Tuesday, October 14, 2008

My Electoral Paradox

With today being the Federal Election, obviously I have to go cast my vote after work. However, my choice is not as simple as voting for the candidate who I think would be best to lead Canada.

Because of our system of government, the choice in my riding comes down to voting between the NDP and Liberal candidates. The Conservative candidate has always been a lost cause in this riding...I don't even know who it is this year (not like I'd vote for them anyway). As for Green...ask me again in 10 years when they might actually be viable as a party.

And this is where my Electoral Paradox comes in. My preference is to vote for Olivia Chow, the NDP candidate. But, if I do that, I am voting against a Liberal, Christine Innes, with a good chance of winning, thus (theoretically) weakening the Liberals' numbers. So for me, a vote for the NDP is a vote for the Conservatives and sweater boy. And I can't be a part of that.

[Of course, if I vote for Innes, then I'm voting for the Liberals...and Stephane Dion. Ugh. He exites me about as much as the propects of getting a colonoscopy.]

So that's my conundrum, which is probably similar to what everyone else is facing today (well...the 65% of us, that is).

It probably doesn't really matter though. We all know that the zombies will be coming for us shortly...

4 comments:

bonners said...

I was one of the 59% of the people that voted yesterday.

However, I find it loathsome (yes, loathsome)to see

a) 8 different candidates on the ballot. Note to Animal Alliance Environment Voters, Communist, and Marxist-Leninist parties - get a life.

b) The guy who got re-elected in my riding hasn't been seen or heard from since the last election but won handily.

Anonymous said...

Chris,

Perhaps Dion can perform the colonoscopy on you.....

Anonymous said...

I voted for Obama.

Tube Reader said...

Chris, I hear you. The only person I would have been truly happy to vote for is Guy Carbonneau.

My strategy though when I vote is to think of the $1,75 that my vote gives to the party I vote for. It makes voting for the Animal Alliance Environment Voters party more meaningful.