A critique on voting turnouts
Let’s talk about voting. Or, more specifically, let’s talk about not voting. Because, frankly, that’s likely what you did.
45 per cent of the citizens of the municipality of Guelph voted in last week’s election that elected Cam Guthrie. Since this is 11 per cent over the voter turnout of the previous election – which was barely over 34 per cent – everyone is thrilled. That is a huge jump, and shows a positive trend in political awareness in Guelph. But I can’t help but be a bit disappointed. As a student, for whom percentages are what confirm that I do, in fact, deserve to be here, I look at a 45 per cent as a failure. 45 per cent is not a pass. 45 per cent is a “nice-try-not-quite-gonna-have-to-retake-that-one.”
Why have we settled for a failure of a voter turnout?
Toronto’s election – in which John Tory was elected – had a voter turnout of 60 per cent, and the Toronto Star reported that “Voter Turnout Rocket in Toronto” and went on to say that “voters flocked to the ballot boxes.” A 60 is a C-. “Flocked” is a verb that more accurately describes the reaction university students have to the words “free food” than a two-to-three voting ratio. We can do better.
So you didn’t vote. Why not?
1. I didn’t know who to vote for.
That’s easily remedied with a Google search. Do that.
2. I didn’t like any of them.
Then spoil your ballot. It says “I came for the purpose of telling you that I am not happy” and that is a very powerful statement.
3. I don’t really care, they don’t do anything anyway.
I’m sorry you feel that way. They do.
Not voting shows apathy and honestly; apathy is a political position. We have a bad case of apathy. We have a problem with laziness. We have an issue with inertia. We’re complacent and unwilling to make the effort to perform what the generations before us considered a civic duty. It is easy not to care. Do we need a crusader for change whose charisma inspires us to care, or just someone who is clearly incompetent and forces us to vote for fear of the future?
People fight for the right to vote. We, who have it, don’t bother to use it. Though it is clichéd to say, it is true; voting isn’t just a democratic right, it’s a democratic obligation. And currently, only 45 per cent of us can be bothered to feel obligated.