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But you never know. Maybe I can talk just one person into voting this this year.
When I try to talk about why you should vote, I work myself into a dither. My mind goes in 8 different directions, trying to say all the things I want to say in a reasonable and calm manner, but I just get so darn frustrated with the reasons that people give. I've started this post more than once, and just got myself so worked up that I deleted each one. I just feel so strongly about voting.
Maybe I'll start again, and list some of the reasons that people give me, with my response to follow. Like a debate, except I'll be alone and have time to compose an answer without spittle flying from my lips.
The number one reply I get, when I ask people if they voted is "Meh. I can't be bothered, one vote doesn't make a difference."
Oh really? Tell that to these folks:
General elections in Canada in these years were won by ONE VOTE:
1887, 1891, 1896, 1935.
"But, whatever." you say "That was in the olden days."
Well, yes it was. But these ones werent.:
General election in Saint-Jean, Quebec. 1994
General Electon in Shelbbourne, Nova Scotia. 1999
General election in Champlain Quebec. 2003.
General Election in Kitchener Ontario. 2010.
And there are so many more that were won (or lost, depending on your point of view) by 3, or 5 or 20 votes.
In Germany, the first chancellor after World War 2 was elected by ONE vote.
In 1920, an Ammendment to the United States Constitution was ratified by ONE vote. Oh, big deal you say...but the Ammendment? It was whether or not women should be allowed to vote.
You can Google "close elections worldwide" and see for yourself. One vote can make a difference, don't ever kid yourself about that. So next time you want to say that one vote isn't important, just realize this:
2. "I was away." Pfffft. Poor excuse. There are always advance polls.
3. "I was away during the advance poll too." Pfffft. Even poorer excuse. You can advance vote via
mail. I was in Switzerland during an election once and I had my vote count. I was in Africa during a
Federal election and I managed to vote. Being away is no excuse anymore.
4. "I forgot" Well. Far be it from me to call you names, but seriously, you're either lying, or an idiot.
What do you think all those miles of signs on every street and corner are for? The flyers that arrive
in your mailbox, the full page ads in the paper, the ads on the radio and TV? The conversations at
The water cooler? You can't not know when an election is afoot.
5. "I didn't have a way to get there". Again....poor excuse. If your friend won't take you, phone who
ever it is you want to vote for, you can be darn sure that someone at that office has arrangements
set up for rides.
6. "I was in the hospital." Election Officers will bring a ballot box to you if you are hospitalized, or
bedridden or in a nursing home.
7. "I am in prison." If you are in a Canadian prison, you still have the right to vote. If you are in prison
elsewhere, well, congratulations, you've found a legitimate reason to not vote, but im thinking you
have bigger problems and probably aren't even reading this. But good luck.
8. " I had to work." Oh, don't even start that. If your hours of work genuinely interfere with the polling
hours, then your employer has to give you time off (with pay) to go and vote. Two hours, I think.
So, you see, there are no good reasons to not vote. And if you are a woman, well, come on!! What are you thinking?
I hear a lot of women complain about the discrepancy between men and women in so many ways. We make less money for the same job, we struggle harder to be accepted, we are "the weaker sex", we are the ones who should stay home and raise the family, "it's a woman's job", "that's women's work" "thats no place for a woman" I could go on and on and on, but that's a whole other blog post.
The point is, women had to fight to be able to vote, "Silly little fluff-headed ladies, voting is a man's job. Women don't understand politics. Stay home and make some dinner for your man."
Doesn't that piss you off? Of course it does.
In 1917, Canada's federal electoral law stipulated that "idiots, madmen, criminals and judges" were not allowed to vote.
It didn't mention women, but they were still not allowed to vote in national elections. Nice group that they lumped us in, isnt it?
Finally, in 1921, women could vote. But wait! Are you of Asian descent? Chinese? Japanese? East Indian? Hindu? Oh, you can't vote. Not until 1940. Are you aboriginal? Indian? In 1940 to 1959? Oh, you cant vote yet at all.
Do you realize that aboriginal women could not vote in a federal election until 1960?
How can you, as a woman or an enlightened man, NOT want to exercise your right to vote?
And I don't even want to get started on the men and women who died in war, to give us the freedoms that we just toss over our shoulder without a second thought.
"We can replace a leader with ease and comfort and not with bullets and machetes and with blood flowing on the streets like a river.
The system we have today did not come to us easily or accidentaly. It came with a huge price tag by men and women who gave away their lives so that we will live with dignity."
There is no excuse not to vote.
And think of this...all those people you consider stupid? Or clueless? Or arrogant? They are going to vote. Aren't you at least going to try and neutralize their vote with one of your own?
There is never an excuse to not vote.
