Leaving a political party

[remylebeau]

Anyone know how one can go about leaving a political party officially? I've been to the Liberal, NDP, and Conservative party websites but I haven't been able to find that option.

So if I'm currently a member of one party and looking to switch, what do I need to do other than joining the new party?

Comments

[thebookpile]

From Garth Turner's example earlier this week, it would seem that ripping up your membership card is enough.

Of course, there may be more to it than the public demonstration to which we were treated.

[pensivegargoyle]

Just signing up at the new one and not renewing the first one should be good enough, though technically I suppose you could call in or write and have it canceled.

[wyliekat]

Actually, you can be a member of as many parties as you want. I know people in some parties who keep memberships in all of them so they can get the mail, etc.

There's no law that says you should belong to only one, but I guess it depends on how high profile you are.

[thebookpile]

Most parties have a rule that you can't be member of any other party than theirs.

Not quite "law", but if they find out that you have a membership elsewhere, they will kick you out.

[wyliekat]

I'm prepared to bet that it's relatively unwritten. You can't prevent people from having memberships in political parties - it's how democracy works. However, I wouldnt' be expecting much more than a shunning.

And as I mentioned, I know of people in political parties who have maintained memberships in the other parties as a strategic decision.

However, in this case, if it was simply that the pre-existing membership hadn't run out yet, it likely won't pose a threat.

[thebookpile]

Er, no. In most (all?) cases, it written explicitely in the party's constitution (or equivalent document).

And I would also challenge your assertion that you can't prevent people from having memberships in political parties. I'll need to check, but I believe that the parties have the right to revoke memberships, although I'm not sure if that can only be done under certain conditions or if it can be done for any frivolous reason.

[uncut_diamond]

set up a good spam filter?

[allhatnocattle]

"You just slip out the back, Jack
Make a new plan, Stan
You don’t need to be coy, Roy
Just get yourself free
Hop on the bus, Gus
You don’t need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee
And get yourself free"

Political bigamy is still legal. Partys do have rule against memberships in other partys, but there's no law against multiple memberships. But if you're caught, it's probably your own fault as a Party should have access to membership lists of others..