Did you vote??

[ziggy]

Always do, don't understand the poll results unless a lot of people who answered the pollsters didn't vote?

 

[Seafever]

I didn't vote.

Is it my 'civic duty' to vote because the guys who died in WW's want it that way?

Actually no......the soldiers who died were fighting for freedom and democracy. Defined as the freedom to make choices without obstruction in a free land.
May their souls rest in peace and because of them we have the right to choose...

I have to ask.......were many of you voting becuase you actually liked a party? Or were you voting out of fear another one might get in? They say governments aren't voted in......they are thrown out.

Exercising my "freedom of choice" (hard won by those that fought for it), I shopped around and decided that there wasn't a party out there that deserved my vote. I also thought that should I decide to vote for a party "just because" or to keep another party out, then basically that party suckered me for a vote and are laughing at how they can do anything they want and I still will vote for them.

Some couple of years back there was an interest in "overhauling" the voting method for better proportional representation........but it has gone nowhere.

In the USA, the Democrats and Republicans have a strangle hold on the electorate. If you don't like either of those 2 parties.......you are pretty well out of the game.

In Canada it's basically the same.......only one or two or three parties , either Federally or Provincially with a strangle hold on the entire populace.

It's like going to the supermarket to buy apples and the clerk tells you 'we have 3 apples and they are all rotten...which one would you like?".

 

[Gear'n'beer!]

Two votes here too

 

[Cuba Libre]

Done............

 

[scott craven]

Only 52% of the electorate voted, and Seafever you make some good points.

 

[UkeeDreamin]

I agree with many of Seafever's points, which is why I voted but spoiled my ballot. I feel it expressed my feelings about the options and still gets me accounted in the voter turn out as I feel it's our most important democratic right!

Ukee

 

[Secretpursuit]

Yep, Missus and I along with our two boys. Both did there homework and cast a ballot for the first time.

 

[NautiGirl]

I got the whole family into the process. The candidates may or may not have been everyone's dream candidates, but they are still stepping up to the plate. Elections cost us a bundle as taxpayers, so when I saw they were hiring workers for about 240-275 for a 2 hr training session the week prior and 7am to 9pm, on election day, I suggested that my wife and daughter sign up for that. We got over $500 injected into our cashflow and our candidate made it through. One Green in the mix now, cash in hand and my daughter got involved in the process at 17 to see how it works.

 

[salmonboy]

If u dont vote....u cant *****!!!!

 

[Bows Up]

Is it Australia where voting is mandatory ? Don't vote and they fine you, I think. I am getting fed up with 52% not voting. Not happy with your choice of apples, spoil your ballot as UkeeDreamin' mentions. Are we getting the government we deserve because half our population couldn't be bothered. No knocks on your reasoning Seafever but I doubt many non-voters thought it through to the extent you did.

I am seriously curious to see what the campaign would be like if the politicians knew they were going to hear from
everyone. Effecting change would be a challenge as the system works well for those running it. but badly for the people.

Yes, I voted.

 

[Bows Up]

Last post I saw was salmonboy's when I started typing. Knew somebody would have the right of it, just didn't think the answer would be there before I posed the question.

Any idea how that change came about in Australia, High Five ?

 

[Fishhound]

Australia Law Currently-Compulsory for federal and state elections for citizens 18 years of age and above. The requirement is for the person to enroll, attend a polling station and have their name marked off the electoral roll as attending, receive a ballot paper and take it to an individual voting booth, mark it, fold the ballot paper and place it in the ballot box. Because of the secrecy of the ballot, it is not possible to determine whether a person has completed their ballot paper prior to placing it in the ballot box. In some states, local council elections are also compulsory.


This is what BC and all of Canada should do.

Absolutely agree.
More importantly initially it will likely force them to become engaged in the process

 

[Clipper]

Yes, I voted though it was hard to mark the ballot when I was holding my nose.