Dont Forget to Vote Today

[staffman]

I guess Rob Ford is a shoe in. If the Liberals can hoodwink a province Ford should be able to handle TO.

 

[Bow Man]

I guess Rob Ford is a shoe in. If the Liberals can hoodwink a province Ford should be able to handle TO.

Ford would be better then that B-t-h that is are "new" leader.

 

[Jiggin]

I boycotted the parties in this election, as I did in the last election. I went to my returning office, received my ballot, and told the poll worker that I was officially declining my ballot as per section 53 of the Ontario Election Act.

Just like in 2011, that worker had no idea what I was talking about, but they got a supervisor who knew what I was doing, and what the process is.

I choose to decline my ballot, because declined ballots are actually counted and recorded. Non-votes and spoiled ballots are not.

 

[BowSlayer]

yep I have no idea how they got a majority government. Not sure wat happened there

really stupid and gullible people in the Toronto area happened lol, *sigh* On a side note, its crazy how much cars were waiting in line at the gas stations around here, they had to get workers to come in and move traffic FROM THE ROAD! Tomorrows price is supposed to fly up by like 10 cents, people who voted liberal,whoever you are, I hope you're happy!

 

[Christopheraaron]

I boycotted the parties in this election, as I did in the last election. I went to my returning office, received my ballot, and told the poll worker that I was officially declining my ballot as per section 53 of the Ontario Election Act.

Just like in 2011, that worker had no idea what I was talking about, but they got a supervisor who knew what I was doing, and what the process is.

I choose to decline my ballot, because declined ballots are actually counted and recorded. Non-votes and spoiled ballots are not.

Certainly was the most sensible option, although I'd like to hear more about this none of the above party, their platform sounds interesting. I think the part I'm actually most annoyed by this election is that once again the green party holds NOT ONE seat!

 

[MuskieBait]

really stupid and gullible people in the Toronto area happened lol, *sigh* On a side note, its crazy how much cars were waiting in line at the gas stations around here, they had to get workers to come in and move traffic FROM THE ROAD! Tomorrows price is supposed to fly up by like 10 cents, people who voted liberal,whoever you are, I hope you're happy!

People are not stupid and gullible in Toronto area. Torontonians just can't trust someone who can't do math, or have a realistic plan, or someone who is for anti-union one day, then decided to dampen his stance the next day because he needs votes.

You tell me you can trust someone like that?

I think Torontonians just chose the least of the 3 evils...instead of throwing their votes away...which...in a sense also accomplished nothing. Declining your vote, although it shows up in statistics that "this many" people would like not to vote any of the parties in, accomplishes nothing to actually decided who gets elected in the end. It is really just as bad as not voting and letting others decided for you. If you declined your vote, then you should not be complaining about the crappy party that was voted in...because you simply chose not to actually use your voting power to create a minority government. Instead, you allowed others to decide a majority government for you...

If you don't like any of the party to be voted into government, why not consider which local candidate will actually be a great MP that benefit your community...and here's an idea...actually vote that candidate into office to help out your community? Declining a vote is stupid in my mind...but so is the current political system...

For example...Kathleen Wynne was running for office in my riding. Although I didn't like to vote Hudak into office, Wynne (if voted into office) would be way too busy to take care of any local issues in my riding. Instead, I voted for the PC candidate because he has a good track record of community involvement and he seems like a decent family man. If I decline my vote, what would it have accomplished? NOTHING!

Declining vote is ALWAYS pointless...as pointless as not voting at all...

 

[Jiggin]

People are not stupid and gullible in Toronto area. Torontonians just can't trust someone who can't do math, or have a realistic plan, or someone who is for anti-union one day, then decided to dampen his stance the next day because he needs votes.

You tell me you can trust someone like that?

I think Torontonians just chose the least of the 3 evils...instead of throwing their votes away...which...in a sense also accomplished nothing. Declining your vote, although it shows up in statistics that "this many" people would like not to vote any of the parties in, accomplishes nothing to actually decided who gets elected in the end. It is really just as bad as not voting and letting others decided for you. If you declined your vote, then you should not be complaining about the crappy party that was voted in...because you simply chose not to actually use your voting power to create a minority government. Instead, you allowed others to decide a majority government for you...

If you don't like any of the party to be voted into government, why not consider which local candidate will actually be a great MP that benefit your community...and here's an idea...actually vote that candidate into office to help out your community? Declining a vote is stupid in my mind...but so is the current political system...

For example...Kathleen Wynne was running for office in my riding. Although I didn't like to vote Hudak into office, Wynne (if voted into office) would be way too busy to take care of any local issues in my riding. Instead, I voted for the PC candidate because he has a good track record of community involvement and he seems like a decent family man. If I decline my vote, what would it have accomplished? NOTHING!

Declining vote is ALWAYS pointless...as pointless as not voting at all...

If enough people declined their ballot, you might see change in the system. Want to ensure the same depressing status quo? Keep doing what you're doing. By actively participating in the democratic process, I absolutely have the right to complain about any and all parties.

Declining a vote isn't pointless, it lets the government and all parties know that you're not happy with any of their platforms or policies.

You know what was pointless? Voting for a PC candidate in Kathleen Wynne's riding.

 

[MuskieBait]

If enough people declined their ballot, you might see change in the system. Want to ensure the same depressing status quo? Keep doing what you're doing. By actively participating in the democratic process, I absolutely have the right to complain about any and all parties.

Declining a vote isn't pointless, it lets the government and all parties know that you're not happy with any of their platforms or policies.

You know what was pointless? Voting for a PC candidate in Kathleen Wynne's riding.

Yes, you show that you are not happy...but in the end, politicians don't care...because declined votes do not dictate the ultimate share of votes that matters...the votes that actually goes toward a party.

Example...

100 voters

40 declined

30 vote Liberal

16 vote PC

13 vote NDP

1 vote other

You get a Liberal majority.

Now...let's say more people are undecided and declined their votes...but the overall distribution of votes are the same...

100 voters

80 declined

10 vote Liberal

5 vote PC

4 vote NDP

1 vote other

You still get a Liberal majority.

POINTLESS to decline votes...because you are not going to remove a majority government with your declined votes. You are in fact letting others decide your fate for you by doing so. If you choose to lose your voting power, you might as well not vote. Parties don't care that you are grumpy and decide not to vote for any of them. Voters turn out is getting lower and lower...do you think any of the parties care? No, they just carry on as usual...because no-shows and declined votes don't change the share of votes that matters. If it doesn you would see parties actually try to impress us.

Under our current climate, politicians are working to secure the sure votes...the ones that they can rely on...their platforms suggested that they are not really trying to sway the undecided (or the decidedly fed up) voters. They are trying to impress teachers, police, people in the supposed Ring of Fire, small and insignificant groups...look at their platform again and tell me how much of anything actually mattered to you and I? All the talk about GTA subway infrastructure is to impress GTA population...which is why Liberals won...but did they actually care too much about people outside of GTA where such issue is irrelevant? Are there any province wide initiatives that really does make sense and matters to all? Yeah, PC promised you 10% tax cuts and a balanced budget by 2015-2016...I'm sure that math works...take away revenue, cut government jobs (when people don't work, they can't pay taxes), curb deficit...right...real smart...don't get me started with their promise of 1 million jobs over 8 years...in an area of Ontario that not many people live in...in an industry that damages our resources...while they say there are still 1 million unemployed. I don't care for 8 year plan since I want to see what you can do during your term, not promise me something that you may do if you were voted into office again 4 years later. I'll worry about 4 years later when it gets there...I want to know what you can do now...

They just want to be voted in as a majority government to have free reign to do what they want. Why would anyone willingly give them that power? When you decline your votes, you let others decide for you...and in this case, you let others decided a Liberal majority for you.

Voting for the PC candidate is not pointless in my case. I CHOSE who I liked...at the end of the day, I exercised my right to CHOOSE and made an educated choice. It's better that I actually chose for someone to represent me locally, regardless if the candidate was ultimate successful or not. Throwing away a vote meant there is absolutely no data on what voters actually think about local candidates.

But if you only decided to decline your vote because you're worried about the leaders and the ruling party, then you have completely forgotten about candidates that represent your riding and the need for representation of your riding in the government. And this is the flaw in the system that I see. I cannot vote for a good candidate for local representation without influencing provincial or federal level party selection, or the provincial or federal leader selection. They are tied into one at the moment. I should have the ability to select a riding candidate regardless of their party affiliation, I should be able to selection a ruling party based on their platform, and I should be able to select a Premier to represent the province or a Prime Minister to represent the country without affiliation with the parties. Because often, I may like an MP but I can completely dislike his/her party, and I can like a party's platform but hate the leader.

 

[OCDComputing]

The problem is...for example (this past election). I absolutely did not want a Liberal ...AKA...Wynne back in office....but the Liberal rep for here is not that bad...and could have garnered my vote. BUT....because there was no way in HE double hockey sticks did I want Wynne in....I voted elsewhere. In my humble opinion...that DB should be in jail along with McGuinty!

But again...this is just my (trying to stay informed) opinion!

 

[Jiggin]

MuskieBait Wrote:


Yes, you show that you are not happy...but in the end, politicians don't care...because declined votes do not dictate the ultimate share of votes that matters...the votes that actually goes toward a party.

Example...

100 voters

40 declined

30 vote Liberal

16 vote PC

13 vote NDP

1 vote other

You get a Liberal majority.

Correct, you get a liberal majority, and you get every party realizing the voter base is disillusioned. But instead of just thinking the voter base is lazy, or apathetic, the parties now realize that 40% of voters don't like their platforms. These parties can then adjust their platform to meet voter desires, and in the next election, perform much better in terms of acquiring votes, and in terms of addressing voter demands.

MuskieBait Wrote:

Now...let's say more people are undecided and declined their votes...but the overall distribution of votes are the same...

100 voters

80 declined

10 vote Liberal

5 vote PC

4 vote NDP

1 vote other

You still get a Liberal majority.

So you're saying the parties who now have a written record of voters refusing their ballot, failed to adjust their party platform wh en 40% of people weren't voting.... Unlikely. Your basic math holds up, but there's no logic driving it.

MuskieBait Wrote:POINTLESS to decline votes...because you are not going to remove a majority government with your declined votes. You are in fact letting others decide your fate for you by doing so. If you choose to lose your voting power, you might as well not vote. Parties don't care that you are grumpy and decide not to vote for any of them. Voters turn out is getting lower and lower...do you think any of the parties care? No, they just carry on as usual...because no-shows and declined votes don't change the share of votes that matters. If it doesn you would see parties actually try to impress us.

If voters got involved in the democratic process, and turned out and voiced dissatisfaction, instead of being passive aggressive, apathetic and lazy, there'd be change. You might not realize it, but in a roundabout way, you're reinforcing my point. The point of declining a vote isn't to remove a majority or even a minority government, it's to elicit feedback to the parties about their platforms, policies and representatives.

MuskieBait Wrote:They just want to be voted in as a majority government to have free reign to do what they want. Why would anyone willingly give them that power? When you decline your votes, you let others decide for you...and in this case, you let others decided a Liberal majority for you.

False. i decided for myself that I wasn't content with the status quo, and I voted that way.

You've given up.

Welcome to the machine.