The Vote

Remember that scene in Napoleon Dynamite, when Pedro's campaign starts, and people kind of just stare at him?  Then the election day comes and Napoleon breaks out some stellar moves in front of the school.  Why can't all election campaigns be that simple?

I don't usually wonder into the political realm, but I feel as though I would be leading people astray in some weird sense of the the word, if I didn't encourage fellow Canadians to seriously consider getting out in May to vote.  So I dedicate this post to all those who are 'on the fence' and I hope to sway you towards getting out to the polls this Spring.

We have entered election time, the buses and planes that carry the campaigners around our country are burning up diesel and jet fuel as we speak.  The estimated cost of the election is around, well I'm not totally sure but it can't be found at the dollar store.  The attack commercials against each party have been rolled out and leadership is starting to get asked some fairly tough questions.

There are a lot of contentious items being debated and promised in this campaign.  New fighter jets for our military, which we do actually need, tax cuts for various income levels, freezing tuition costs, legalizing items and events that are currently illegal, and the list continues.  Someone should offer bloggers a tax credit for every vote the generate, good idea?

Regardless of your loyalty to any party, there is one thing that each person of legal age and citizenship has in common, we can vote.  Now I admit this with some shame and some trepidation, I did not vote at the last provincial election.  I have various good excuses, but probably none of them are valid nor will they stand up to the numbers when we look at who did vote in our province, but I admit it none the less.

I want to encourage each person who can vote, to do so.  We have the freedom to vote, just as we have the freedom of speech and practice of religion and the choice to home school or not.  Why would we take it lightly and just say, who cares?  It's your freedom, exercise it.

Here's a short list of why you need to get out and vote.

1. You may be the deciding vote.  In the last election there were a few ridings that came within a couple of votes of a given number to establish a recount, maybe yours was one of the needed votes.  Maybe yours was one of the votes that would have kept a recount from happening.

2.  You have a say in what bills pass and which ones fail.  It's a stretch but it's the truth, when you vote in the leadership of this country, you take up arms with them and champion what they stand for.  We can't hope to accomplish anything by sitting at home and watching the election, we need to participate.

3.  You gain the right to complain.  Yes I know, complaining is childish, but it can also relieve stress, or build it as well.  If you don't vote and then you complain about the way a party is acting, you have no say, or in the very least no platform from which to voice your opinion.  Those who do vote can take up their soap boxes and shout it from the rooftops, I voted and this government is not acting properly.

4.  You become distinctively Canadian, or whatever nationality you are when you vote in an election.  I know someone who has never once voted, not for mayor, not for provincial parliament, not for our Prime Minister, not even for student council when we were in high school, poor Padro.  He has never even been to a ballot office, and I consider him an incomplete Canadian.  When we vote, I believe, it gives us more distinction of our nationality, we can relate to others, claim victory or defeat with our chosen party, and stand up for our countries rights and freedoms.  It is simply my opinion, but I believe voting distinguishes us as Canadian in our election process, if you're a citizen you have the right to vote, if you choose not to, you are not fully living up to your roll as a citizen, so in my basic theory of it, you are incomplete in your citizenship.  Kind of like having a car with no mirrors.  The car is there, just not completely.

5.  You have power.  Ok so this one has basically been said already, but some of us like power, so go out and vote, it'll give you a little more.

There are many other reasons, and maybe you have your own, but I challenge you to get out and vote this year.  Maybe it'll be your first time, maybe you've voted at every possible election in the past.  Just get out and vote.  Let's bring a party into power to lead our country.