23 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

Voter apthy is a worthwhile debate as we inch closer to Remembrance Day and honour our war veterans for securing the freedoms, freedoms that many of us now take for granted and rights, like voting, many of us choose not to exercise.

Honouring Canada's veterans, one vote at a time
Steven Hurdle, VibrantVictoria.ca
http://vibrantvictoria.ca/?p=1329

Remembrance Day is a time to remember the horrors of war, and also a time to reflect on the freedoms that were secured for us in those times of strife. A total of 1.8 million Canadian soldiers served in the two world wars, and thousands more in more recent conflicts, so many of us have personal connections to them.

[mat]

Thanks need to go out to Mike K and Stephen Hurdle for that post. Timely and important for issues throughout the region.

Some local politicians, and advisors, have used the expectation of voter apathy and a lack of organized resistance, to push through bylaws and approve developments which were against general consensus - although that was discovered after the fact when problems were highlighted.

There is noted frustration on both sides. Municipal politicians especially look for input, but find themselves dealing with set interest groups with one agenda, or apathy.

This is where the frank exchange of ideas leading to consensus fails in the normative age, and must change in a Web 2.0 world.

[Mike K.]

*Just a quick heads up that Steven Hurdle is the author of that article. My name was originally attached to the piece by mistake. The mix-up has since been corrected.

If many of us subscribe to the mantra that those who don't vote shouldn't complain, why do hoards of people come out to protests or voice opposition to political agendas, yet fail to actually make an effort to vote during elections? Students are particularly guilty of this. They organize for protests in sizable numbers but they also represent one of the lowest subsets of voters during municipal or provincial/federal elections.

[VicHockeyFan]

Why can't we test out some internet voting, even if we just try it first on a school board election, then municipal?

Each elector gets a 10-digit number in the mail before the election, they input that code and make their vote. You can still have normal polls too.

Even the US uses a lot of regular mail-in votes, that doesn't seem to be a problem.

[mat]

Why can't we test out some internet voting, even if we just try it first on a school board election, then municipal?

Agreed - and ensure everyone knows in advance it is a test. Provide independent oversight and that might allow for responsible engagement.

[Ms. B. Havin]

Good article, thanks to Steven for posting/ writing that. I went looking for the CoV's citizen engagement initiative. People I know have bugged me to participate in this new initiative (and I have, a bit). But as a veteran of way too many previous citizen engagement initiatives - which all produced reams of paper (reports) that no doubt are lining the bottoms of bird cages or are gathering dust in a drawer - I'm feeling jaundiced.

I wonder if at the end of the day any well-meaning workshop is going to galvanize any but the already galvanized. One of the glossy brochure pages for the engagement workshop says "Join us for a conversation about recent Victoria consultations."
(see here.)

Oh boy, I can hardly wait. (Not.)

Can anyone think of anything more boring?

I'm not sure what the answer is to getting people engaged and turned out. But another workshop to workshop the results of previous workshops...? Somehow I doubt that's going to rock anyone's world.

[Bernard]

I do not think internet voting will dramatically increase voter turn out. The main problems are that people are unwilling to vote if they do not feel well informed enough or if they think their vote will not matter in the election.

In the local elections people do not vote because they have no idea who the candidates are. Small towns have higher turn outs because people know the candidates. Very few people are willing to go to the polls if they do not feel they know enough.

In the provincial elections only about 1/4 of the ridings are competitive. In most of them it does not matter if you vote or not because your vote makes no difference to the outcome. A lot of people choose not to vote because they see little among the choices on the ballot to choose from.

In federal and provincial elections only about 1/3 of people vote in every election. Almost half the people that vote in one election will not vote in the next one.

[VicHockeyFan]

I do not think internet voting will dramatically increase voter turn out. The main problems are that people are unwilling to vote if they do not feel well informed enough or if they think their vote will not matter in the election.

In the local elections people do not vote because they have no idea who the candidates are. Small towns have higher turn outs because people know the candidates. Very few people are willing to go to the polls if they do not feel they know enough.

In the provincial elections only about 1/4 of the ridings are competitive. In most of them it does not matter if you vote or not because your vote makes no difference to the outcome. A lot of people choose not to vote because they see little among the choices on the ballot to choose from.

In federal and provincial elections only about 1/3 of people vote in every election. Almost half the people that vote in one election will not vote in the next one.

Rightly or wrongly, I believe I could get my 25 co-workers to vote if they could do it easily. I go from cubicle to cubicle and urge them to take 3 minutes and stand behind them until they do it. On the other hand, getting even 5 of my non-voting friends to hoof it to the polls is pretty much impossible.

[jklymak]

Rightly or wrongly, I believe I could get my 25 co-workers to vote if they could do it easily. I go from cubicle to cubicle and urge them to take 3 minutes and stand behind them until they do it. On the other hand, getting even 5 of my non-voting friends to hoof it to the polls is pretty much impossible.

Which is in a nutshell the danger with internet voting. If you were the boss you could also tell your 25 employees how you would like them to vote, and stand behind them until they do it. Even if you weren't so obvious, you could quite easily monitor how they vote.

[Newlywednotnearlydead]

I almost always vote, but I'm usually apathetic about local elections because the people I vote for are rarely elected. It doesn't stop me from going, but it usually feels like a chore because I know my voice won't be heard.

[G-Man]

Yet local elections are where the voter has the most power. They get to vote for multiple candiates and turnout is low.

[VicHockeyFan]

I almost always vote, but I'm usually apathetic about local elections because the people I vote for are rarely elected. It doesn't stop me from going, but it usually feels like a chore because I know my voice won't be heard.

Welcome to the club. I go vote faithfully every Federal election and my candidate has lost all 7 times. But I still like going.

[Bernard]

I am not convinced you could get 25 people to vote in your office that are not voting at the moment. I have worked on all manner of political campaigns since the early 1980s. I have also run for office three times (and lost three times). People taking voting seriously and are not willing to vote if they do not know enough about the candidates or if there is no one they want to vote for.

In the 2001 election in BC there was a huge number of NDP supporters that did not vote because they did not like the NDP and would not vote for anyone else. This happens all the time. There is some research that has been done on this at UBC

[VicHockeyFan]

I am not convinced you could get 25 people to vote in your office that are not voting at the moment. I have worked on all manner of political campaigns since the early 1980s. I have also run for office three times (and lost three times). People taking voting seriously and are not willing to vote if they do not know enough about the candidates or if there is no one they want to vote for.

I know a lot of people that were influenced very much so by their parents to vote a cetain way when they were younger. I think that might work at the job, being influenced by others you work with.

[victorian fan]

I'm of an age where voting is considered a duty. Voting outcomes are now being decided by seniors.

I first voted behind a curtain in someone's basement.

[jklymak]

I almost always vote, but I'm usually apathetic about local elections because the people I vote for are rarely elected. It doesn't stop me from going, but it usually feels like a chore because I know my voice won't be heard.

I think voting, even if your party has little chance, is good for your views being heard. First, if others with your views see that people are voting for your candidate, they may be more likely to in the future. Second, all parties analyze every vote and adjust their campaigns to try to capture some of those voters. I don't think a vote for the Green Party is particularly wasted because it encourages the other parties to be more green. Will they be as green as the Green Party? Probably not, but your "wasted" vote may influence the discourse.

[North Shore]

Well, I was going to post something....



...but I couldn't be bothered!

[Sparky]

There is a political arena where apathy stretches to new lengths. Parent Advisory Councils regularly are populated with volunteers who put their names forward instead of parents making a choice between different perspectives. Having been a PAC Chair for elementary, middle, and high school, I actually craved the opportunity to debate my ideas and have a true election. It never happened. I still enjoyed the work though as there were a number of wonderful parents to communicate with. I just thought it would be good for the schools if different ideas were embraced and expected.

[Bingo]

In recent memory I don't believe we have had a time when it has been more important to stand up and be counted as it is today.

In the last year the world has seen trillions of dollars evaporate. As taxpayers we have worked too hard for this to have happened. But it has.

It is time for Canadians to show more backbone. We are not whimps.
Have a say...get out and vote.

[kenjh]

I truly do not see any progress after voting . but I will so I can say at least I tried ,I listen to what is put forth and have nearly always be disapointed afterwards..I do not understand politics or the need for them ,too many levels with no interaction or responsabilaty between governments .why do they have closed door sessions , they are supposed to work for us .. why do they hide ?? yes apathy is rampant we are taught not to believe in what they do along with car salesmen and lawyers ,,,,none to be trusted...