority territory they won't get my vote. But I'd rather give Dion a chance than give Harper a second chance. I guess this time around I'll be a last minute chooser - my vote will depend on the last polls prior to the election.

[Canuck E Stan]

I consider myself a strategist .........who is running and has a good chance of getting elected in my riding and winning the election. Typically, it is not a difficult decision because there isn't that much choice, now is there? This time though, things are a bit different.

I know I won't vote for Harper - he's clearly all talk and no substance in addition to being a control freak.

If the liberals are near majority territory they won't get my vote.

But I'd rather give Dion a chance than give Harper a second chance.

I guess this time around I'll be a last minute chooser - my vote will depend on the last polls prior to the election.

Some strategist.

Won't vote for Harper(because you don't like him),and because with a minority government and with less than one year running the country he hasn't given you what you want.

But you will vote for Dion who was part of a group who gave you nothing after 13 years.

And you won't vote for a Liberal majority.

So what you do want, is a do nothing government so you can bitch about nothing getting done.

Some strategy.

Your vote will depend on the last polls prior to the election?

You've already made your decision on the next election, well before the last election.

[Saturn]

Some strategist.

Won't vote for Harper(because you don't like him),and because with a minority government and with less than one year running the country he hasn't given you what you want.

But you will vote for Dion who was part of a group who gave you nothing after 13 years.

That group gave me nothing but at least it put its house in order fiscally (from which I benefit indirectly). It is that group that provided Harper with a vastly improved fiscal situation and a fat surplus, so that he can squander it on BS. Minority or majority, he would have done the same.

[Canuck E Stan]

That group gave me nothing but at least it put its house in order fiscally (from which I benefit indirectly). It is that group that provided Harper with a vastly improved fiscal situation and a fat surplus, so that he can squander it on BS. Minority or majority, he would have done the same.

Yer memory fails ye, me lad.

The surpluses were far,far greater with the Liberals who piddled it down the political toilet,year after year.

Martin looked at the surpluses like he was a CEO making profit, on the backs of the working smucks.

Cutting back,just to make greater surpluses,or have you forgotten what happened to Health-care during those years.

And the Liberals patted themselves on the back for doing a great job of which they had nothing to do with.

Thanks to NAFTA,the GST and a economy that came out of a recession.

You have a pretty short memory, or none at all.

But you vote strategically,

Let's see.......you wait for the last poll before you vote Liberal anyway.

That's some strategy.

[Higgly]

Why would anybody join a political party? They're all like a fart in a windstorm.

[Canadian Blue]

I'm split between the Green's or the Conservatives, so why would I join a political party when I can't even figure that out.

[Ricki Bobbi]

Thanks to NAFTA,the GST and a economy that came out of a recession.

You have a pretty short memory, or none at all.

But you vote strategically,

Let's see.......you wait for the last poll before you vote Liberal anyway.

That's some strategy.

Well said Stan.

After years of over spending Mulroney finally began running operating surpluses.

Too bad his successor was such a weak choice.

I used to strongly consider my choice with every vote. Since the changes to the elections act I see it as directly supporting my party of allegiance. My vote isn't a given now, but I truly believe Harper has done a good job with what he has been handed. So the Conservatives will probably get my vote whenever the next vote is held.

[Charles Anthony]

Although I do not vote anymore, I have a devotion to one party: the Bloc Quebecois.

Throughout my voting history, I have only one regret: I did NOT vote for the Reform Party when they first ran. At the time, I honestly thought they were a waste by splitting the votes. I did not even read their platform and I wish I had.

I'm interested in hearing your comments.

How about you, ClearWest, do you really think your vote makes a difference???

Provincially I'm a PC Party member, and will remain so... I really do support the party in Alberta.

I have to laugh. Do you really think that the Alberta PC Party needs your support??

That is like saying "I am a member of the Revenue Canada Party!"

I used to strongly consider my choice with every vote.

I never put much thought into any of my voting choices. It was always like going to church.

Over time, I just got more and more extreme until it became obvious that none of the parties represent me. At that point, it was also explained to me that voting is actually wrong. However, I wish I had figured out that voting was a waste of time a lot earlier.

CAVEAT: the above is conditional on the delusion that my (or any one person's) vote makes a difference.

The concept of "strategic voting" is the ultimate defiance of logic. I wonder if "strategic voters" also have "strategic opening moves" to secure a win in a chess match.

[jbg]

I am a registered member of the Democratic Party, and have been since May 1975. We don't have to pay or renew.

I've stayed a member of the party though its views are a bit conservative, even reactionary, for my taste.

[ClearWest]

I'm interested in hearing your comments.

How about you, ClearWest, do you really think your vote makes a difference???

Interesting question. I believe it was you who said something about democracy which I tend to agree with - Your vote is worth less depending on the number of voters, it's simple fractions. There are a hundred voters, your vote is worth 1 out of 100, a full 1% of the vote. There are twenty billion voters, your vote is worth 1 out of 20B, an extremely low percentage.

Do I think my vote makes a difference? I think it makes about as much difference as adding a single bean to a pile of a greater number of beans. The sad thing about it, I guess, is that your views aren't considered very valid until a majority thinks the same way as you. What is more important than the vote is the conversation that goes on beforehand during the candidates debates, getting your views across, and hopefully finding other people that agree with you and are willing to support your cause. I have my qualms with our democracy, and I would change parts of it if I had the chance, but to get to that stage we've gotta just go through the motions. That's one plus for democracy, is that things can eventually be changed, you just have to convince everybody else that the change is needed.

EDIT: Sorry that my quote marks were in the wrong place. It's fixed now.

[Charles Anthony]

Interesting question. I believe it was you who said something about democracy which I tend to agree with - Your vote is worth less depending on the number of voters, it's simple fractions.

I may have said it but I just stole it from Aug91 who explains it well:

The problem with democracy is obvious.

First, one man, one vote means that people cannot express the strength of their feelings for an issue or a candidate. Some people feel strongly about the environment, others merely care about it. Unfortunately, there is no functioning way to get people to reveal their true feelings honestly in a vote.

Second, my vote matters not a wit for the overall result. Hence, I don't bother to find out which candidates are good and I don't even bother to vote. People spend hours and hours figuring what car to buy or what house to buy. They negotiate, ask questions, look at their budget. Many of those same people pay as much or more in taxes yet never vote.

These people are not fools. They are not dupes. They know that an hour devoted to choosing a better RRSP has a much better return than an hour devoted to choosing the best candidate.

Forget everything you learned in high school civic classes. It's idealistic claptrap.

from

Democracy ... why bother?

What is more important than the vote is the conversation that goes on beforehand during the candidates debates, getting your views across, and hopefully finding other people that agree with you and are willing to support your cause.

I agree. I truly believe it is wiser to put up a lawn sign than to actually vote.

[Saturn]

Over time, I just got more and more extreme until it became obvious that none of the parties represent me. At that point, it was also explained to me that voting is actually wrong. However, I wish I had figured out that voting was a waste of time a lot earlier.

CAVEAT: the above is conditional on the delusion that my (or any one person's) vote makes a difference.

The concept of "strategic voting" is the ultimate defiance of logic. I wonder if "strategic voters" also have "strategic opening moves" to secure a win in a chess match.

Good thinking, C.A. If fewer people started voting, I may end up electing the government myself But seriously, any single person's vote is of very little significance, but the fewer people vote the more likely politicians are to abuse their powers (because nobody is watching) and you are going to pay for it whether you vote or not. It doesn't matter so much who you vote for as long as they know that you are watching. But for me optimization is a habit and I just do it whether it makes much difference or not - I'm just wired that way.

[mikedavid00]

If fewer people started voting, I may end up electing the government myself

So 1/3rd the people here are a member of a political party?

Wow I didn't know this forum was *that* speical interst.

[ClearWest]

I'm kind of curious as to how many people nationally are actually registered with each political party. Does anybody know how to find those stats? It would also be interesting to see what percentage of a party's votes come from non-registered voters as compared to their devoted base.