Tag Archives: Election

It's election time again. As we all should know, there is a Federal Election on October 19, 2015.

In 2011, the voter turnout was 61.4%. This means that 38.6% of the eligible voters did not exercise their right to vote.

2011 votes

Looking at the graph above, we can see that the Conservative party won the election with 39.6%. If the number of voters who didn't vote in the election were considered a political party, they would have been the official opposition. If 1% of the voters who voted for the conservatives voted for this new party, this new party would have won the election! If 2% of any of the other parties voted for this new party...they would have won the election!

The scenario listed above illustrates what happens when people don't vote.  What this doesn't discuss is who isn't voting. Lower voter turnouts usually indicate that young voters didn't vote. Many of our members fall into the category of young voters.

We also have many members who work continuous shifts. Many of our members also work far away from home.

The main reason why our members don't vote is simple....we're working!

The hard part for our membership is that the current government has changed many of the rules that govern how people in Canada can vote. Many of our members will be away from their homes on Election day.... and that will make it far harder for our members to exercise their right.

Elections Canada has provided the option to use of what is called a "Special Ballot". This ballot can be filled out online or downloaded from the Elections Canada website. This will allow the member to download the required form which needs to be filled out and either brought to the member's local Elections Canada office or returned to the local Elections Canada office by mail. Returning the form to the local Elections Canada office will allow the member to vote at the office. The mailing from the Elections office will include a ballot and a return envelope and will allow the member to return the ballot through the mail. These ballots must be in the Elections Office by no later than the Tuesday prior to the election. Since we're including Canada post in the equation, the member needs to make sure to allow enough time for the package to arrive and be returned.

 

Please take the time to vote!!!