The Not So Big 40.

Yesterday was civic election day in Saskatoon.  Voter turnout was up this year, but only slightly.  In 2012 37 percent of eligible voters cast a ballot, while this year turnout was 40 percent.  But voter turnout was better here than in Regina, where voter turnout was only 20 percent this time. 

Civic politics is the level closest to the voter, but it never seems to interest a lot of voters around here.  Perhaps it's because there's not enough excitement, or because the issues don't seem as important as those in provincial or federal elections.  But it's worth remembering that not voting means you de facto voted for whoever wins.  Don't like Saskatoon's new Mayor, Charlie Clark?  Well, if you didn't vote you just made it that much easier for him to win. 

Even to the end some candidates were trying to get out the vote.  My mom had to answer the door two different times around 7 PM because of representatives of the candidates trying to encourage people to vote.  It wasn't needed in her case, as she and my dad both voted earlier in the day.  I voted as well.  Did you? 

Time To Vote.

Well, it will be in a hour.  For some reason they decided to open the polls at 9 AM.  In any case if you can vote in today's Saskatchewan provincial election please do so.  Of course you might be one of the 100 thousand some voters who've voted in advanced polls, so you've already done your duty.  And remember, if you don't vote please don't complain about the results.  Especially when you have a lot of choices this time around.

Vote, Saskatoon!

It's civic election day in Saskatoon.  As I write this the polls are just about to open.  You have until 8 PM tonight to vote.  So get out there and do it.  Just remember you can only vote once.  They tend to get a bit upset with people who come back for a second round.

Vote, Albertans.

If you live in Alberta please vote in your provincial election if you can.  Especially if it might keep the Wildrose lot out.  They sound like real charmers.

I Thought There Might Be A Loophole.

Under Canadian election law radio and TV stations can't broadcast election results until the polls have closed in the area they service.  The idea is to prevent voters from being unduly influenced by election results elsewhere in the country.  As a result the national CTV and CBC news channels are currently blocked here in Saskatchewan, where the polls won't close for just over an hour.  But the thought came to mind that the Sun News Channel might be accessable, since it's a new channel, and therefore whoever arranges such things might have missed it.  But it too is currently blocked. 

Frankly it wouldn't matter to me if I knew the results elsewhere in the country before I voted.  My mind isn't going to be changed on the day of the election.

Where Did You Vote?

In my case I can actually show you.  I voted at Saint Augustine Catholic elementary school, which was the subject of a post on my photoblog last year.  You'll only get a shot of the exterior, as I didn't think it appropriate to ask if taking photos of the actual voting was possible.  As noted voting takes place in the school's gym. 

I hope you got out to vote today if you had the chance, or voted in the advanced poll last week.  As always not voting means you defacto voted for whoever wins in your riding, no matter what you think of them. 

Toss Trost.

Pretty simple message here.  If you're going to vote in Saskatoon-Humboldt tomorrow don't vote for Brad Trost.  It's time for this guy to go back to the 1950s or whereever it is he came from.  We don't need the kind of sexist, anti-gay, outdated mindset he represents in our government.  So send him packing.

On The Horizon.

Here's some evidence that an election may be in our fairly immediate future:  We've received 2 mailings within a week from local MP Brad Trost.  Being a Conservative MP he may know something the rest of us don't, like Harper's election plans.

A Waste Of Time, His And Ours.

Some people just can't seem to get the point.  Former Reform and Canadian Alliance MP Jim Pankiw announced today that he plans to run as an independent in the next election.  The obvious question is why is he bothering.  Independent candidates virtually never get elected in Canada.  Pankiw himself is a good example, losing by some 2300 votes to my current MP, Conservative Brad Trost, in 2004, and then losing to Gerry Ritz in Battlefords-Lloydminster in 2006.  Those independents that have won have been highly popular as individuals.  That doesn't describe Pankiw.  It's quite obvious that Pankiw's election wins were because a significant percentage of those who voted for him were actually voting for the party he represented, not him personally, as a large percentage of that support disappeared with his becoming an independent. 

Pankiw of course claims he's going to win.  It would be silly for him to do otherwise.  But does he really believe it?  Or is it yet another gambit on his part to make sure people don't forget him?   I suspect that whatever his goal is Pankiw likes the sound of his own voice.  He no doubt will get some voters just on name recognition and his dubious views alone.  But actually winning is just not on.  So all he is doing is wasting everyone's time, including his own.

Pankiw's campaign includes a new website.  If you click on the link I take no responsibility for whatever negative effects it might have on you.

Vote, Saskatoon.

I really should have done this last night, or maybe Monday, but better late than never. Today is civic election day in Saskatoon, so vote if you can, Saskatonians. If you don't vote don't come crying to me if you don't like who was elected, because by not voting you in effect voted for whoever won.

Don't Forget...

...that if you're an adult Canadian tomorrow is the federal election. So get out there and vote. Those of you who don't vote without legitimate reason, please refrain from complaining about whoever gets elected until you actually vote.

It's Coming.

It's getting pretty obvious we'll be having a Canadian federal election soon. I saw a Stephen Harper ad, which I found rather eye rolling, on TSN tonight. You'd think the Conservatives could at least have waited until an election was called before annoying us with their stupid ads.

To The Polls.

Today is provincial election day in Saskatchewan, and I've already voted. Even though it was just past 9 I spent a while in line given that apparently others thought they'd beat the rush too by going early. Who did I vote for? None of your beeswax, folks. I can tell you I didn't vote for the Saskatchewan Marijuana Party, which isn't saying much.

Hopefully if you're a Saskatchewan resident and are eligable you're going to vote today, even if it's just to vote for who you least hate, or to keep a candidate you really don't like from winning.

For those interested in the mechanics of voting here we still use paper ballots. You mark your choice in the circle beside their name with an X and that's it. You vote for one candidate. And unlike some parts of the world elections are always on a weekday, never on a Sunday.

For those foreign visitors who've heard about the upcoming Canadian federal election and are curious about Canadian political parties here's a list. A big, long list. Frankly I'm amazed at the number of federal political parties there have been in Canada. Of course its not hard to get a few people together and call yourselves a political party. Actually running for office, let alone getting elected, is another matter.

Here's a little request folks. If your city, state, province, country or what have you is holding an election this year, please vote. Don't fall for the old "my vote doesn't make a difference" line. Enough people taking such a line in a district could have a major effect on who wins. Its a priviledge to be able to choose who will run things, and large chunks of people on this planet never get the chance. Don't deliberately throw away your chance, even if it means voting for the least objectionable choice where you live.

This blog has begun to appear on Google searches. Of course given that Google is behind Blogger.com you'd hope it would be.

As we say in Canada the writ has been dropped. Paul Martin called a federal election this afternoon for June 29. Given the scandals of the last few months this could be an interesting election. Of course a lot of what happens will depend in the end on how the voters feel once they walk into the voting both, whether enough of them trust the other parties to form a good government when they actually have to make that X on the ballot. People can say things to pollsters without having to worry about the effect it has. Actually voting is rather different. And four weeks gives the other party leaders plenty of time to say something stupid, or more likely have their candidates say something stupid, and screw things up, letting the Liberals win.

My prediction is that if the Liberals do win Paul Martin will be a one term Prime Minister. Either he'll get voted out the following election or find the stresses of government too much.

For those Americans who might read this I'll note that yes, in Canada we still use paper ballots that you mark with a pencil or pen. None of those weird ballot machines you guys use, no hanging chads and so forth. Of course what a specific ballot has marked on it can be disputed, but there's less room for arcane examinations that what happened in 2000 in places like Florida.