# Please vote, even if you don't like the options



## james4beach (Nov 15, 2012)

I just returned from a trip to a country in which people are killing each other over their upcoming elections. Many are afraid to even openly discuss politics, due to the violence as well as the repressive government who actively punishes political opponents.

Talk about perspective!

I really hope that ALL citizens reading this will vote. We have a lot to be proud of, including a stable and well functioning country, a functioning democracy, and no fear or violence over elections. All of our candidates are honourable people and viable leaders, in the big picture.

EXERCISE your right to vote!! Even if you will not vote for a candidate, show up and vote anyway (spoil your ballot if you are not choosing a candidate). This is how we preserve our power as citizens in a democracy, and enforce our democratic process.

Let's be thankful our system works. Vote and show your power!


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## scorpion_ca (Nov 3, 2014)

Already voted in advance poll.


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## dogcom (May 23, 2009)

Apparently Jehovah Witness don't vote because Jesus didn't or something like that. I told my friend while respecting his right not to, that it is fatal flaw for a religion to do this.

My argument is that if you had 10 Jehovah Witness and 5 Nazi's in an election the Nazi would win when they voted. After that they could kill the Jehovah Witnesses and be done with them.


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## Sherlock (Apr 18, 2010)

That type of argument doesn't work with some Christians. They'll simply say that if that's God's will then so be it.


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## Beaver101 (Nov 14, 2011)

james4beach said:


> .. Let's be thankful our system works. Vote and show your power!


 ... yep, which of the 3 Stooges to pick from? Hmmmm ... eeenie... meanie ... minus ... moe ... always work!


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## gibor365 (Apr 1, 2011)

Sherlock said:


> That type of argument doesn't work with some Christians. They'll simply say that if that's God's will then so be it.


True  and it's applicable not only to Christians...  They will tell , if we are getting killed, this is God wish....


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## sags (May 15, 2010)

I voted at 11:00 a.m. and was the only voter in the polling station............No signatures needed or anything.

They said it has been steady, and expect it will get busier when people get off work.


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## gibor365 (Apr 1, 2011)

sags said:


> I voted at 11:00 a.m. and was the only voter in the polling station............No signatures needed or anything.
> 
> .


Interesting  on our station they requested piece of ID and signature....


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## bgc_fan (Apr 5, 2009)

dogcom said:


> Apparently Jehovah Witness don't vote because Jesus didn't or something like that. I told my friend while respecting his right not to, that it is fatal flaw for a religion to do this.
> 
> My argument is that if you had 10 Jehovah Witness and 5 Nazi's in an election the Nazi would win when they voted. After that they could kill the Jehovah Witnesses and be done with them.


Well, democracy is a group of wolves with a sheep sitting together to decide what to eat for dinner.


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## dogcom (May 23, 2009)

Beaver101 said:


> ... yep, which of the 3 Stooges to pick from? Hmmmm ... eeenie... meanie ... minus ... moe ... always work!


I have to agree with this statement, but still I must vote so, I am leaving now to my local elementary school.


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## Sampson (Apr 3, 2009)

dogcom said:


> but still I must vote so, I am leaving now to my local elementary school.


We did this morning, with no lines, volunteers outnumbering voters by about 3 to 1.

It was nice to see a few history, social science classes out with the teachers using day as a teaching opportunity. Hopefully the next generation will be active voters.


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## bgc_fan (Apr 5, 2009)

Sampson said:


> We did this morning, with no lines, volunteers outnumbering voters by about 3 to 1.
> 
> It was nice to see a few history, social science classes out with the teachers using day as a teaching opportunity. Hopefully the next generation will be active voters.


I'm not sure if things have changed, but I remember when there were elections (provincial or federal), we would have a mock election in class with people representing the candidates and I remember getting a briefing at the polling station as our school was one of those.


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## Rusty O'Toole (Feb 1, 2012)

That's like saying given the choice between syphilis, cancer and Ebola you should chose syphilis because it is easiest to cure. What about "none of the above". O ya that option is not offered.


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

None of the above means you're letting everyone else pick for you. Not voting is also a choice.


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## none (Jan 15, 2013)

Not voting mean you effectively vote in the proportion of all votes cast in your district.


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## Sampson (Apr 3, 2009)

bgc_fan said:


> Well, democracy is a group of wolves with a sheep sitting together to decide what to eat for dinner.


This is brilliant...


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## Rusty O'Toole (Feb 1, 2012)

And in a republic the sheep has a gun.


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## HaroldCrump (Jun 10, 2009)

Cast my vote a few mins ago.
There were no long lines...none of that rush that some in the media were predicting.

Although, it's only 6:00 pm yet.
Also, this time there are multiple voting stations as well as mobile booths set up by Elections Canada so it's entirely possible the rush is being load-balanced.

Turnout numbers will tell the full story later...


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## The_Tosser (Oct 20, 2015)

andrewf said:


> None of the above means you're letting everyone else pick for you. Not voting is also a choice.


Hi Andrew, 

While we all would agree that choosing to not vote is indeed a choice but in the sense that you and most mean it, it's like saying not collecting stamps, is a hobby.

What amuses me most is that people do not see that voting is nothing more than entertainment for the masses. Something they give you to make it look and feel to you like you're actually making a real difference.

The red-herring of people dying in other countries to be able to vote (you did not say this...) is about as applicable in canada as tarot card readings are to securities investing decisions. There was never any doubt that only one of two partys would ever form the government so those using the cheap-shot of Nazism (again not you Andrew) need not bother to respond. The adults are talking now.

Happy "sunny ways" my friends. 

Congratulations this morning to Mr Trudeau, the most recent winner of the electorate popularity contest. I will admit the boy is some handsome. I look forward to more of the same.



Just tossing it out there.


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

I don't disagree that it is largely theatre. And from a purely game theoretical perspective, it is optimal not to vote since it is highly unlikely your vote will make a difference. This is a coordination problem, though. You need just enough people who agree with you to vote that your preferred candidate wins. But they face the same incentives as you.

I think reforming the electoral system so that every vote has some impact would help to address this complaint.

On the sentiment of "new boss, same as the old boss", I agree the differences are pretty minor, but that is largely because Canada has landed on a fairly comfortable consensus on most issues, and we are arguing about issues mostly on the margin. There are no true fascists or socialists involved in the political discourse, etc.


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## The_Tosser (Oct 20, 2015)

Andrew,

Very well said.


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## The_Tosser (Oct 20, 2015)

*203*



The_Tosser said:


> Andrew,
> 
> Very well said.


i do not yet know how to edit a post.

I will say i do believe there are reasons to vote in present day canada, but it would be for the opposite reason than most might do. I would chose a party to not vote for in many cases. A counter-measure of a very few line-items that the liars on either side of the floor would actually have a direct bearing to affect the electorate. This is opposed to macro issues like say the TPP which is going through regardless of who is sitting at the helm and giving whatever excuses that enough will swallow, assuming they feel an excuse is warranted.

In a way many whom happily flip from one party to the next through their voting days, already do. Those voters are as easily saying in this election, that they do not want Harper as much or more than they are wanting Trudeau. All to often i fear, their reason are unsound but that is going down an entirely different path altogether.


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## dogcom (May 23, 2009)

I actually decided to vote Liberal when the ballot was in my hands and my vote could have made a difference. I didn't vote Conservative and did vote Liberal which is a 2 vote swing.

Alice Wong in Richmond Center had 17,693 votes to Lawrence Woo of the Liberals 17,230 votes. It wouldn't have taken very many strategic or change voters to change this result if they voted.


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## james4beach (Nov 15, 2012)

*Fantastic -- voter turnout was over 68%, which is the highest turnout since 1993.*

This is much higher than US voter turnout. They haven't ever had a turnout as high as this in 115 years!


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## Canadian Glass (Oct 30, 2015)

"In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is." -- Yogi Berra

Devils advocate, if I may:
In theory, we have a democracy within a commonwealth. Democracy is not a panacea, it is just a process, no matter how much entheusiasm people might have for it. At the end of the day, minority rights and majority rule can only co-exist due to the voulentary nature of democracy...


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