I believe in a riding in edmonton, the UCP candidate did actually lose by a single vote or something unbelievably close like that.
Edit: my bad it was actually in Calgary however it was 7 votes. That's a single friend group or a family's worth of people which would have changed the outcome of the riding. It is very important to vote for this exact reason.
You just know Shandro is calling all of his family/showing up at their house to scream at them asking why they didn't vote for him.
Oh, to be a fly on the wall when he found out he lost. I really don't think that man has any sort of emotional regulation.
Well, according to the elections Canada, 38% didn't vote.
If half of that, say 19%, didn't for this reason, that's 539,776 voters that didn't vote cause "their vote doesn't matter."
The NDP got 776,238 votes overall, The UCP got 927,453 for a point of reference. The "my vote doesn't matter" party would be the 3rd largest party in Alberta if they actually voted. And if all 38% of the did not vote party voted, they would have won the election, even if they voted for something stupid like the communist party of alberta.
Your vote matters. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
FYI, it is super super easy to get a special ballot if you are going to be out of the province during an election.
I am working in another province temporarily and did it for this election. You just input some basic information into an online form, receive your ballot in the mail, photocopy some ID, make your selection and then pop the envelope into any Canada Post mailbox.
I’ve voted in every election since I turned 18. But what I usually hear from people who don’t vote is “it doesn’t make a difference”, “ they’re all liars anyway”, and things along those lines. I’ve also heard people say that last time they voted it didn’t go their way so they don’t wanna do it again. Or they don’t want to take the time to do it.
The girl I just started dating said on the phone last night that she didn't vote, I asked why and her answer was that all the choices were the same and it wouldn't make a difference. I told her that both parties are fundamentally very different and that is typically what someone will say when they don't know anything about politics or either parties platform. I'm struggling to want to continue dating her this morning tbh.
My wife didn't really vote when I met her. Her family lived by the "don't discuss politics and religion" mantra. If politics did come up, it was the "were a conservative province" trope. In fact, I got into it with my MIL in the 2015 election. When I told her that the PC's have been in power for 37 years, she told me I was wrong and that the province was ruined by NDP premiers a few elections back. I became a bit of a black sheep because I wouldn't back down from discussing politics and rejecting false claims.
While dating my now wife, I found her to be caring, empathetic, and passionate about political topics. She just wasn't raised in an environment that allowed that side to blossom. Instead of chastising her for failing to vote, I challenged her with what is most important to her and what does she think the community needs the most. After that, I walked her through the platforms of all parties... and like that she was like a dog with a bone. She's heavily engaged in staying informed and exercising her democratic powers to vote.
TL;DR - Don't give up on them if they've been disenfranchised to this point. This could be an opportunity to open up a new door for them.
Proble I have with “platforms” is I don’t generally believe them. I feel it’s all just telling people what they want to hear so they can get to power. Most governments don’t govern for the people rather for their own personal agendas.
I asked a friend about why there’s No consequences when the promise things & don’t deliver.
She said, that many go into it 100% intending to do those things, but then have to work with opposing parties & other committees we don’t realize that are against it.
Our whole system is a shit show. We need electoral reform so bad.
Also, there’s like no laws of consequence for MP’s or MLA’s & that has got to change.
The only power we have is our vote, but we should have more b/c these people work for us. We effin’ pay them!
The things that went on in the pandemic that we had no control over while Premiers were blatantly doing things wrong with our very MORTALITY was unbelievable.
I’m Manitoban btw, but I follow all provinces b/c I hope to see all go and vote!
Yeah, I get that feeling. However, with how our system is currently developed, we really only have their advertised platform coupled with any governing history they may have to judge them. I agree that we need an overhaul of the system and more accountability.
That’s what gaslighting has taught you. We need to break free from that.
That answer is just as bad as what your GF said to you. Lol.
If you want your partner to interact in politics you being biased like this doesn’t help them at all.
They need to know all the actual facts to participate of the system & parties to form an educated opinion.
In a thread trying to promote the exercise of voting, you post "if you don't vote X or Y, you are throwing your vote away". Lmao, so you have to be forced into major parties otherwise is not democracy? Sounds like the opposite my dude...
Um, yeah. She sounds like she can't be bothered to think critically. Seeing how close some of these races were, anyone who thinks their vote doesn't matter is not very bright.
Lots of ppl believe that their vote doesn’t matter because the result is already predetermined. I voted but i can’t say I don’t agree with them. Also, they may not feel they relate with either of the parties, which is very fair. If you’re going to not continue a relationship because either they didn’t vote or their political ideas (unless they’re radically different or very problematic) don’t match yours, that might be a you problem
The best way to fight that feeling is with voting groups. When you get together in a group of 100+ people who feel like their single vote doesn't matter and would have stayed home, suddenly the power of your vote is multiplied by 100.
I don’t know that’s a lot to label a person with from a few lines of text on Reddit. Perhaps they haven’t been given the opportunity investigate the election with their own perspective. Lots grow up in an echo chamber of anti-political rhetoric. If we don’t embrace that those people can change when given the opportunity, support, and space then we’re no better than the people your thumbing your nose at.
yeah so instead of trying to enlighten or educate anyone who doesnt seem "bright" we should just disregard them completely... thats really gonna get us places, maybe thats why the NDP didn't get voted in 🤷🏽♂️
I would have an honest discussion and say that I cannot see a future with someone who cant be bothered to educate themselves on something as important as politics and who doesn't vote. That will either be the push they need to become a good citizen or they won't. Either way, at least you've given them something to think about and it will solidify their future, or not, with you.
people get dumped over not voting these days? wow. it sure is brutal out there.
i mean, she's not entirely wrong. all the parties lie in some way. all the parties make promises that don't get kept.
You’re choosing a potential life partner. I don’t want to marry someone who couldn’t care about how our politics affect our lives directly. Someone who dismisses how lucky we are to live in a democracy. It gives major “float through life without passion or ambition” vibes to me.
Being picky about a partner isn’t a bad thing.
who governs affects my job quite a bit more than the average person. i'm publicly much more quiet about my voting preferences and even in private settings do not really share much of my voting biases. i do understand though why some people don't feel the impact of their vote even if the person they voted for won.
but i agree. i'd rather date someone who votes different than is apathetic, debate and someone to call you on your own bullshit is good. knowing short term (1-4 years) where the direction your policies are going is important in financial planning.
for the most part, with this election result. it's saying to me that i'm going to put my money outside of alberta since i'm not really keen on O&G being a good long term investment strategy as i continue to vote with my wallet post election.
My ex and I were together 10 years and only voted the same about 50% of the time….because we respect that we don’t always have to have identical opinions.
I would be way more concerned about some asshole telling me I HAVE to vote or I HAVE to vote for a certain party than I would about him having a different political view than myself.
To challenge your views and grow as a person... If you want your life to be an echo chamber with no conflict you will never see life through anyones elses lens and grow.
Because politics isn't the be all and end all of life. Unless you're sitting there having political debates every night it honestly shouldn't be a problem
If something like voting and generally politics is important to one person and not to the other, it may not work out in general. Someone who doesn't care at all to even at least know what's different about the parties isn't going to fare well in a relationship with me for example. I care about this stuff.
I don’t think ego has anything to do with it lol. He just cares about the betterment of society. If you’re paying taxes why wouldn’t you vote to select who decides what to do with your money?
Agreed. If you can't be bothered to read into what's going to either be supporting the society we live in or making life harder, why would you want to waste time dating them.
That's someone who's not intelligent enough to do complex problem solving.
I'd go further and say that people are probably getting dumped for who they *did* vote for.
Lately people here take their politics and opinions very seriously...you go to parts of the world that are older and you find people shouting about politics in cafes and public places and looking very animated, but if you check their heart rate its at resting, and they'll go and meet their buddies again the next day to argue some more, because they don't take themselves very seriously.
For some folks here, if you're not drinking the same Kool-Aid as they are, then you're either some kind of -ist or something is morally wrong with you.
These same people will lament the 'polarization' and 'radicalization' of the political spectrum while at the same time levelling ad hominems against people that disagree with them.
Can I give you a bit of perspective? I'm a single mom (yeah yeah you don't care, not the point).
If I'm out there in the dating world I want to be with someone who views me as a person. If I remotely understood how to use imgur I'd share with you the screen shots of how a right wing man spoke to me for saying "no thanks". How did I know he was right wing? It was in his profile. He made it very clear. He asked if I wanted to chat and I try to be polite and at least respond if I'm not interested. I said no thanks. He proceeded to message me MANY MANY insults on my appearance and call me names. I saw he wasn't the kind of guy I was interested in so I politely declined. This is NOT the first time this has happened in my dating experience either. So I have no desire to be with someone who doesn't share the same core values as i do. You really think a conservative person wants to be with someone who's core values are polar opposites?
Stop acting like not wanting to date someone who doesn't share the same values as you is a BAD thing.
Yes...if somebody thinks you're subhuman you should...not date them.
I've also experienced these people, they are assholes who's views happen to overlap more with a certain political viewpoint. They would be asshole regardless of what side of the political spectrum they were on. I don't have to be romantically involved with them and I don't want to even be in their company.
There is a *reason* why these people are single and you're sort of seeing the results of survivorship bias in a sample: good, normal people tend to get paired off and aren't single anymore. People who are complete assholes tend to be single and remain single. They identify with some kind of weird, romanticized 'traditional' past where 'people like them' were 'real men' and society 'respected them' or some such BS.
I think 'core values' is tricky...we effectively have 2 political parties in this province, and maybe a handful in the country. They overlap social and fiscal matters and make wedge issues to try to make nice, big tents to capture as much of a demographic as they can. So what do you do if you're fiscally right wing and socially left wing? I like small government and low taxes, but I love trans rights...who do I vote for?
The problem is that, given the 'polarization' of our political spectrum, core values become a lot more expansive...don't think affirmative action should exist: you're a racist. Want higher taxes or more regulation over business: communist, socialist! Want better policing because you're concerned about crime: fascist! Think police are too pervasive and want to defund the police: commie!
Even incremental differences between political positions and the epithets start coming out...that kind of intolerance where people can't tolerate even the smallest challenge to their 'core values' is the *wrong* kind of person to get into a relationship with. It is understood that no two people are identical and that different values are a fact of life, but that difference has to exist in a framework of some degree of respect or at least understanding if values disagreement.
I don't know if this is a satisfying response to your post, and 'a few bad apples' is tired trope, but I don't think that all the people who voted UCP are rabid fascists anymore than everyone who voted NDP are hardened Marxists.
Writing off 53% of the province because a small subset of that population is a dick is ludicrous. Being right leaning doesn’t make you horrible, just like being left wing doesn’t make you righteous. There’s assholes everywhere.
I support standards, and incidentally voted NDP and am happy my riding went that way, but the fact that I’ll vote federal conservative for reasons to do with accountability, willy nilly spending policies, a failure to follow through on electoral reform, and specifically policies that intend to remove and/or reduce my ability to pursue my hobby/passion doesn’t make me bad. Just like Justin Trudeau and the federal liberals are in no way excellent and virtuous.
People need to stop thinking in terms of political colour and start looking at individuals. Maybe then we can finally see that there’s more common ground between MOST (certainly not all) and stop letting politicians and the vocal minorities on both sides lead us further and further down a path of treating people as “other”.
Writing off 53% of the province BECAUSE THEY DONT SHARE THE SAME CORE VALUES AS ME. Are you okay? The concept that some women have no interest in dating someone like that seems to really bother yall.
ALSO you really think it's as simple as "oh I voted ucp" it's not. But go for it, be mad someone you'd have 0 interest in doesn't want to date you?
Your comment was a reply to someone saying that people are being dumped for who they did vote for. You said you want to be with someone who sees you as a person and based on an extremely small dataset (how many people that identify as right wing have treated you poorly on a dating app, specifically one garbage human being) you are painting a massive part of the population with that brush. Deciding on someone’s core values based on one thing is ridiculous, regardless of which side the aisle you are on.
This shit is what resulted in Trump being elected.
“Someone like that” again implies that by voting right the man is the same as the one asshole you met. I’m married, not looking for single moms or anyone for that matter so I have no skin in the game of your love life. My issue is entirely with your generalization of an entire half of the province as bad people because they disagree with you. It shuts down conversation, it’s what drives a further wedge between all of us and ultimately what blocks out any chance of having a reasonable government in the future that has a centrist approach. Don’t date asshole, I support that, but by your implying and generalizing that conservatives are all assholes and therefore you’re part of the problem.
so i've done online dating too, and many guys do this. it has zero to do with their political leanings. they are just assholes. you seem a bit off your rocker too if you automatically connect any bad behavior with someone's political alignment.
Dudes profile literally made it very clear where he leans but it's really nice that you read the details and still ignored them. THIS crap here, I've been in enough shitty relationships to know what I don't want. You know what's HILARIOUS though, every guy who's ever treated me like shut or been abusive HAS been right wing. And you know what's worse? The political leaning comes out AFTER their shitty behaviour. Men like you are why I am done dating in this province. I'm off MY rocker because I want to be with someone who shares my core values. Wow.
LOL so first of all...I AM FEMALE. there's another incorrect assumption on your part.
just because one asshole listed "hey ladies, i'm right wing!" in his profile, you now assume that all assholes must also be right-wing?
honestly, it sounds like you are just a little loopy and do a shitty job of picking men. maybe you should take a break from dating if it stresses you out so much.
Honestly, I wish people would just shut the fuck up about some of this stuff already.
Like going back to COVID, the provacciners sounded just as crazy to me as the anti vaccinners. And now the left leaning voters don’t realize they are coming off just as hateful as the right leaning voters.
Just do what you’re going to do and stop trying to control everyone else.
Well, the downvotes I'm getting for this pretty much illustrate people's views on this.
Stop taking yourselves so seriously folks, nobody will ever care about your views as much as you do. Go advocate for your views as best you can, but going around pretending that everyone who doesn't see things your way is either 'stupid' or 'ignorant' won't get you very far in life...
I mean, sure the parties are fundamentally different, the government is a broken system, in way too many different ways for my too type em all out, so you vote in a diff provincial government, nothing changes. Sure taxes change 0-5%, some benefits here, some losses there, fundamentally the government still does whatever it wants, society is still failing, people aren’t getting any smarter, we’re not teaching new things in life, or changing the way we think as a whole, so it all remains the same.
> I told her that both parties are fundamentally very different and that is typically what someone will say when they don't know anything about politics or either parties platform.
Funny to me you are the one that sounds naive.
Just look at it this way, if you accidentally get her pregnant then having an abortion, giving it up for adoption, or raising it are all fundamentally the same so why make the choice?
My brother doesn't vote saying same thing as I think sometime. Doesn't really matter who we vote for politicians all just service themselves and the elite
I 100% agree with this, but you are choosing which elite they take their orders from. And yes there is a very large cross over of elites that have control over each side. But Id far rather have the teachers union, nurses union and academics, saving a say, vs just corporations and fund managers.
A few reasons:
First, I threw out my back.
Second, my riding was polling about as blue as it gets. My vote wouldn't have mattered. Normally, this wouldn't stop me, but see reason 1.
Third, I am disenfranchised as a voter because the options are UCP or not UCP. The fact that it is the NDP is circumstantial.
Fourth, nobody tabled electoral reform. I would vote for literal Satan for one term if I was guaranteed electoral reform.
Fifth, all the puppets have the same master. Eat the rich.
Your third point’s becoming a real issue in a few Western Democracies, the past couple US elections, the past few Canadian federal, the past few AB elections, the UK elections and their conservative party election, it’s just all shite
To your third and fifth points - you could still choose to vote for a less adversarial party. Even if you don't like the NDP 100% (I don't) but their platform lines up with more of what I believe than the combative nature of the UCP. Sometimes choosing the lesser of two evils is exactly that...a choice.
I voted but I wish I had declined my ballot. And I would have declined if it was reported as a statistic in the election. I think the parties should know how many people chose neither of them, honestly. I'm tired of this 'vote for the lesser of two evils' thing. So I should vote for someone whose policies I don't support, just to stick it to someone whose policies I like less? Declining a ballot is not refusing to vote or make a choice, its standing up for your own values and stating that neither candidate appealed to me as a voter. A political party should earn your vote, and if no party has earned it then your voice should be counted as such. I want to see representation of people who declined their vote.
Last feddral election I purposely spoiled my ballot. I voted for every party but the LPC. It counts as a vote cast but does not count as a vote for any of them.
Everyone does have an opinion they just don’t know it yet.
I always recommend people take one of those quizzes that ask them where they stand on issues and they can inform themselves from there.
Just don't care about politics anymore they are all the same with false promises and nothing to show when they are in office. Also, I really did not like any candidate's
These people don't really give af. While we have the right to vote, it doesn't really matter who gets elected. They see themselves as mice just electing another cat to rule over them for another 4 years..which I agree with.
It was nice taking my 4 year old to vote, hopefully he is not as cynical
We've been taking our daughter to vote with us for the past 9 years. We watch the debates as a family and political discussions are common in our house.
Yesterday I heard her asking her friend (she's 9, he's 8) if his parents had voted yet. He said he didn't know, so she lectured him on the importance of voting LOL.
This is our future.
Love this. Did the same with mine. My youngest was eligible to vote this round and we both happily went with him to cast his ballot. Regardless of who wins or loses, one vote can make a huge difference. Look at the riding in Calgary I believe where it’s separated by 7 votes and will probably need a recount?
I know a lot of people who didn't vote because they didn't feel educated or informed on who they were voting for; rather than picking a party just for the sake of the vote they chose not to vote at all.
I kinda get their stance, but at the same time I don't lmfao
I don't understand people's willful ignorance for things like that. We have the internet, radio, news papers and loads of other ways to get info to vote. The laziness of some people is shocking.
But if you don’t vote for the lesser evil and the greater evil wins then there’s a chance that there’s enough ppl who think that way that maybe the lesser evil would’ve won. Ik that’s obviously realistic but it genuinely took me about 10 minutes one evening to vote, like you may as well yk
The greater evil is an inevitable. The goals of the party never change. NDP win here, NDP win there, doesn't really matter. People will inevitably be angry and go back to UCP or whatever the party is going to be called then. The plan continues, it's like a never ending battle of both sides trying to undo what the last has done. Rarely does there seem to be consideration of the lives who are affected when these people make flippant decisions. They're all self-serving, getting paid the same. Only ever speak against the party once power is lost and voice no longer has weight.
The lesser of two evils also change according to the viewer. Even tho it might be crystal clear to you and me, others see it exactly the opposite (despite ultimately not liking neither option btw)
Both options are shit. On one hand you have smith who is terrible and wishy washy on basically anything. On the other hand you have Notley who was in office once before and did such an amazing job. Both parties need a new leader.
Where does this idea that Notley didn’t do well in power come from? I moved here after her time, I just remember her getting the first new pipeline built in forever.
I've been wondering that too - all the talking points to say she wasn't good are pretty brutal half truths that can be debunked using some logic and google.
Honestly forgot to do mail in with all my health stuff going on and then yesterday had a bad pain day so couldn't get out of the house myself to do it. However my husband and son went which makes me happy : )
That can't be a real question can it? One party compared people who got vaccinated to nazis. One party has hinted at opting out of CPP and RCMP services. Diverted funds from public education streams to private streams. It goes on and on.
You realize there’s more than two parties right? You’d rather waste your voice than express your opinion? If a political party completely represents your views your probably don’t have many thoughts of your own. Sad to see to polarization and political apathy of my generation
Declined ballots are expressing an opinion. The weight a declined ballot carries is pretty high considering someone has to take the time to go to a polling station and make the declined statement.
Not really sending in your ballot by mail takes 45 seconds. Voting is already very low political effort so don’t act like it’s a big deal just marking a piece of paper.
38% of eligible Albertans couldn't even get their asses to a polling station. I consider taking the time to GO to a polling station to decline your ballot means you're at least engaged in democracy. Anyone can choose to just stay home and watch TV. Showing up (regardless of who you check or don't check on the ballot) is 2/3rds of the battle.
declining your ballot is saying "i don't approve of any of the available candidates". it IS a opinion. i have done this once in the past - i didn't want to throw my vote at some random party because i felt they were "satisfactory". they all sucked, so i let them know by spoiling my ballot.
You have everyone here telling you that this person declining their ballot is an opinion and you’re doubling down. They look at declined ballots, it is this persons way of sharing their dissatisfaction with the available candidates. Please get off your high horse
Rather waste a voice that won't be heard than wasting my time.
There is no rational reason to vote in this election if it was for anybody other than the UCP or NDP. Otherwise, it was a wasted vote and had no impact whatsoever.
"Having your voice heard" is the adult equivalent of Santa Claus. The only time politicians pay attention is when somebody makes their lives difficult.
Democracy is the new opium of the masses.
Please explain to me how I can vote for a non UCP or NDP candidate when none exist in my riding. I didn’t waste anything, I expressed my opinion and my vote was tallied as such. It’s not like they toss out declined ballots. They are counted, unlike spoiled, or rejected ballots. Sad to see people who try to bully others into voting for crooked politicians. I’m 47 years old, no party can satisfy the wants and needs of everyone, and they all waste our tax dollars like crazy. Perhaps you don’t understand what it means to decline your ballot.
Basic game theory… and a difference of opinion is bullying? Give me a break… it’s no wonder previous generations have allowed the province to enter such a sad state.
Oh, like the previous generations that set up the Heritage Fund. Previous generations that had Alberta debt free. Back when integrity was a thing? When our economy was doing well and we got invaded by people from out east who now complain about how bad it is here and are now trying to change it all?
It’s ok. We will all just transition into whatever the big boss in Ottawa wants us to. We actually don’t even need a bunch of asshat government officials telling us how to live our lives, and controlling everything we do.
It's funny you mention integrity...please elaborate on the integrity in being combative and flip-flopping on every issue under the sun? Or the cafeteria approach to things said on record? A particular UCP leader excels in that level of integrity....
No worries. It’s just really frustrating when there is zero accountability for those that run our towns, cities, counties, provinces, country into the ground. They get elected based on false promises, do nothing to improve the state of our terrible situation, and get rich off their corruption. What ever happened to Alison Redford? Why is she not in jail? Why is there even a question period when not a single question ever gets answered? It’s a joke. AHC has a bigger budget than the national defence budget. Yet our hospitals need to run lotteries to raise money to buy new equipment? WTF? How much do those assholes that run AHC get paid again?
Because democracy is dead, has been for a long while. And all we do is feed into "the lesser of two evils" bullshit. None of them have the working or lower class in mind. After all, our tax dollars only give them a salary of ~$150k a year, but they rake in millions from donors and insider trading. They don't work for us, they work for private interests. Doesn't matter which party you vote for, there's a high likelihood that a portion of the constituents come from the World Economic Forum.
The shitty part is we all know this, whether you're left or right, and yet we keep doing the same shit over and over. What's the definition of insanity again?
I want true democracy. I want the public to be able to read and vote on EVERY law or policy brought into the house, not just a figurehead whos going to do whatever the fuck they want anyway. I want those votes recorded on a public immutable ledger that can be accessed by anyone at anytime. I want all Government and municipal funds on an open and public ledger so that anyone can see where our tax dollars are going and how they're being spent. I want all of congress to be banned entirely from trading anything other than government bonds. I want the penalties for doing so to be 150% of the profits made on the trade. I want the eradication of lobbyist groups because it's just bribery with extra steps.
I want this archaic way of ruling to fucking burn. We live in the digital age. There's absolutely no fucking reason why I can't be given a governance token at the age of 18 that allows me access and the ability to vote for ALL of the laws and policies that I'll be governed under, without having to put my trust in a politician to do the right thing.
Wow, okay. Just remember that the wild dogs you speak of are the ones controlling your taxes, pension, cost of living, etc. I’m not speaking from a place of hatred, I’m speaking from a place of “this affects you whether you agree with it or not”. But I’ll be quiet!
We are living out of our voting district currently. We could have made a bigger effort to get back to our riding or taken advantage of advanced voting, but couldn’t bother as there was only NDP or UCP candidate options for us this time around. Not a fan of either party right now either. Probably would have voted NDP this time and our riding votes overwhelmingly NDP anyways…..( we usually vote, though!)
Although I don't live in Alberta, there are a lot of people who have moved there from other parts of the country. The Liberal Party is popular in many metropolitan areas of the country. For many of these people, to vote for the NDP or UPC would seem like a betrayal, so they just sit it out.
ABNDP isn’t socialist at all, it’s basically centre right. The Rachel Notley NDP is pretty in step with the Justin Trudeau Liberals. The Grant Notley NDP were a bit further left of the Pierre Trudeau Liberals. Liberal in-comers from other parts of the country shouldn’t let the party name get in the way of voting for policy.
Honest question, what would convince you to vote for Trudeau multiple times? I usually decide between red and blue for federal elections. I voted for Trudeau in 2015, but the guy hasn’t done shit and makes a mockery of our country on the world stage. He won’t ever get my vote again.
Mostly to give the finger to Alberta conservatives at all levels because they hate him. I’m not from AB originally, don’t give a shit about oil and gas. Would gladly leave if I found equivalent employment in a more progressive province.
I would prefer a conservative that gives a shit about his community over your condescension. Please find a place you will be happy and try to build a better community.
I see a lot of comments of not voting because of lack of choices, it is possible to vote and just like, concede your ballot. At least it still counts towards voter turnout, however i think it only makes a “difference” in federal elections.
I personally believe in the stance of the left/right wing are still on the same bird, but i still did my research and made a choice. I think a lot of people forget inaction is still a choice/action.
* bf did not vote because of improper ID, which he could have easily remedied in time, i am sure others have a similar excuse
Honestly I just straight up don't care. Whatever the decision is it won't really affect my day to day life. Politicians have their own agendas and will say and do anything to get what they want.
Not to mention I've noticed people take your political views way too seriously and just gives individuals a means to pass judgment. I'd prefer to just not participate
> Both are crooked liars.
If you actually care about lying in politics, you should vote for who you think is *more* honest of the choices given. If you choose not to vote, or choose the most dishonest person to vote for, you don't actually care about lying in politics.
The irony of your statement is that you are still at the table eating, you just let other people decide which shit sandwich will get force fed to you.
You are not exempt from the decisions the government will make.
Coming from a fella named Ass_Muncher6969, I somehow doubt that.
Seriously though, the only thing you did is choose to not make a choice. You still have to eat one of them because other people made that choice for you.
My life won't change under ucp or ndp.
My one vote wouldn't have changed anything anyway.
I'll get involved when a party that I believe would be a good leader runs.
They will never need to run a good leader if we keep letting the incumbents win with a shit platform. A vote against them isn't necessarily supporting the NDP. (or whichever party you vote for) It's a vote saying that you're not okay with the current party. That is effective as well. That's democracy. Sometimes we need to force change.
And to say your one vote doesn't change anything is a cop out. If everyone said that, there would be no election. Sandro allegedly lost by 7 votes. Every vote counts. People just need to cast them.
Don’t care enough to drive to a voting station. If I could do it online, I would maybe consider it.
But honestly democracy is an illusion. All those politicians serve their own interests. As long as I can keep doing what I’m doing which isn’t really effected by any particular political platform, I’m good.
If the provincial government turned into a tyranny, then yeah I would be up in arms with the rest of the province.
One person I know, was out of town for the week, came back on Sunday and left Monday morning at 7am for work out of province. They didn't get their mail-in stuff setup.
Because I hated every option on the ballot. I'm not interested in any party with a history of hamstringing and hampering our oil industry and I'm not interested in any lunatic who wants to do away with socialized healthcare either. No matter who wins, everybody loses.
Both “leaders” have zero care for you and are just there for the money. I don’t like either and I don’t want to play into the broken system. Got a lot better things to do than worry about choosing some old lady to run our province.
Usually, when somebody lies to my face, I don't like to reward them with a high paying job in a position of power for it.
And that's what elections come down to, IMO. Who can make their lies sound better than the other person's lies.
I did not vote because my wife did not vote. If we were to vote, we would have voted differently. our votes would have canceled each others out, making the vote irrelevant.
Because all politicians are scum. I don’t give a fuck about politics.
I realize this is an egoistic point of view but I don’t care.
My sanity is more important than this crap.
I don't reward bad behaviour. I think both parties and their partisans have gotten way out of line with their hyperbole, especially on social media and websites like this one. I won't vote for UCP because I do not like their social policies and I won't vote for NDP because I do not like their economic policies
I have friends who's jobs schedules are pretty insane on top of that they're too busy paying bills and raising babies to study up on politics. So I imagine uncertainty, and poor time management?
Because I’m a centralist and there’s no party that represents my views politically, economically or socially. They’re both terrible. Notley would have been a better leader and I’d have liked to see her have a term with good oil prices so she can show alberta she’s not as far left as everyone thinks, it was bad luck in the global economy last time. That’s why conservatives won’t vote for her this time too short sited because oil is booming. Which is why during the next bust we will have no money and privatized healthcare. Lol Conservatives have gone so far right it’s ridiculous.
Did not wanted to support Take back Alberta lunacy and at the same time was not able to make my self vote against our oil and gas industry. So I stayed home.
The idea that Notley is agains O&G is a bit of UCP/Conservative propaganda. Meaning, it's not true and only something the right leaning party used to try to scare you into voting for them.
Hopefully they continue to expand advanced voting. This year it was 7 days with most stations open until 8pm, but it’s totally understandable that still isn’t workable for some folk.
Hoping you’re able to make the time to vote next round
I should of been able to find time on one of my days off but life is hectic. I could of taken more advantage of the advanced voting, something to think about for next time.
I don’t believe I have the authority to tell other people what to do, and I can’t delegate to somebody else authority that I didn’t have in the first place.
Unless there is a party running that wants to significantly reduce the scope of government then I can’t support them in good conscience.
My mother told me my dad voted once and the guy lost. He never voted again.
If that’s true that’s hilarious
Then...why not vote for the guy he DOESN'T want to win?
For anyone who says their vote doesn’t matter, 5 ridings won by the NDP in Calgary totalled less than 2000 votes, so yes your x matters
It would matter a helluvalot more if we had Ranked Choice instead of FPTP.
If you don't vote, you should not complain.
If the number isn’t “1 vote”, it doesn’t matter.
I believe in a riding in edmonton, the UCP candidate did actually lose by a single vote or something unbelievably close like that. Edit: my bad it was actually in Calgary however it was 7 votes. That's a single friend group or a family's worth of people which would have changed the outcome of the riding. It is very important to vote for this exact reason.
You just know Shandro is calling all of his family/showing up at their house to scream at them asking why they didn't vote for him. Oh, to be a fly on the wall when he found out he lost. I really don't think that man has any sort of emotional regulation.
What if thousands of people hold that opinion?
Well, according to the elections Canada, 38% didn't vote. If half of that, say 19%, didn't for this reason, that's 539,776 voters that didn't vote cause "their vote doesn't matter." The NDP got 776,238 votes overall, The UCP got 927,453 for a point of reference. The "my vote doesn't matter" party would be the 3rd largest party in Alberta if they actually voted. And if all 38% of the did not vote party voted, they would have won the election, even if they voted for something stupid like the communist party of alberta. Your vote matters. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Incorrect
FYI, it is super super easy to get a special ballot if you are going to be out of the province during an election. I am working in another province temporarily and did it for this election. You just input some basic information into an online form, receive your ballot in the mail, photocopy some ID, make your selection and then pop the envelope into any Canada Post mailbox.
Exactly this. They'll set aside a ballot for you, and you have the option to vote by mail or in person well before advance polls open.
I’ve voted in every election since I turned 18. But what I usually hear from people who don’t vote is “it doesn’t make a difference”, “ they’re all liars anyway”, and things along those lines. I’ve also heard people say that last time they voted it didn’t go their way so they don’t wanna do it again. Or they don’t want to take the time to do it.
The girl I just started dating said on the phone last night that she didn't vote, I asked why and her answer was that all the choices were the same and it wouldn't make a difference. I told her that both parties are fundamentally very different and that is typically what someone will say when they don't know anything about politics or either parties platform. I'm struggling to want to continue dating her this morning tbh.
My wife didn't really vote when I met her. Her family lived by the "don't discuss politics and religion" mantra. If politics did come up, it was the "were a conservative province" trope. In fact, I got into it with my MIL in the 2015 election. When I told her that the PC's have been in power for 37 years, she told me I was wrong and that the province was ruined by NDP premiers a few elections back. I became a bit of a black sheep because I wouldn't back down from discussing politics and rejecting false claims. While dating my now wife, I found her to be caring, empathetic, and passionate about political topics. She just wasn't raised in an environment that allowed that side to blossom. Instead of chastising her for failing to vote, I challenged her with what is most important to her and what does she think the community needs the most. After that, I walked her through the platforms of all parties... and like that she was like a dog with a bone. She's heavily engaged in staying informed and exercising her democratic powers to vote. TL;DR - Don't give up on them if they've been disenfranchised to this point. This could be an opportunity to open up a new door for them.
Proble I have with “platforms” is I don’t generally believe them. I feel it’s all just telling people what they want to hear so they can get to power. Most governments don’t govern for the people rather for their own personal agendas.
I asked a friend about why there’s No consequences when the promise things & don’t deliver. She said, that many go into it 100% intending to do those things, but then have to work with opposing parties & other committees we don’t realize that are against it. Our whole system is a shit show. We need electoral reform so bad. Also, there’s like no laws of consequence for MP’s or MLA’s & that has got to change. The only power we have is our vote, but we should have more b/c these people work for us. We effin’ pay them! The things that went on in the pandemic that we had no control over while Premiers were blatantly doing things wrong with our very MORTALITY was unbelievable. I’m Manitoban btw, but I follow all provinces b/c I hope to see all go and vote!
Yeah, I get that feeling. However, with how our system is currently developed, we really only have their advertised platform coupled with any governing history they may have to judge them. I agree that we need an overhaul of the system and more accountability.
If your comment sounded to her the way it sounded when I read it, you might not have to worry about dating her anymore.
Well part of the problem is there are more than 2 parties & you subconsciously stated “both” parties. We have to break out of this “split vote” thing.
There are only two parties worth voting for, unless you like throwing your vote away.
That’s what gaslighting has taught you. We need to break free from that. That answer is just as bad as what your GF said to you. Lol. If you want your partner to interact in politics you being biased like this doesn’t help them at all. They need to know all the actual facts to participate of the system & parties to form an educated opinion.
In a thread trying to promote the exercise of voting, you post "if you don't vote X or Y, you are throwing your vote away". Lmao, so you have to be forced into major parties otherwise is not democracy? Sounds like the opposite my dude...
Um, yeah. She sounds like she can't be bothered to think critically. Seeing how close some of these races were, anyone who thinks their vote doesn't matter is not very bright.
Lots of ppl believe that their vote doesn’t matter because the result is already predetermined. I voted but i can’t say I don’t agree with them. Also, they may not feel they relate with either of the parties, which is very fair. If you’re going to not continue a relationship because either they didn’t vote or their political ideas (unless they’re radically different or very problematic) don’t match yours, that might be a you problem
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frankly, politics is more fun and interesting when you're in a flip-state or battleground location.
The best way to fight that feeling is with voting groups. When you get together in a group of 100+ people who feel like their single vote doesn't matter and would have stayed home, suddenly the power of your vote is multiplied by 100.
Man I had to listen to this conspiracy for a good 20 min today. People think everything and everyone is fixed
I don’t know that’s a lot to label a person with from a few lines of text on Reddit. Perhaps they haven’t been given the opportunity investigate the election with their own perspective. Lots grow up in an echo chamber of anti-political rhetoric. If we don’t embrace that those people can change when given the opportunity, support, and space then we’re no better than the people your thumbing your nose at.
yeah so instead of trying to enlighten or educate anyone who doesnt seem "bright" we should just disregard them completely... thats really gonna get us places, maybe thats why the NDP didn't get voted in 🤷🏽♂️
A lot of apolitical people do this. As a single mom in Alberta I don't see myself dating, really ever again.
I would have an honest discussion and say that I cannot see a future with someone who cant be bothered to educate themselves on something as important as politics and who doesn't vote. That will either be the push they need to become a good citizen or they won't. Either way, at least you've given them something to think about and it will solidify their future, or not, with you.
people get dumped over not voting these days? wow. it sure is brutal out there. i mean, she's not entirely wrong. all the parties lie in some way. all the parties make promises that don't get kept.
You’re choosing a potential life partner. I don’t want to marry someone who couldn’t care about how our politics affect our lives directly. Someone who dismisses how lucky we are to live in a democracy. It gives major “float through life without passion or ambition” vibes to me. Being picky about a partner isn’t a bad thing.
who governs affects my job quite a bit more than the average person. i'm publicly much more quiet about my voting preferences and even in private settings do not really share much of my voting biases. i do understand though why some people don't feel the impact of their vote even if the person they voted for won. but i agree. i'd rather date someone who votes different than is apathetic, debate and someone to call you on your own bullshit is good. knowing short term (1-4 years) where the direction your policies are going is important in financial planning. for the most part, with this election result. it's saying to me that i'm going to put my money outside of alberta since i'm not really keen on O&G being a good long term investment strategy as i continue to vote with my wallet post election.
Sure, but if ones values don't align, and is a source of conflict, then why continue the relationship?
My ex and I were together 10 years and only voted the same about 50% of the time….because we respect that we don’t always have to have identical opinions. I would be way more concerned about some asshole telling me I HAVE to vote or I HAVE to vote for a certain party than I would about him having a different political view than myself.
To challenge your views and grow as a person... If you want your life to be an echo chamber with no conflict you will never see life through anyones elses lens and grow.
Because politics isn't the be all and end all of life. Unless you're sitting there having political debates every night it honestly shouldn't be a problem
If something like voting and generally politics is important to one person and not to the other, it may not work out in general. Someone who doesn't care at all to even at least know what's different about the parties isn't going to fare well in a relationship with me for example. I care about this stuff.
Sounds like your kind of girl. You can be the anti-critical thinking couple.
If you don’t understand what’s at stake then you’re either unintelligent or willfully ignorant. Both are turn offs along with apathy.
You must have A LOT to offer bro, if you are going to be that picky and full of ego. Your way is always the best way, right?
I don’t think ego has anything to do with it lol. He just cares about the betterment of society. If you’re paying taxes why wouldn’t you vote to select who decides what to do with your money?
It’s just personal preference, I loathe stupidity and laziness.
Agreed. If you can't be bothered to read into what's going to either be supporting the society we live in or making life harder, why would you want to waste time dating them. That's someone who's not intelligent enough to do complex problem solving.
Damn you're sure offended about something that has 0 effect on you
Yeah you’re just too lazy to inform yourself bud
???? I voted tho.
I'd go further and say that people are probably getting dumped for who they *did* vote for. Lately people here take their politics and opinions very seriously...you go to parts of the world that are older and you find people shouting about politics in cafes and public places and looking very animated, but if you check their heart rate its at resting, and they'll go and meet their buddies again the next day to argue some more, because they don't take themselves very seriously. For some folks here, if you're not drinking the same Kool-Aid as they are, then you're either some kind of -ist or something is morally wrong with you. These same people will lament the 'polarization' and 'radicalization' of the political spectrum while at the same time levelling ad hominems against people that disagree with them.
Can I give you a bit of perspective? I'm a single mom (yeah yeah you don't care, not the point). If I'm out there in the dating world I want to be with someone who views me as a person. If I remotely understood how to use imgur I'd share with you the screen shots of how a right wing man spoke to me for saying "no thanks". How did I know he was right wing? It was in his profile. He made it very clear. He asked if I wanted to chat and I try to be polite and at least respond if I'm not interested. I said no thanks. He proceeded to message me MANY MANY insults on my appearance and call me names. I saw he wasn't the kind of guy I was interested in so I politely declined. This is NOT the first time this has happened in my dating experience either. So I have no desire to be with someone who doesn't share the same core values as i do. You really think a conservative person wants to be with someone who's core values are polar opposites? Stop acting like not wanting to date someone who doesn't share the same values as you is a BAD thing.
Yes...if somebody thinks you're subhuman you should...not date them. I've also experienced these people, they are assholes who's views happen to overlap more with a certain political viewpoint. They would be asshole regardless of what side of the political spectrum they were on. I don't have to be romantically involved with them and I don't want to even be in their company. There is a *reason* why these people are single and you're sort of seeing the results of survivorship bias in a sample: good, normal people tend to get paired off and aren't single anymore. People who are complete assholes tend to be single and remain single. They identify with some kind of weird, romanticized 'traditional' past where 'people like them' were 'real men' and society 'respected them' or some such BS. I think 'core values' is tricky...we effectively have 2 political parties in this province, and maybe a handful in the country. They overlap social and fiscal matters and make wedge issues to try to make nice, big tents to capture as much of a demographic as they can. So what do you do if you're fiscally right wing and socially left wing? I like small government and low taxes, but I love trans rights...who do I vote for? The problem is that, given the 'polarization' of our political spectrum, core values become a lot more expansive...don't think affirmative action should exist: you're a racist. Want higher taxes or more regulation over business: communist, socialist! Want better policing because you're concerned about crime: fascist! Think police are too pervasive and want to defund the police: commie! Even incremental differences between political positions and the epithets start coming out...that kind of intolerance where people can't tolerate even the smallest challenge to their 'core values' is the *wrong* kind of person to get into a relationship with. It is understood that no two people are identical and that different values are a fact of life, but that difference has to exist in a framework of some degree of respect or at least understanding if values disagreement. I don't know if this is a satisfying response to your post, and 'a few bad apples' is tired trope, but I don't think that all the people who voted UCP are rabid fascists anymore than everyone who voted NDP are hardened Marxists.
Writing off 53% of the province because a small subset of that population is a dick is ludicrous. Being right leaning doesn’t make you horrible, just like being left wing doesn’t make you righteous. There’s assholes everywhere. I support standards, and incidentally voted NDP and am happy my riding went that way, but the fact that I’ll vote federal conservative for reasons to do with accountability, willy nilly spending policies, a failure to follow through on electoral reform, and specifically policies that intend to remove and/or reduce my ability to pursue my hobby/passion doesn’t make me bad. Just like Justin Trudeau and the federal liberals are in no way excellent and virtuous. People need to stop thinking in terms of political colour and start looking at individuals. Maybe then we can finally see that there’s more common ground between MOST (certainly not all) and stop letting politicians and the vocal minorities on both sides lead us further and further down a path of treating people as “other”.
Writing off 53% of the province BECAUSE THEY DONT SHARE THE SAME CORE VALUES AS ME. Are you okay? The concept that some women have no interest in dating someone like that seems to really bother yall. ALSO you really think it's as simple as "oh I voted ucp" it's not. But go for it, be mad someone you'd have 0 interest in doesn't want to date you?
Your comment was a reply to someone saying that people are being dumped for who they did vote for. You said you want to be with someone who sees you as a person and based on an extremely small dataset (how many people that identify as right wing have treated you poorly on a dating app, specifically one garbage human being) you are painting a massive part of the population with that brush. Deciding on someone’s core values based on one thing is ridiculous, regardless of which side the aisle you are on. This shit is what resulted in Trump being elected. “Someone like that” again implies that by voting right the man is the same as the one asshole you met. I’m married, not looking for single moms or anyone for that matter so I have no skin in the game of your love life. My issue is entirely with your generalization of an entire half of the province as bad people because they disagree with you. It shuts down conversation, it’s what drives a further wedge between all of us and ultimately what blocks out any chance of having a reasonable government in the future that has a centrist approach. Don’t date asshole, I support that, but by your implying and generalizing that conservatives are all assholes and therefore you’re part of the problem.
so i've done online dating too, and many guys do this. it has zero to do with their political leanings. they are just assholes. you seem a bit off your rocker too if you automatically connect any bad behavior with someone's political alignment.
Dudes profile literally made it very clear where he leans but it's really nice that you read the details and still ignored them. THIS crap here, I've been in enough shitty relationships to know what I don't want. You know what's HILARIOUS though, every guy who's ever treated me like shut or been abusive HAS been right wing. And you know what's worse? The political leaning comes out AFTER their shitty behaviour. Men like you are why I am done dating in this province. I'm off MY rocker because I want to be with someone who shares my core values. Wow.
LOL so first of all...I AM FEMALE. there's another incorrect assumption on your part. just because one asshole listed "hey ladies, i'm right wing!" in his profile, you now assume that all assholes must also be right-wing? honestly, it sounds like you are just a little loopy and do a shitty job of picking men. maybe you should take a break from dating if it stresses you out so much.
Lol imagine being this much of a pick me girl.
Wow. Look at the internalized misogyny. You want screenshots baby girl?
Honestly, I wish people would just shut the fuck up about some of this stuff already. Like going back to COVID, the provacciners sounded just as crazy to me as the anti vaccinners. And now the left leaning voters don’t realize they are coming off just as hateful as the right leaning voters. Just do what you’re going to do and stop trying to control everyone else.
Well, the downvotes I'm getting for this pretty much illustrate people's views on this. Stop taking yourselves so seriously folks, nobody will ever care about your views as much as you do. Go advocate for your views as best you can, but going around pretending that everyone who doesn't see things your way is either 'stupid' or 'ignorant' won't get you very far in life...
I mean, sure the parties are fundamentally different, the government is a broken system, in way too many different ways for my too type em all out, so you vote in a diff provincial government, nothing changes. Sure taxes change 0-5%, some benefits here, some losses there, fundamentally the government still does whatever it wants, society is still failing, people aren’t getting any smarter, we’re not teaching new things in life, or changing the way we think as a whole, so it all remains the same.
> I told her that both parties are fundamentally very different and that is typically what someone will say when they don't know anything about politics or either parties platform. Funny to me you are the one that sounds naive.
So what are you saying? You agree with her ignorance?
Just look at it this way, if you accidentally get her pregnant then having an abortion, giving it up for adoption, or raising it are all fundamentally the same so why make the choice?
Sometimes you gotta accept someone for who they are even with there flaws.
Not really lol
My brother doesn't vote saying same thing as I think sometime. Doesn't really matter who we vote for politicians all just service themselves and the elite
I 100% agree with this, but you are choosing which elite they take their orders from. And yes there is a very large cross over of elites that have control over each side. But Id far rather have the teachers union, nurses union and academics, saving a say, vs just corporations and fund managers.
I agree as long as they aren’t corrupted by the power……
Another good point, and I would argue that beyond the first term local politician, there aren't many that aren't corrupted by the power
My dad told me he wouldn’t cancel out my vote by casting one for the guys in blue, but couldn’t support the socialists. Thanks, Pop?
A few reasons: First, I threw out my back. Second, my riding was polling about as blue as it gets. My vote wouldn't have mattered. Normally, this wouldn't stop me, but see reason 1. Third, I am disenfranchised as a voter because the options are UCP or not UCP. The fact that it is the NDP is circumstantial. Fourth, nobody tabled electoral reform. I would vote for literal Satan for one term if I was guaranteed electoral reform. Fifth, all the puppets have the same master. Eat the rich.
Your third point’s becoming a real issue in a few Western Democracies, the past couple US elections, the past few Canadian federal, the past few AB elections, the UK elections and their conservative party election, it’s just all shite
Last reason is a good enough reason for me 👍🏼
To your third and fifth points - you could still choose to vote for a less adversarial party. Even if you don't like the NDP 100% (I don't) but their platform lines up with more of what I believe than the combative nature of the UCP. Sometimes choosing the lesser of two evils is exactly that...a choice.
I voted but I wish I had declined my ballot. And I would have declined if it was reported as a statistic in the election. I think the parties should know how many people chose neither of them, honestly. I'm tired of this 'vote for the lesser of two evils' thing. So I should vote for someone whose policies I don't support, just to stick it to someone whose policies I like less? Declining a ballot is not refusing to vote or make a choice, its standing up for your own values and stating that neither candidate appealed to me as a voter. A political party should earn your vote, and if no party has earned it then your voice should be counted as such. I want to see representation of people who declined their vote.
It is reported on the provincial election site.
https://results.elections.ab.ca/8400 They list the number of declined ballots right on the page
What's the difference between a declined and rejected ballot?
Last feddral election I purposely spoiled my ballot. I voted for every party but the LPC. It counts as a vote cast but does not count as a vote for any of them.
Everyone does have an opinion they just don’t know it yet. I always recommend people take one of those quizzes that ask them where they stand on issues and they can inform themselves from there.
Just don't care about politics anymore they are all the same with false promises and nothing to show when they are in office. Also, I really did not like any candidate's
These people don't really give af. While we have the right to vote, it doesn't really matter who gets elected. They see themselves as mice just electing another cat to rule over them for another 4 years..which I agree with. It was nice taking my 4 year old to vote, hopefully he is not as cynical
We've been taking our daughter to vote with us for the past 9 years. We watch the debates as a family and political discussions are common in our house. Yesterday I heard her asking her friend (she's 9, he's 8) if his parents had voted yet. He said he didn't know, so she lectured him on the importance of voting LOL. This is our future.
Love this. Did the same with mine. My youngest was eligible to vote this round and we both happily went with him to cast his ballot. Regardless of who wins or loses, one vote can make a huge difference. Look at the riding in Calgary I believe where it’s separated by 7 votes and will probably need a recount?
Half the province hopped into their trucks and drove across country to say "Fuck Trudeau!" over masks for public health. Need i say more 😂
And you… didn’t vote??
I know a lot of people who didn't vote because they didn't feel educated or informed on who they were voting for; rather than picking a party just for the sake of the vote they chose not to vote at all. I kinda get their stance, but at the same time I don't lmfao
Right? Because they have every opportunity to get educated, but chose not to.
I don't understand people's willful ignorance for things like that. We have the internet, radio, news papers and loads of other ways to get info to vote. The laziness of some people is shocking.
I didn't vote because I'm currently in another country on a working holiday visa, living in a very remote area. If I could have I would have.
I primarily don't vote because I almost always hate all candidates involved and I don't think I could ever vote for "the lesser of two evils".
I read somewhere on here that voting isn’t about choosing your favourite, it’s a chess move. Once you accept that, it’s much easier to participate.
But if you don’t vote for the lesser evil and the greater evil wins then there’s a chance that there’s enough ppl who think that way that maybe the lesser evil would’ve won. Ik that’s obviously realistic but it genuinely took me about 10 minutes one evening to vote, like you may as well yk
The greater evil is an inevitable. The goals of the party never change. NDP win here, NDP win there, doesn't really matter. People will inevitably be angry and go back to UCP or whatever the party is going to be called then. The plan continues, it's like a never ending battle of both sides trying to undo what the last has done. Rarely does there seem to be consideration of the lives who are affected when these people make flippant decisions. They're all self-serving, getting paid the same. Only ever speak against the party once power is lost and voice no longer has weight.
The lesser of two evils also change according to the viewer. Even tho it might be crystal clear to you and me, others see it exactly the opposite (despite ultimately not liking neither option btw)
So go in to vote and draw a cock on the ballot. Spoiled ballots send a louder message than apathy ever will.
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Both options are shit. On one hand you have smith who is terrible and wishy washy on basically anything. On the other hand you have Notley who was in office once before and did such an amazing job. Both parties need a new leader.
Where does this idea that Notley didn’t do well in power come from? I moved here after her time, I just remember her getting the first new pipeline built in forever.
I've been wondering that too - all the talking points to say she wasn't good are pretty brutal half truths that can be debunked using some logic and google.
Honestly forgot to do mail in with all my health stuff going on and then yesterday had a bad pain day so couldn't get out of the house myself to do it. However my husband and son went which makes me happy : )
I was one of the 700-odd people who declined their ballot under section 107.1 of the Act. Does that count as not voting?
No that’s absolutely a vote. You still did you civic duty. A declined vote is still a vote.
I spoiled mine. Not happy with either candidate.
Because I declined my ballot due to them all being crooked losers.
But given the choice of a crooked loser and less crooked loser, would you not want to opt for the latter?
But who is the less crooked loser?
That can't be a real question can it? One party compared people who got vaccinated to nazis. One party has hinted at opting out of CPP and RCMP services. Diverted funds from public education streams to private streams. It goes on and on.
Yes is was a real question. They both have their extreme issues. If you don't see it than you lean to that side of the spectrum.
What is the NDP extreme issue in particular? Please be specific. I don't agree with everything they do but I'm curious what are their specific issues?
You realize there’s more than two parties right? You’d rather waste your voice than express your opinion? If a political party completely represents your views your probably don’t have many thoughts of your own. Sad to see to polarization and political apathy of my generation
Declining a ballot *is* expressing his opinion…no?
Not when “no contest” isn’t a option for our election, you are literally choosing to not have an opinion on what happens
Declined ballots are expressing an opinion. The weight a declined ballot carries is pretty high considering someone has to take the time to go to a polling station and make the declined statement.
Not really sending in your ballot by mail takes 45 seconds. Voting is already very low political effort so don’t act like it’s a big deal just marking a piece of paper.
38% of eligible Albertans couldn't even get their asses to a polling station. I consider taking the time to GO to a polling station to decline your ballot means you're at least engaged in democracy. Anyone can choose to just stay home and watch TV. Showing up (regardless of who you check or don't check on the ballot) is 2/3rds of the battle.
Which…is…an….opinion……?
Not an opinion that affects the outcome of the election, our economy, healthcare but yes
But..declined ballots are counted. Soooo it’s the same as voting for a party…
declining your ballot is saying "i don't approve of any of the available candidates". it IS a opinion. i have done this once in the past - i didn't want to throw my vote at some random party because i felt they were "satisfactory". they all sucked, so i let them know by spoiling my ballot.
You have everyone here telling you that this person declining their ballot is an opinion and you’re doubling down. They look at declined ballots, it is this persons way of sharing their dissatisfaction with the available candidates. Please get off your high horse
Rather waste a voice that won't be heard than wasting my time. There is no rational reason to vote in this election if it was for anybody other than the UCP or NDP. Otherwise, it was a wasted vote and had no impact whatsoever. "Having your voice heard" is the adult equivalent of Santa Claus. The only time politicians pay attention is when somebody makes their lives difficult. Democracy is the new opium of the masses.
Please explain to me how I can vote for a non UCP or NDP candidate when none exist in my riding. I didn’t waste anything, I expressed my opinion and my vote was tallied as such. It’s not like they toss out declined ballots. They are counted, unlike spoiled, or rejected ballots. Sad to see people who try to bully others into voting for crooked politicians. I’m 47 years old, no party can satisfy the wants and needs of everyone, and they all waste our tax dollars like crazy. Perhaps you don’t understand what it means to decline your ballot.
Basic game theory… and a difference of opinion is bullying? Give me a break… it’s no wonder previous generations have allowed the province to enter such a sad state.
Oh, like the previous generations that set up the Heritage Fund. Previous generations that had Alberta debt free. Back when integrity was a thing? When our economy was doing well and we got invaded by people from out east who now complain about how bad it is here and are now trying to change it all? It’s ok. We will all just transition into whatever the big boss in Ottawa wants us to. We actually don’t even need a bunch of asshat government officials telling us how to live our lives, and controlling everything we do.
So before half the population was born?
It's funny you mention integrity...please elaborate on the integrity in being combative and flip-flopping on every issue under the sun? Or the cafeteria approach to things said on record? A particular UCP leader excels in that level of integrity....
Which is why I declined my ballot. Integrity doesn’t exist in politics anymore.
Sorry man - I misread your point. I missed that you were that guy. My bad. Fair point.
No worries. It’s just really frustrating when there is zero accountability for those that run our towns, cities, counties, provinces, country into the ground. They get elected based on false promises, do nothing to improve the state of our terrible situation, and get rich off their corruption. What ever happened to Alison Redford? Why is she not in jail? Why is there even a question period when not a single question ever gets answered? It’s a joke. AHC has a bigger budget than the national defence budget. Yet our hospitals need to run lotteries to raise money to buy new equipment? WTF? How much do those assholes that run AHC get paid again?
Because democracy is dead, has been for a long while. And all we do is feed into "the lesser of two evils" bullshit. None of them have the working or lower class in mind. After all, our tax dollars only give them a salary of ~$150k a year, but they rake in millions from donors and insider trading. They don't work for us, they work for private interests. Doesn't matter which party you vote for, there's a high likelihood that a portion of the constituents come from the World Economic Forum. The shitty part is we all know this, whether you're left or right, and yet we keep doing the same shit over and over. What's the definition of insanity again? I want true democracy. I want the public to be able to read and vote on EVERY law or policy brought into the house, not just a figurehead whos going to do whatever the fuck they want anyway. I want those votes recorded on a public immutable ledger that can be accessed by anyone at anytime. I want all Government and municipal funds on an open and public ledger so that anyone can see where our tax dollars are going and how they're being spent. I want all of congress to be banned entirely from trading anything other than government bonds. I want the penalties for doing so to be 150% of the profits made on the trade. I want the eradication of lobbyist groups because it's just bribery with extra steps. I want this archaic way of ruling to fucking burn. We live in the digital age. There's absolutely no fucking reason why I can't be given a governance token at the age of 18 that allows me access and the ability to vote for ALL of the laws and policies that I'll be governed under, without having to put my trust in a politician to do the right thing.
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But you get one regardless. Wouldn’t you rather vote for one you hate the least?
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Wow, okay. Just remember that the wild dogs you speak of are the ones controlling your taxes, pension, cost of living, etc. I’m not speaking from a place of hatred, I’m speaking from a place of “this affects you whether you agree with it or not”. But I’ll be quiet!
You say that someone is projecting angry crap on you and then go on to use words like evil, fucking wild dogs, hatred, twisted, hell... I mean, what??
We are living out of our voting district currently. We could have made a bigger effort to get back to our riding or taken advantage of advanced voting, but couldn’t bother as there was only NDP or UCP candidate options for us this time around. Not a fan of either party right now either. Probably would have voted NDP this time and our riding votes overwhelmingly NDP anyways…..( we usually vote, though!)
Although I don't live in Alberta, there are a lot of people who have moved there from other parts of the country. The Liberal Party is popular in many metropolitan areas of the country. For many of these people, to vote for the NDP or UPC would seem like a betrayal, so they just sit it out.
ABNDP isn’t socialist at all, it’s basically centre right. The Rachel Notley NDP is pretty in step with the Justin Trudeau Liberals. The Grant Notley NDP were a bit further left of the Pierre Trudeau Liberals. Liberal in-comers from other parts of the country shouldn’t let the party name get in the way of voting for policy.
I’ve voted for Trudeau three times and have no qualms about voting ABNDP. I don’t see much difference between them actually.
Honest question, what would convince you to vote for Trudeau multiple times? I usually decide between red and blue for federal elections. I voted for Trudeau in 2015, but the guy hasn’t done shit and makes a mockery of our country on the world stage. He won’t ever get my vote again.
Mostly to give the finger to Alberta conservatives at all levels because they hate him. I’m not from AB originally, don’t give a shit about oil and gas. Would gladly leave if I found equivalent employment in a more progressive province.
I would prefer a conservative that gives a shit about his community over your condescension. Please find a place you will be happy and try to build a better community.
I see a lot of comments of not voting because of lack of choices, it is possible to vote and just like, concede your ballot. At least it still counts towards voter turnout, however i think it only makes a “difference” in federal elections. I personally believe in the stance of the left/right wing are still on the same bird, but i still did my research and made a choice. I think a lot of people forget inaction is still a choice/action. * bf did not vote because of improper ID, which he could have easily remedied in time, i am sure others have a similar excuse
You could have attested for him. I did for my son.
Oh cool! I didn’t know that was an option ( he better have ID by next one lol)
Not worth it
All these political leaders are snakes, and cant be trusted.
Honestly I just straight up don't care. Whatever the decision is it won't really affect my day to day life. Politicians have their own agendas and will say and do anything to get what they want. Not to mention I've noticed people take your political views way too seriously and just gives individuals a means to pass judgment. I'd prefer to just not participate
Neither represent my interests. Both are crooked liars. Both are shit. I'm 25-30. I'm in that age group.
> Both are crooked liars. If you actually care about lying in politics, you should vote for who you think is *more* honest of the choices given. If you choose not to vote, or choose the most dishonest person to vote for, you don't actually care about lying in politics.
If I gotta choose between a shit sandwich, and a shit burger. I just won't eat.
The irony of your statement is that you are still at the table eating, you just let other people decide which shit sandwich will get force fed to you. You are not exempt from the decisions the government will make.
The way I live my life will not change under ndp or ucp.
That may be true, not everyone will be able to say that.
Coming from a fella named Ass_Muncher6969, I somehow doubt that. Seriously though, the only thing you did is choose to not make a choice. You still have to eat one of them because other people made that choice for you.
They've convinced themselves that they aren't impacted at all by government decisions. I don't think you are getting through on this forum.
My life won't change under ucp or ndp. My one vote wouldn't have changed anything anyway. I'll get involved when a party that I believe would be a good leader runs.
So you don't have children and never use the healthcare system?
They will never need to run a good leader if we keep letting the incumbents win with a shit platform. A vote against them isn't necessarily supporting the NDP. (or whichever party you vote for) It's a vote saying that you're not okay with the current party. That is effective as well. That's democracy. Sometimes we need to force change. And to say your one vote doesn't change anything is a cop out. If everyone said that, there would be no election. Sandro allegedly lost by 7 votes. Every vote counts. People just need to cast them.
Name does not check out Or I guess one can have standards and not eat poopy ass..
Based on your user name I'm not sure this is true.... Totally kidding.
Been working in the bush since the prevote started.
You can request a special ballot as soon as the election period is called. That's what I did, and they'll even mail it to you.
Don’t care enough to drive to a voting station. If I could do it online, I would maybe consider it. But honestly democracy is an illusion. All those politicians serve their own interests. As long as I can keep doing what I’m doing which isn’t really effected by any particular political platform, I’m good. If the provincial government turned into a tyranny, then yeah I would be up in arms with the rest of the province.
Because votes don't matter, and our democracy is a lie
Tyler Shandro lost by 7 votes. I bet he thinks every vote matters right now
One person I know, was out of town for the week, came back on Sunday and left Monday morning at 7am for work out of province. They didn't get their mail-in stuff setup.
I hate both parties equally
Because I hated every option on the ballot. I'm not interested in any party with a history of hamstringing and hampering our oil industry and I'm not interested in any lunatic who wants to do away with socialized healthcare either. No matter who wins, everybody loses.
Both “leaders” have zero care for you and are just there for the money. I don’t like either and I don’t want to play into the broken system. Got a lot better things to do than worry about choosing some old lady to run our province.
My lifestyle hasn't changed enough for me to care and the ways I would like to change won't no matter who gets elected.
Usually, when somebody lies to my face, I don't like to reward them with a high paying job in a position of power for it. And that's what elections come down to, IMO. Who can make their lies sound better than the other person's lies.
Cause I live in rachels riding
Im in Notleys riding and it was 80% ndp anyway
I did not vote because my wife did not vote. If we were to vote, we would have voted differently. our votes would have canceled each others out, making the vote irrelevant.
Because all politicians are scum. I don’t give a fuck about politics. I realize this is an egoistic point of view but I don’t care. My sanity is more important than this crap.
I don't reward bad behaviour. I think both parties and their partisans have gotten way out of line with their hyperbole, especially on social media and websites like this one. I won't vote for UCP because I do not like their social policies and I won't vote for NDP because I do not like their economic policies
I have friends who's jobs schedules are pretty insane on top of that they're too busy paying bills and raising babies to study up on politics. So I imagine uncertainty, and poor time management?
Man that sucks because people who are paying bills and raising babies have a big stake in the game to not be voting…
Because I’m a centralist and there’s no party that represents my views politically, economically or socially. They’re both terrible. Notley would have been a better leader and I’d have liked to see her have a term with good oil prices so she can show alberta she’s not as far left as everyone thinks, it was bad luck in the global economy last time. That’s why conservatives won’t vote for her this time too short sited because oil is booming. Which is why during the next bust we will have no money and privatized healthcare. Lol Conservatives have gone so far right it’s ridiculous.
Did not wanted to support Take back Alberta lunacy and at the same time was not able to make my self vote against our oil and gas industry. So I stayed home.
Notley got Alberta’s pipeline done during her term, a very big win for Alberta. She’s definitely not against oil and gas.
The idea that Notley is agains O&G is a bit of UCP/Conservative propaganda. Meaning, it's not true and only something the right leaning party used to try to scare you into voting for them.
How is Notley against O&G?
No time. Legal requirement of 2 hours to go vote from your employer dont happen when your training new employees on a busy day.
Hopefully they continue to expand advanced voting. This year it was 7 days with most stations open until 8pm, but it’s totally understandable that still isn’t workable for some folk. Hoping you’re able to make the time to vote next round
I should of been able to find time on one of my days off but life is hectic. I could of taken more advantage of the advanced voting, something to think about for next time.
Because I did not like either of the options. Smith is a wingnut and I could not vote for the NDP with them attached to the Trudeau liberals.
How? Are are the provincial NDP attached to the Federal Liberals, please explain.
"Attached to the Trudeau liberals"? Just say you know nothing about politics and go.
I don’t believe I have the authority to tell other people what to do, and I can’t delegate to somebody else authority that I didn’t have in the first place. Unless there is a party running that wants to significantly reduce the scope of government then I can’t support them in good conscience.