get out an vote. If you don’t vote, you shouldn’t complain about the result.

So if you don’t agree with the positions taken by the any of the Candidates in your riding, are equally un-impressed by all of their Leaders, don’t care for any of the Parties and the so-called ‘Policies’ they’re going to impose on you, don’t know any of the Candidates personally, nor have any confidence that any one of them is one of them is going to be any better at ‘representing’ you and what you want than any other, you should still vote to approve what you don’t approve of?

And then expect a better result than what you’re going to get?

Socredible….here’s something for you to ponder…

“Those who choose not to be involved in the politics of their City, Province,or Country…are destined to be governed by those who do”

Given that undeniable truth, I think I would want to listen hard to each and every one of the Candidates, and vote for the one who MOST CLOSELY seems seems to think like I do.

“who da thunk” has it exactly right..if you don.t vote…you lose your right to complain.

And if that still means nothing to you…then just consider what it would be like to live in a country where there was NO RIGHT TO VOTE..and your life was directed by some third world dictator…do you think that’s a better choice than what we have here in Canada?

Exactly my thoughts, socredible.

The way the voting system is set up, one votes for an individual who is to represent you.

The thing is, if that individual does not get in, then the individual who does, even though he/she was not your choice, still represents you and all the others who did not vote for that individual whether it is because you voted for someone else, or you did not vote.

I suspect a lot of MLAs forget that.

The whole thing is a one shot deal every 4 years. After that, whoever gets in has it made with respect to representation. No more polling of the electorate required on major issues, most of which never saw the light of day prior to election.

I think in this day of phones, e-mail, computer town meetings, tweets, and god knows what else we have for communication tools, there ought to be much more communication with the representative who did get in than there was 100 years ago, 50 years ago, even 20 years ago.

We have an archaic system running the government – municipal, provincial and federal – and we see voter dissatisaction and apathy as a result. Is it any surprise?

This is a democracy ….. no one EVER loses the right to complain!!!!!!

THAT is the UNDENIABLE truth!!!!

The whole thing is moot anyway because, unless everyone walks around with an imprint on their forehead letting everyone know they did not vote, or even who they voted for, the entire notion is unenforceable.

How far would people want to take that?

For instance, would only those people who voted for an individual who did not get in have the right to complain?

It is an absolutely ridiculous notion and only one simpletons would believe in, in my opinion.

Some good points to ponder about the Right to vote versus the Duty to vote from a wikipedia site. There is also an argument opposite to those presented below.
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Any compulsion affects the freedom of an individual, and the fining of recalcitrant non-voters is an additional impact on a potential recalcitrant voter.

Voting may be seen as a civic right rather than a civic duty. While citizens may exercise their civil rights (free speech, marriage, etc.) they are not compelled to.

Furthermore, compulsory voting may infringe other rights. For example, most Jehovah’s Witnesses and Christadelphians believe that they should not participate in political events. Forcing them to vote ostensibly denies them their freedom of religious practice. In some countries with compulsory voting, Jehovah’s Witnesses and others may be excused on these grounds. If however they are forced to go to the polling place, they can still use a blank or invalid vote.

Another argument against compulsory voting, prevalent among legal scholars in the United States, is that it is essentially a compelled speech act, which violates freedom of speech because the freedom to speak necessarily includes the freedom not to speak.

Some do not support the idea of compulsory voting, particularly if they have no interest in politics or no knowledge of the candidates. Others may be well-informed, but have no preference for any particular candidate, and have no wish to give support to the incumbent political system. In compulsory voting areas, such people may vote at random simply to fulfill legal requirements: the so-called donkey vote may account for 1–2% of votes in these systems, which may affect the electoral process. Similarly, citizens may vote with a complete absence of knowledge of any of the candidates or deliberately skew their ballot to slow the polling process or disrupt the election.

Another group opposed to compulsory voting are principled nonvoters. They believe that the political process is inherently corrupt and violent, and prefer to minimize their personal involvement with it.

Supporters of voluntary voting assert that low voter participation in a voluntary election is not necessarily an expression of voter dissatisfaction or general political apathy. It may be simply an expression of the citizenry’s political will, indicating satisfaction with the political establishment in an electorate.

Former Australian opposition leader, Mark Latham, urged Australians to hand in blank votes for the 2010 election. He stated the government should not force citizens to vote or threaten them with a fine.

Stop socialism.

“This is a democracy ….. no one EVER loses the right to complain!!!!!!”

Ok, but you look like a hypocrite when you don’t participate in the process of voting and then later complain about the result.

Hey, why not get rid of voting altogether!

I don’t think you can blatantly say that if you don’t vote you can’t complain. The electoral system is non-functional, as is our ability to hold any government to their word. While I do often vote, especially in municipal elections, sometimes I choose to abstain as a form of protest. Unfortunately, Elections BC or Elections Canada does not tally spoiled ballets, so indicating displeasure with the system is limited to vocal or written protest or choosing not to vote. Elections BC should take a serious look at why 49% of the population chooses not to vote. For now, that is the only valid form of protest.

If you abstain, all you do is give more power to the people who show up.

As far as why many don’t vote, I think people have simply taken the right for granted. Young people don’t know what people went through to give everyone the right to vote in the first place.

Everyone wants a government who represents ‘them’ vs. what is best for the population at large. That’s one of the big differences I see today. It’s the me, me, me world we live in.

Please quit calling it a right. A right to bear arms does not mean everyone has to get a gone.

A duty to bear arms, as is the case, of sorts, in Switzerland for instance to have a reserve ready at short notice, is totally different.

So is the duty to vote. Australia has implemented the duty to vote since the 1920s. BUT, they can spoil a ballot if they so wish. And they can vote, the same as here now, in many different locations at different times to make it easy.

I am not sure if they have ever implemented the fines they have for not voting. Voting turnout is in the mid 90% of voters.

Is that what we should do?

AND, the final thing is that no matter who you vote for or if you do not vote, even if they got into office, youdo not lose the right to complain about the way government handles things. It is best done by adding a viable solution which would improve the situation.

THAT is the sign of a true civic minded person, in my opinion. Help the system improve. Don’t just whine.

For all those who feel voting is a useless activity, you’re lazy, disenfranchised, or whatever excuse you come up with, please stay home. It just gives my vote more weight.

I’ll exercise my right to vote. How’d you like that sentence, gus? :-)

“Young people don’t know what people went through to give everyone the right to vote in the first place”

Do you mean back in the late 1800’s? I honestly don’t think a second year UNBC student and a 50 year old beer swigging logger are THAT much different in those regards.

As time goes on, people tend to lose touch with the past. I guess that’s what happens when we put more emphasis on job skills training in school instead of history ;)

Come to think of it, I’m likely wrong. The average 2nd year UNBC student probably does have a better grasp of voting history in Canada than the average beer swigging logger.

I am with Gus on this one! If none of the parties run on a common sense agenda (I LIKE common sense because it is easy and predictable) and I stay home and don’t vote I have no right to complain about the nonsense they perpetrate on me/us? That makes no sense whatsoever! And if I go and vote for the lesser evil (that’s what I usually have been doing) and the lesser evil is less than the other greater evil I still don’t have a right to voice my displeasure according to JB, what happened to democracy and freedom?

Geez!

How about this for a law: Anyone who doesn’t vote is assumed to be happy with the current situation, so every no show is counted as a vote for the incumbent :-D

NMG: “Come to think of it, I’m likely wrong. The average 2nd year UNBC student probably does have a better grasp of voting history in Canada than the average beer swigging logger.”

I’d put them about equal.

PG: “I am with Gus on this one! If none of the parties run on a common sense agenda “

Whose common sense? Yours? Mine? Gus’s? One thing about common sense… it’s not all that common.

I take offense to you comparing a 50 year old beer swigging logger to a 2nd year UNBC student. They are equal on the beer swigging as well as the voting. Give those kids and loggers some credit…..

NMG, I too am university educated, the particulars of said education are focused on a History major. I also have a family history that can state that every male in my family until my father’s generation fought in every major British or Canadian war. My grandfather was injured in WWII and paid for it his entire life. I have a firm grasp on exactly what is costs to “win” a right to vote, probably more than most. I am pointing out that I exercising my right to protest the governmental system by choosing not to vote, as that is the only form of protest that is acceptable to me. I am not going to stand on the corner protesting, but I will choose to not participate in a broken electoral system.

I prefer to provide my thoughts to those elected along the way. They were elected. They are on our payroll. They can be influenced. Things can change, if enough people stand up and have their say.

So, what good is protesting? Or not voting? Or pouting and complaining? Get involved, throw your hat in the ring if you think your ideas are more popular or common sense than those who are running.

No amount of money or prestige is worth the abuse these folks are subjected to. They must be pretty committed to their party or constituents.

I have voted many times by spoiling my ballot – exercising my right and privelege but showing non-confidence in the candidates

The “beer swigging logger” has paid a helluva lot more taxes that some kid in an ivory tower. The logger should be more intent on voting after seeing his taxes being pissed away during the last many years. The kid should also pay attention because that is where his taxes(should he earn some income) are going to go too.

I have no issue if people choose not to vote and I also have no issue with people complaining if they do vote. It’s a free country and people are free to do as they choose.

I think the main reason people don’t vote is because:

1) They have little to no faith that politicians will respond to the wishes of the electorate in the first place; and

2) They do not feel as though there are any politicians or party’s worthy of their support.

It would seem that under both of those scenarios, the solution lies with the politicians and the system they administer and not with blaming young people.

Hooray for the 51%. Screw the 49%. Yay! I love a democracy.

“The “beer swigging logger” has paid a helluva lot more taxes that some kid in an ivory tower”

Is that before or after you factor in the excess money they extracted from the system in EI benefits during breakup?

JB:”Whose common sense? Yours? Mine? Gus’s? One thing about common sense…it’s not all that common.”

Common sense dictates driving on the correct side of the road, for instance. Is it common sense to pay somebody 266 million dollars to design a ship when it is a fact that others paid 100 million for two ships which included the design fee? And so forth…

It is NOT one person’s idea of what common sense is against that of another person. If something doesn’t make sense it is usually a bad idea.

Keep the thieves we already have or vote in new ones? What to do? Oh, I know. I’ll just take a loonie into the polling booth with me. Heads? The old thieves. Tails? The new thieves. And life goes on. Tra la la la la.

interceptor wrote: “How about this for a law: Anyone who doesn’t vote is assumed to be happy with the current situation, so every no show is counted as a vote for the incumbent :-D”

To me that has enough sense to it that it needs to be examined further.

It is quite similar to the reverse referendum for money decisions. If you do not indicate you are against it, you are for it or do not care either way.

The only problem I see is that many ridings do not have incumbents running. So, should it then go to the party? That would mean that the vote is for the party, that is does not matter who the individual is that the party wishes to put into the spot cleared for the party.

There has been some research done that indicates that Governments and political parties while stating that more people need to get out and vote, they in fact prefer voter apathy.

With 49% of the voting population staying at home, they only have to work with the 51% who do vote. Once you take into consideration the number of people who vote who are members of a party or who support a particular party over the years, you then only have to work with and convince the people who are left to vote for you. This would be a small number of overall voters.

Voter apathy gives political parties more time to influence those who vote.

If the other 49% actually voted who knows who, or what type of Government would get elected.

Sooooo. For those people who sit on their asses and think not voting is sending a message, they should think again. It is a rare day indeed that anyone pays any attention to spoiled ballots once the election is over.

If you really want to send a message to these politicians, then vote for a third, fourth, or fifth party, even if you don’t agree with some of their philosophy, at least then the official parties will get the message that the vote is shifting and if they don’t change their tune, they will be out of a job.

Don’t forget that the worst case scenario for a MLA if he is voted into opposition is four years with a $95000.00 a year salary, and lots of benefits. Perhaps voting for fringe parties might put some of these cushy jobs in peril.

Have a nice evening.

Get out and vote. That is something that I have done since turning 18. Nevered missed and election.

This year, I find myself out of the province for the entire election campaign. I made arrangement to vote by mail. Got my ballot and mailing it back on Monday.

What people forget, is that the right to vote, is also the right to freedom of expression and the freedom of speech. Without democracy, we have very little in freedom.

Just read this in an email and had to share it:

Dear Employees:

As the CEO of this organization, I have resigned myself to the fact Adrian Dix will be our next Premier and that our taxes and government fees will increase in a BIG way. To compensate for these increases, our prices would have to increase by about 10%. But, since we cannot increase our prices right now, due to the dismal state of the economy, we will have to lay off 60 of our employees, instead.

This really has been bothering me, since I believe we are family here and I didn’t know how to choose who would have to go.

So, this is what I did. I walked through our parking lot and found 60 ‘NDP bumper stickers’ on our employees cars … and have decided that these folks will be the ones to let go.

I can’t think of a more fair way to approach this problem.

They voted for change, so I gave it to them.

I’ll see the rest of you at the annual company picnic!!!

“If you abstain, all you do is give more power to the people who show up.”

That argument is fallacious.

When 45% of the people vote at random, I consider that to be a good sample of the wishes of the people.

The probability that the outcome will be significantly different if 95% of the people vote is extremely slim.

Hart Guy, that’s the same basic e-mail that was floating around during the last US election. If memory serves me correctly, there actually were a few businesses who told their employees they would shut down if Obama were elected (obviously trying to influence their vote).

I’m not sure it’s a good strategy for BC Liberal or BC Conservative Party supporters (whoever initiated this propaganda) to imitate that form of messaging. After all, it was originally initiated by a party that had been taken over by an extreme right wing fringe element that openly displayed racist and sexist tendencies, not to mention the fact that they were soundly defeated in the election.

I have sat on the boards of a number of organizations and almost without exception, low turnout to the AGM indicated everyone was quite content with how things were going.

However, if there was an issue or problem within the organization or decisions to be made, the AGM meetings were filled with people who did care and wanted change and made sure their voices were heard.

To many people want to play the victim card and want to blame somebody. Or, they will go to great lengths to justify why we need change. Or, they just like to complain about everything they don’t like.

I suspect that most people don’t get what they want is because they don’t know what they want.

“If you abstain, all you do is give more power to the people who show up.”

gus: “That argument is fallacious.

When 45% of the people vote at random, I consider that to be a good sample of the wishes of the people.”

45% of people ‘voting at random’? Talk about fallacious.

JB:”45% of people ‘voting at random’? Talk about fallacious.”

Why? I assume that by “random” is meant that each voter exercises the right to choose freely from the list of candidates in the riding. That as a matter of fact is how democracy is supposed to work, imho.

BYOB:-“I suspect that most people don’t get what they want is because they don’t know what they want.”

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‘Politically’, most people don’t get what they want because it conflicts with those who want to remain in control of them ‘economically’ want. Which is to remain in control of them. Both ‘economically’ and ‘politically’.

The question for people who can vote in the upcoming election in PG (or other major cities) is whether (1) we want to send an MLA to Victoria whose party forms the next BC government or not? (2) Whether Prince George will have a seat in the next BC government or not?

If we vote NDP, the answer to both questions will be yes. If we vote NDP, our city will have someone siting on the cabinet table when important decisions are made affecting BC and Prince George. When it comes to CNC, UNBC, Forestry, jobs ….

What is in our best interest, and good for our city?

If people don’t vote because nobody represents ‘their’ views, and there seems to be a lot of people who feel this way, why doesn’t somebody start a party who does represent ‘them’? Seems like a no-brainer.

Like someone said above, if you think not voting or spoiling your ballot makes some sort of statement, think again.

‘Money’, Johnny. Money. They who can pay the piper decide the tune the rest are going to dance to. Or sit it out.

Excuses don’t cost a thing.

No, that’s not quite so, Johnny. ‘Excuses’ DO cost quite a lot, when you add up the largest campaign contributions given to those we’ll elect who’ll soon be making them to us.

And realise the big banks, big business, and big labour, all fund those who’ll be doing just that AFTER the election. And do so in the way of an ‘investment’ to protect THEIR respective interests from anything said that’s inimical to them DURING the election.

The most universal ‘excuse’ we’ll hear after the new government is in office, no matter which Party forms it, is going to be, “We know we promised to do such and such, and you elected us to do it, and we still intend to, but right now ‘we haven’t got the money.'” In other words, WHO controls ‘the money’, (and anyone who believes that’s currently ‘we, the people’ is dreaming in technicolor), decides what will be done in terms of overall POLICY.

Not your ‘x’ on a ballot, which only gives you a very limited choice in the METHOD its going to be imposed on you.