We recently had an election to see which of four parties would run our province for the next four years. The party I wanted to win, lost and lost badly, which was disappointing but not as disappointing as the voter turnout. According to the election results only 58% of eligible voters turned out to vote. The press is excited because this vote is up from the previous 52%. I am not I still think it is a sad state of affairs.
There will be many very smart and well connected Political Blogs with opinions about why my group lost and what they could have done better. Much talk will be about negative campaigns and media manipulation of the minds and hearts of the people. All of this is important to carry the conversation forward but the main issue for me is the low voter turnout.
While people around the world, are fighting for a chance to represent themselves and dying to have the right to vote; we who have this right abuse it.
I was raised with the idea that voting is a right and a responsibility, somewhere along the way this idea was lost to the under 45 year old group, and this makes me sad.
In two years we will have a Federal election in Canada and if the voter turnout is low then I wonder how long before those with vested interests realize that if they vote in a block they can seize control of our country.
Democracy is messy and not an easy system to use for governance, but it is better in the long run for those who are minorities in faith, nationality, or sexual orientation, or who oppose the majority thinking of the day, or those who are disabled, elderly or members of unions than the alternative.
There will be many very smart and well connected Political Blogs with opinions about why my group lost and what they could have done better. Much talk will be about negative campaigns and media manipulation of the minds and hearts of the people. All of this is important to carry the conversation forward but the main issue for me is the low voter turnout.
While people around the world, are fighting for a chance to represent themselves and dying to have the right to vote; we who have this right abuse it.
I was raised with the idea that voting is a right and a responsibility, somewhere along the way this idea was lost to the under 45 year old group, and this makes me sad.
In two years we will have a Federal election in Canada and if the voter turnout is low then I wonder how long before those with vested interests realize that if they vote in a block they can seize control of our country.
Democracy is messy and not an easy system to use for governance, but it is better in the long run for those who are minorities in faith, nationality, or sexual orientation, or who oppose the majority thinking of the day, or those who are disabled, elderly or members of unions than the alternative.
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