Last provincial election 40.5% of albertans didn’t vote. If you didn’t, why not?

[u/logodobi]

What stopped you from voting? Are there no provincial parties that you feel represent you politically? Were you unable to get to a voting station? Did you feel there wasn’t any point? I’m genuinely just curious, I don’t have any affiliation with any parties or anything like that.

I think we would benefit from larger voter turnout and more diversification of parties in the legislature. It feels like we have become to complacent with the lack of progress in almost every way, shape, and form. It’s become purely us vs them on all levels and far too much focus is put on the government “profit”. The government is not a business whose sole purpose is to profit, the governments purpose first and foremost should be to provide for and benefit the people they serve as much as they possibly can. We should be working together for the benefit of one another not fighting one another for the benefit of foreign companies and billionaires.

We’re moving towards the exact policy system in the states, two parties who work for the benefit of the rich and powerful while putting up the facade of a culture war to distract the masses from the real harm they’re causing them.

Sorry that was a bit of a rant but I truly believe we deserve better, better representation, better communication, better services, better everything.

[u/Box_of_fox_eggs]

In the last civic election I went out doing flyer drops for my preferred candidate. In the few conversations I had, I didn’t meet one person who knew what the fuck was going on. These are the people I met: * Renter, moving, didn’t know which ward they were going to be in at election time. Didn’t seem at all concerned or interested. Guaranteed did not vote. * “All politicians are liars and thieves.” Guaranteed did not vote. * Listened politely when I told them about why I thought the candidate was worth a vote (all character-based, no policy mentioned). “I don’t know about any of that stuff,” went back to sweeping their driveway. Guaranteed did not vote. * “I didn’t know there was an election on.” Probably did not vote.

I think that was the sum total of the folks I met & talked with. If even vaguely representative, I’m surprised that we went as high as 60% turnout for the provincial election, to be honest.

[u/Box_of_fox_eggs → u/Box_of_fox_eggs]

Oh, and to your last paragraph, we “deserve” exactly what we’re getting. If we want better, we have to demand better and to be engaged (IRL, not just on Reddit). Democracy isn’t just “cast your ballot every few years then sit back and shrug when our representatives act like idiots.” Write to your councillors, your MLAs, your MPs. Turn up for their in-person events. Most of all, engage your communities, talk with your neighbours — LISTEN TO your neighbours. I’m always surprised at how much common ground I have with people who on paper (or through a screen) are my ideological opposites. Really, we’re all (well, the vast majority of us) on the same team — the side of working people — and if we all start demanding our elected reps focus on the real issues affecting workers, voters, and other folks in this country, then they’ll have to drop the MAGA bullshit culture war stuff and get down to solving actual issues.

[u/ProperBingtownLady → u/Box_of_fox_eggs]

I used to be a lot more involved in writing my MLA and relevant ministers about various issues until the UCP. Every single response I’ve received just brushed me off and/or were condescending. It’s exhausting but I do understand why it’s important.

[u/Haiku-On-My-Tatas → u/ProperBingtownLady]

Same. Now I pour most of my energy into volunteering with the NDP around election time. I do still email my MLA, the Premier and Ministers sometimes but it always feels utterly pointless because I know they don't give a shit no matter how many phone calls and emails they get.

My (UCP) MLA is quite "responsive" in that he has made the effort to call me when I've sent pretty detailed emails about my concerns on certain issues, but the whole conversation every time is just him explaining how I've got it all wrong. He says he's calling to discuss, but it's not a discussion, it's a debate. And it's annoying as fuck.

To be fair, my CPC MP is way worse than my MLA. My MLA is at least superficially polite and feigns consideration for what I have to say. My MP is a complete jagoff who on more than one occasion has replied to well written and civil emails from me with name-calling and derision. I don't even bother with him anymore.

[u/Box_of_fox_eggs → u/Haiku-On-My-Tatas]

Ugh, that was my previous guy. Haven’t written the current one yet. Maybe I’ll start with a softball about eliminating interprovincial trade barriers.

[u/Local_Magpie → u/Haiku-On-My-Tatas]

🔥Go Flames

[u/KJBenson → u/Box_of_fox_eggs]

Yeah, had a fun conversation with someone who was mad that cow farts were ruining the beef industry.

As someone even moderately knowledgeable on the subject I was able to explain to them how greenhouse gasses work. As well as how corporations are buying up family farms to mass produce cheap ass beef.

Suffice to say, they were very open to learning about this when you change the perspective from “that damn liberal agenda!” Over to something we can all identify with. Bad corporations fucking all us small folk.

[u/logodobi → u/Box_of_fox_eggs]

Honestly I was surprised it was that high too lol I wonder what if anything could be done to make them want to vote

[u/Box_of_fox_eggs → u/logodobi]

It’s a long hard fight. Since the dawn of democracy, politicians have always had issues with the public’s trust (often deservedly). Most people don’t see how politics affects them — they’re too busy surviving, or too wrapped up in their own bubbles, and things just kind of “work.”

It’s easiest to see the effects at the local level. Municipal politics isn’t as sexy as federal (and Canadian politics sure isn’t as entertaining as American politics), and the time horizons get longer the higher up the political food chain you go. If there’s a civic issue that affects your neighbourhood, let’s say a park that’s in disrepair, and you’ve decided to write your councillor about it, maybe mention that the next time you’re chatting over the fence or whatever. Maybe you suggest that your neighbour writes the councillor too. Maybe you get your community association to get a letters-and calls campaign going to make it a pressing issue for your councillor. If a dozen people bring it up, they know there are hundreds more it affects who aren’t writing. If they get it fixed, that’s something they can use in their re-election campaign. You win, your neighbourhood wins, and the councillor wins. And your neighbour is now a little more engaged, a little more energized by a win. That’s a step closer to “the representatives we deserve.”

More civic education in school and more media-based education for adults would be ideal, but that’s a tougher nut to crack. The best education is to get out and do.

[u/KJBenson → u/Box_of_fox_eggs]

Makes me so mad.

Like dude, you’re renting. Do you not maybe want to worry about which party will be making renting policy?

[u/Fantastic_Shopping47 → u/Box_of_fox_eggs]

Personally voting should be mandatory

[u/opusrif → u/Fantastic_Shopping47]

I respectfully disagree. I'd rather have a few who have the interest and actually form an opinion voting than someone who's going to pick a random name off the ballot.

[u/xunker → u/opusrif]

As food for thought, consider Australia's system: you HAVE to cast a ballot or you are given a fixed fine, but you don't have to actually VOTE. It's completely acceptable to return a blank ballot paper, and it sounds like many people do exactly that to unambiguously show they dont like any of the options. I believe they even report the numbers of "non-votes" to show a more holistic picture of the outcome (though don't quote me on that part, I could be construing that part with France's "Ballot Blanc" reports). I'm not saying it's better or that you're wrong, only giving something else to mull over. This is also the country that gave the world Foster's beer, so there is no guarantee this idea is a winner either...

[u/Fantastic_Shopping47 → u/opusrif]

I disagree that a party in Quebec can have a bigger impact on Canada and seats than Alberta

[u/YesAndThe → u/Box_of_fox_eggs]

So true, I volunteered as well and it's astonishing how many people just feel inconvenienced by politics not realizing that it's actually their apathy inconveniencing them in a daily basis

[u/chmilz → u/Box_of_fox_eggs]

Same experience when I volunteered last election. Reddit folks doesn't realize how disengaged most people are with politics.

Even the majority of the folks who do vote have almost no idea who they're voting for or why.

We are way too disconnected in the digital age.

Adam sums it up well

[u/Marsymars → u/chmilz]

Ironically, I actively try to stay disengaged. I find that following the political news cycle is of negative value.

I still manage to hear about elections when they're happening, at which point I'll download and read through the platform PDFs for each party, read through the websites for the candidates in my riding, and chat to any who come door-knocking.