The one thing you should do this fall…
… and it’s not bobbing for apples or dancing like nobody is watching.
Nope, it’s VOTING.
*cue collective sigh here*
Yes, I realize that you have all probably been bombarded with reminders of the upcoming election(s), be it cheesy attack ads, news tickers, or being emailed the latest Tina Fey as Sarah Palin sketch.
Why, then, do I see fit to discuss this oversaturated topic yet again?
Remember way back, in the days of yore of 2004? When the US presidential election was seemingly gaining record levels of public interest and voter registration? When even Eminem was getting political?
You know what percent of US citizens voted?
And we all know how that turned out.
Just think about what may have happened if the other thirty-six percent had expressed themselves.
Breaking it down a little more, we 20-somethings were particularly lazy in this regards. Only 46.7% of those ages 18-24 voted, and 55.7% of those 25-34.
So, as much as I would like to think, based on the array of intelligent, opinionated posts floating around the blogosphere, that every single one of you is registered, figured out where your nearest polling station is, and has carefully considered what candidate best matches your beliefs and expectations, past experience has taught me that this isn’t necessarily the case.
It would be really great if I was proven wrong, though.
Americans can register to vote here.
(And, P.S., we Canadians would do anything to be able to have a say in the US election, because, believe me, it impacts us a lot. So, if you don’t have an opinion, just email me, and I will gladly send you donuts and a novelty beaver in an RCMP hat for a vote on my behalf.)
Now, Canadians are hardly off the hook in this regard. I know I have been paying a heck of a lot more attention to the US election drama (drilling and bailouts and hockey moms, oh my!) than the politics closer to home. However, we do have our own federal election coming up in less than two weeks (October 14th!).
Without bombarding you all with too many details, over the past several years, Canadian federal politics have been particularly tumultuous and unstable. As a result, despite the fact that I’ve only been of legal age to vote for 8 years, I am about to vote in my fourth federal election… not exactly the every four years as intended. Even myself, a proclaimed politics geek (when I was 12, my friend and I did a mock CBC radio show with her as Preston Manning and me as Jean Chretien. If you have any idea what I am talking about, you know how hopelessly nerdy that is), is tired of the constant elections. Every once is predicting a record low turnout, despite the fact that we also only managed 64.7% in our last election (and less than 50% turnout for us 20-somethings!!).
The thing is, this election matters. A lot. It could mean the difference between a lot or a little power in the hands of our prime minister. We have our own set of economic issues to consider, as you better believe the current American situation has an effect on us. Stephen Harper is currently proposing a bill to have 14-year olds convicted of crimes sentenced as adults– do you agree or disagree? What about the environment, the future of our medical system, the rising cost of university? These damn well affect you and I– and I hardly think you have the right to complain unless you have voted for what you believed in on these issue.
Canadians can register to vote here.
One last point before I go on merry way… African-Americans did not get the right to vote in the US until 1870, and women did not get full right to vote in Canada until 1918 and the US until 1920. Both these were tremendous victories that took immeasurable amounts of blood, sweat, and tears– yet we seem to be willing to take this right for granted so easily now.
October 6th, 2008 at 3:01 am
Amen to that!
October 6th, 2008 at 5:39 am
Woot for voting!!! If I recall correctly there have been 4 different elections (not necessarily federal) I’ve been able to vote in since I turned 18. The last federal election (2006) I was overseas and while I applied for an absentee ballot things got a little mixed up in having it delivered to me (I was in between Australia and NZ at the time with no permanent address) and I must admit I didn’t vote. Then, the party I didn’t want to win, won and since then I’ve proclaimed to not let another election pass by without casting a vote. I just mailed mine off today, hopefully it reaches Ottawa by the 14th!
In my opinion, we don’t just have the right to vote, we also have the responsibility of voting. A lot of people worked long and hard for me to be able to vote and I owe it to them to use that vote.
PS Did you know in Australia it’s illegal not to vote? You get fined on your tax return if you don’t.
October 6th, 2008 at 8:30 am
Amen!
Caz- I love the idea of the fines for not voting!
October 6th, 2008 at 8:39 am
AMEN! I had become one of those apathetic voters who just didn’t vote because I figured, what was the point? I didn’t seem to be affected by anything going on, because I had my nave blinders on, so I didn’t think I had a stake in the outcomes of the elections. But then I started reading up on the issues and saw the debates and got informed and realized that hey, the government we have now just isn’t working for me. It’s time to stop being lazy and step up to the plate, not only as a twenty-something woman, but as a Canadian, and make myself heard. At least I can say that I tried to change things by voting and making myself count.
October 6th, 2008 at 10:41 am
I think the other 36% were suffering from diarrhea that day.
October 6th, 2008 at 11:04 am
amen. couldn’t have said it any better.
October 6th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Thanks for getting the word out! I am a huge politics nerd too. When I turned 18, I didn’t buy cigarettes or lottery tickets or pr0nz - my mom and I went and took pictures of me registering to vote. (I might be more of a general nerd than just a politics nerd, but that’s another story…) Anyway, I plan to vote early, and to try to get my friends to vote early as well - there’s no point in waiting in line at the last minute if you don’t have to!
October 6th, 2008 at 11:40 am
oh wow.
first, i totally love you caz for mailing your vote across the world. true dedication. big gold stars and hearts for you.
and secondly, whoever is voted as our prime minister, (should) be in power for the next FOUR years. controlling taxes, passing new laws, etc. wouldn’t taking the time to do a teensy bit of research and taking 15 minutes out of your day on october 14th be worth it to know that you’ve spoken up about who you’d like to see lead our country?
it’s just so disappointing to hear about SO MANY people not voting. i don’t understand it.
October 6th, 2008 at 11:48 am
Well said lady! I got my voter registration card in the mail the other day and am pretty excited. I haven’t 100% chosen who I’m voting for yet, but I will definitely know by election day. Thanks for this great reminder to get involved!
October 6th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
* Is another Canadian that wishes she could vote in the American election*
In fact I propose a deal you let us vote in your election and you can vote in ours
October 7th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
[...] 50 and 60% of people do not come out and vote nationally. Princess Pontiful mentions in the her current post about how the younger generation do not come out and vote and make their views heard. However, the [...]
October 7th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Rock the vote, right?? I’m so with you. Speak up people–I don’t think we often realize how fortunate we are to even have the opportunity to do so! Great post!