Friday, October 9, 2015

Friday Rant

We decided to take advantage of early voting to avoid 1) the rush on Election day and 2) the distinct chance the Conservative government will come up with a way to keep us from voting.

We arrived at the Early Voting station at about 2:45 and not only was the building full but there was a lineup of about 100 people outside. It took us almost an hour to get inside the door and another half hour or so to get to our table. I have known the poll clerk for over twenty five years but she still asked for my ID. I guess because she knew me I only had to show my Voter Information card and drivers license with my photo although the guy at the door said to have our information card and two pieces of ID ready. The whole process took almost an hour and a half. While we were in line I noticed two people walk up, say "to hell with this" and walk away.

This is how you discourage voters. The good news however was the guy at the door who we sort of know who told us there were many more young people turning up than they expected. Hopefully this is all bad news for Harper and his gang of Conservatives. People do not show up to support a government, they show up to defeat it. Fingers crossed!

14 comments:

  1. What a terrible, terrible country that they would make you show an ID to vote. How disgusting.

    ;)

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  2. We stood in line for only 30 minutes right at noon but was much longer hen we left.

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  3. Even at the grocery store they open up more check outs when they are backed up. I can't figure out why polling places can't make sure there are enough people running them so there aren't long lines. Unless, it is intentional.

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  4. To compound the problem they had only four tables and you had to wait for the person in front of you to identify themselves, get checked off the list, sign for the ballot, go to the booth, mark the ballot, return to the table and deposit the ballot before they would take the next person. The system is designed to be slow.

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    1. I don't believe this system is any different from past voting years. I seem to remember it always being a bit slow but still well worth the wait for the privilege, don't you agree? Not that I am a Conservative voter, but aren't there an awful lot of "Conservative conspiracy" theories out there?

      Just get out and vote, everyone, and be thankful that there are line-ups. It shows lots of interest, no matter who you vote for!!

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    2. You're right, this is the way Advance Polls have always worked. They are only allowed one ballot box and one table per 'voting area' but there have never been this many people trying to vote. It has really slowed things down and the unfortunate thing is, people get discouraged and leave without voting. And yes, it really matters who you vote for. That is really the only thing that matters. Vote NDP!

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  5. The good news is that there have been lines up everywhere around here. People want to vote and to make a change, well at least I hope so. We still have no place to vote and the correct voter cards have not been sent out yet. So I am going to take the existing incorrect polling station card and try to vote somewhere today.

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  6. Yes, we where in line for an hour and a quarter here in àst Thomas.

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  7. As if the conservatives would find a way to not let you vote?? Get real. Slow polling stations are probably unionized! You should be used to it.

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    1. High voter turnouts are bad for Conservatives. And poll workers are not in a union, they are mostly retirees trying to earn a few bucks.

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    2. High voter turnouts are bad for Conservatives.

      As true as it gets. I preach turn out as the way to win elections in every election. We have a Governor in my state who has won two terms on the back of 2/3 election numbers compared to Presidential years. In both elections he would have lost if all the regular Democrats had come out to vote. Yet the media would paint him as a champion.

      I was happy to see a liberal person win your national election yesterday, it is a good omen for my nation's election a year from now.

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    3. Canada's "Liberals" are not what you Americans think of as 'liberal' Canada has two right wing parties, the Conservatives and the Liberals. We belong to the only left leaning party, the New Democratic Party. The "Liberals" are known as 'Conservatives in red ties'. They campaign from the center-left and govern from the right. You can never trust a Liberal, they say whatever they have to to get elected fut follow through on very few of their promises.

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  8. I was using the little l for a reason. And your center right is still very liberal by Ohio standards. It is a fact that I would rather have Sanders as my next president but I'll be just tickled with Mrs. Clinton. A liberal she is not but she is also not a right wing wingnut like every soul who has raised their hand from the GOP seeking our national executive job. I consider myself a democratic socialist but I doubt at this point in the political pendulum's swing that someone as far to left as I am is electable at the national level. The media can say what it wants but Mr. Obama is hardy a lefty, a bit left of center but no leftist. Mrs. Clinton is of the same ilk. Your Mr. Trudeau and our current president will be fellow travelers, as I hope Mrs. Clinton will follow in a year's time. Maybe I should have just said, bravo on sending Mr. Harper home but things look a little different from here in Ohio, sending Mr. Harper on his way was a victory from my vantage on my little hillside in Ohio.

    As to what they promise: Mr. Obama said he would get us out of Afghanistan eight years ago. He ran on that promise and I hold it against him. Then we have to consider where we would be, if ether of the two men he ran against had won and where would we be now as far as war mongering? I'm a little less angry at his falsehood.

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    1. I agree with you on all your points Norm. Harper was very dangerous and pulled Canada into fighting in several wars alongside the US which really goes against Canadian values which tend more towards 'peacekeeping'.

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