Federal Election: Get Out and VOTE!

BY DANIELLE LORENZ, MACINSIDERS

Unless you've been living under a pretty sizable rock recently, you should know that Canada's federal election is taking place on Tuesday October 14th, which happens to be TOMORROW!

Now, I'm not the type to be terribly interested in a lot of the politics that happen in Canada, but I'm going to be voting tomorrow, and so should everyone else. There is a lot of voter apathy among Canada's youth, but taking the time to vote is really important!

Here are five reasons why you should vote:

1) Democracy only works if all of the people involved vote.
Canada is a democratic nation, where all people above the age of eighteen (except those incarcerated) are permitted to vote. The government is supposed to represent the people it is governing over, and if you don't vote then you are not letting your viewpoint be heard. One vote can make a difference, especially if combined with many other people with the same opinion as yourself.

2) Voting supports the democratic structure.
This is very much related to the first reason. If the majority of people choose not to vote, it is possible we may loose our democratic right to vote. Voting means you believe in the democratic process and believe in the right to express your freedom of speech.

3) Going to vote sets a good example to others.
For the most part, younger people will always look up to older ones. We would follow what our parents would do, whether it was right or wrong. There are people younger than us that can, or will soon be able to vote. You want to make sure that they will exercise their right when the time comes as well.

4) If you don't vote you don't have the right to complain about the government.
This has personally bothered me for years. If you don't choose to vote, then you choosing to not make a decision about how your country is run. Then why do you get to complain if you don't care how the country is run?

5) You should vote because you can.
Although it may not seem like it to most of us, voting is a huge deal. In many other countries, people fight and die to be able to vote. You don't want to wake up in a country where you can no longer vote!

Take the time today to read the platforms of the major parties.

• Bloc Quebecois
  
• Conservative Party
• Green Party
• Liberal Party
• NDP
  

What after reading all the platforms and you still don't know who to vote for; either because you feel none of the parties represent you, or you are divided between one or more? Then abstain your vote. That still makes a difference, as it shows that you are not being represented in the election, and want to make your voice heard.

Happy voting!

Thanks for posting Danielle! EVERYONE GET OUT AND VOTE! IT'S IMPORTANT!

If you haven't seen Rick Mercer's Rant yet, watch it!

http://www.cbc.ca/mercerreport/video.html

It's under October 7th 2008, "Rick's Rant"

Go Vote!

I've been reading a lot of stuff lately in regards to why people choose to or not to vote.

There were two opinions in last week's Silhouette:
Voting - http://thesil.ca/?p=634#comment-763
Vote and/or die - http://thesil.ca/?p=636
(I'd also recommend watching the Halifax video that's currently on the sil's website while you're there.. mad jokes)

There was also one on the President's page about how voting is directly related to your sex life but I can't seem to find it on the sil's website :S Grab a copy!

There's also the rant that was posted above by rick mercer, watch watch watch!
I'll repost it to save you any extra effort:



On top of this, I'm sure you've partaken in a conversation at the thanksgiving dinner table about politics or while chillin' with your homies.

Everyone has a very different opinion on whether or not there's any reason to vote and it's really interesting to get a scoop of what they have to say.

This weekend, I even was crazy enough and actually watched Much Music's take on the elections which of course was filled with many comments about harper's love for cats and sweater vests and layton's love for the moustache. Seeing that this is clearly a show aimed at people in their teens and early twenties, many of whom might be in post secondary education, I was uber shocked to see that the education issue on their countdown for what was important to voters was only #10.

Either way you look at it, I believe it's important to at least get your head out from under that rock and look at the issues surrounding you. You may choose to vote or you may not. Okay fine. But at least be smart about your decision.

okay okay okay okay you need to watch this one:



I LOVE YOUTUBE!

Can I vote if I don't have my Election Card with me?

Yup! You will be registered on site. Polls close at 9:30pm.


Also, CBC will have LIVE coverage of the results starting at 10pm.

damnit. i forgot about the Marxist-Leninist party...

All you need in this country is some sort of proof that you live in this riding be it your lease or some official looking mail (ie a bill, not that birthday card from your grandmother). Also bring your student card and driver's liscence. If you have any questions about where to vote, go to elections canada's website and you can punch in your postal code there to get the accurate information about where your voting station is.

i didn't get an email with the Attestation of Residence form! what's up with that?! i want to vote, but i can't unless i have that formmmm

That's weird... I don't know where you could get that and we're running out of time before polls close. What you can do is to swear an oath. Basically, get someone who is for sure registered to go with you. You both swear that you live in this riding and you're good!

"swear an oath and be vouched for by an elector in the same electoral division and who has acceptable pieces of ID..." is what the vote smart pamphlet says.. bring all the other kinds of id with you and use this option... the poll clerks sometimes aren't the most informed about the process :S but yea, you should be able to do this

Vote vote vote!