elections and voter turn out
We're having a federal election here in Canada, and I walked by an advance polling station on Friday, so I went in and voted. The only ID I had on me was my driver's license, but that was enough, although it did make the process take a wee bit longer. Ahead of me in line was a woman with no ID at all, but her neighbour was there and formally vouched for her, and that was enough for her.
I talked to my parents the next day and asked if they'd voted. They hadn't of course, since it's only the advance polls that are open. My mom said, "But we probably will." And I said, "You will vote." We laughed and chatted for a bit, but I tried to poke them towards definitely voting. I will certainly be calling them on voting day to badger them. I didn't ask who they were voting for, just tried to get them to commit to going to the polls at all.
I confess, the fact that voter turn out is so low (30% in Canada last federal election) both baffles and irritates me. Frankly, I sometimes wish that people had a magical switch in their brains that muted all political or governmental commentary if the person hasn't voted in the most recent election. If you choose not to express your preferences when given a means to do so that actually has some impact, then you don't deserve the right to express those preferences the rest of the time. Whether you vote Liberal or Conservative or Green or Communist (they were on the ballot in our riding) or Marijuana Party, you have taken the responsibility of at least attempting to guide where the government is going.
I talked to my parents the next day and asked if they'd voted. They hadn't of course, since it's only the advance polls that are open. My mom said, "But we probably will." And I said, "You will vote." We laughed and chatted for a bit, but I tried to poke them towards definitely voting. I will certainly be calling them on voting day to badger them. I didn't ask who they were voting for, just tried to get them to commit to going to the polls at all.
I confess, the fact that voter turn out is so low (30% in Canada last federal election) both baffles and irritates me. Frankly, I sometimes wish that people had a magical switch in their brains that muted all political or governmental commentary if the person hasn't voted in the most recent election. If you choose not to express your preferences when given a means to do so that actually has some impact, then you don't deserve the right to express those preferences the rest of the time. Whether you vote Liberal or Conservative or Green or Communist (they were on the ballot in our riding) or Marijuana Party, you have taken the responsibility of at least attempting to guide where the government is going.