Federal Election 2019

[Joe S.]

I walked to the polling station with the kids and the dog and I told the kids they don?t have to wait they can go home.

So the guy in front of me says ?why? Let the dog stay and vote I?m sure Trudeau would let the dog vote?

Huh?

 

[Frank E]

It's the first time I've voted by mail, and it was really easy.

I'll do that again.

 

[Joe S.]

I?ll never understand why they don?t have online voting. The turnout should be through the roof.

 

[Nik]

I?ll never understand why they don?t have online voting. The turnout should be through the roof.

There's at least one, maybe two generations of people for whom online voting would instantly mean elections could be "hacked" regardless of what safeguards are in place or verification systems are used. Just look at what we saw in the States with just some of the voting machines being computerized and what the nutjobs think that means.

Considering that those older voters tend to turnout in stronger numbers and would be least open to the idea...well, that's why we don't have it.

 

[Joe S.]

Yeah in the back of my head I knew that would be the reason, it?s unfortunate, but that?s reality.

But the last 2 municipal elections where I live (Ajax) had an online option, and if memory serves, voter turnout was almost 70%. I?d have to back and double check that, but that?s what I seem to remember.

 

[Bullfrog]

It's the first time I've voted by mail, and it was really easy.

I'll do that again.

Ya, my partner did that too. My polling station is literally a block away, so I just walked.

I'm always surprised by how ghetto the polling stations are. A bunch of retirees handing out 3" pencils and a piece of old newsprint for you to vote behind a cardboard fold-out.

 

[Frank E]

It's the first time I've voted by mail, and it was really easy.

I'll do that again.

Ya, my partner did that too. My polling station is literally a block away, so I just walked.

I'm always surprised by how ghetto the polling stations are. A bunch of retirees handing out 3" pencils and a piece of old newsprint for you to vote behind a cardboard fold-out.

My wife's mom works for Elections Canada (temp contract).

Apparently it is very challenging this election because of the short period, but also because they're not allowed to use schools and libraries this time due to COVID.

So yeah, there may be polling stations in weird places this round.

 

[herman]

Mine will be at a hotel

 

[Bullfrog]

Mine was at a community centre, which is where it usually is. But, election posters were taped on the wall with masking tape and were crooked. I mean, I guess it's not worth the money, but I just figured it'd be a bit classier, given its importance in our society.

 

[Highlander]

mine will be at the local Japanese Cultural Center in an orchard garden.  Funny but the  Japanese Cultural Center in St.Maarten is a house of ill repute. 

 

[Nik]

Mine was at a community centre, which is where it usually is. But, election posters were taped on the wall with masking tape and were crooked. I mean, I guess it's not worth the money, but I just figured it'd be a bit classier, given its importance in our society.

It's the omnipresent reality of government work. Things are dingy, people complain about how dingy they are. Things are nice, people ask why their tax dollars are paying for it.

 

[Zee]

I voted early for the first time ever. Figure I'd beat the rush. There was literally nobody there

 

[L K]

Finally got my election card.  I?m registered to vote in a completely different town with my advanced polling station even further away.  My wife votes at a place four blocks from my house. Why.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

Finally got my election card.  I?m registered to vote in a completely different town with my advanced polling station even further away.  My wife votes at a place four blocks from my house. Why.

We have 4 voters in our home and currently, only my 20 year old daughter and I have received our cards. My wife and my other daughter are still waiting. I didn't even look at my voting locations.

 

[L K]

Finally got my election card.  I?m registered to vote in a completely different town with my advanced polling station even further away.  My wife votes at a place four blocks from my house. Why.

We have 4 voters in our home and currently, only my 20 year old daughter and I have received our cards. My wife and my other daughter are still waiting. I didn't even look at my voting locations.

In fairness I do live in rural SW ontario so my different down is only 25 minutes away so it's not completely unreasonable as far as distance....my advanced polling location though is 45 minutes away from my house.  It's just silly when the local arena is a election site and that's just a few blocks away from my house.

I'm pretty sure I can still go do it there anyway as long as I bring ID.

 

[Bullfrog]

Mine was at a community centre, which is where it usually is. But, election posters were taped on the wall with masking tape and were crooked. I mean, I guess it's not worth the money, but I just figured it'd be a bit classier, given its importance in our society.

It's the omnipresent reality of government work. Things are dingy, people complain about how dingy they are. Things are nice, people ask why their tax dollars are paying for it.

That's a sad truth.
I've been considering running for City Council for a few years now, but I really don't know if I'm ready for the punishment. It's impossible to do a "good job".

 

[OldTimeHockey]

Mine was at a community centre, which is where it usually is. But, election posters were taped on the wall with masking tape and were crooked. I mean, I guess it's not worth the money, but I just figured it'd be a bit classier, given its importance in our society.

It's the omnipresent reality of government work. Things are dingy, people complain about how dingy they are. Things are nice, people ask why their tax dollars are paying for it.

That's a sad truth.
I've been considering running for City Council for a few years now, but I really don't know if I'm ready for the punishment. It's impossible to do a "good job".

It's a sacrifice to take on a role like that. Coaching youth hockey is similar. You know going in that there's  a good chance that a portion of the population(parents) is going to dislike your tactics and policies. I've always said that if everyone loves you, you're not doing your job.

 

[bustaheims]

That's a sad truth.
I've been considering running for City Council for a few years now, but I really don't know if I'm ready for the punishment. It's impossible to do a "good job".

That's a growing issue with politics. Not only is it impossible to do a "good job," your failings are blasted to everyone, everywhere. Why would anyone with real integrity want that when they can get more lucrative and similarly prestigious positions in the private sector?

 

[Nik]

Why would anyone with real integrity want that when they can get more lucrative and similarly prestigious positions in the private sector?

That's something I really do wish people understood. When I was a civil servant just about everyone who was in a senior position who left government work for the private sector would get way more money wherever they went. It was sort of a running joke amongst the people who stuck around.

I certainly wouldn't say everyone in government is great or anything but the vast majority of the people I know still in those roles are genuinely there because they believe in the job.

 

[bustaheims]

Why would anyone with real integrity want that when they can get more lucrative and similarly prestigious positions in the private sector?

That's something I really do wish people understood. When I was a civil servant just about everyone who was in a senior position who left government work for the private sector would get way more money wherever they went. It was sort of a running joke amongst the people who stuck around.

I certainly wouldn't say everyone in government is great or anything but the vast majority of the people I know still in those roles are genuinely there because they believe in the job.

Yeah, and that's on the bureaucratic side, where they get less public criticism aimed at them individually (unless they're near the top of the food chain). The civil servants definitely mostly believe in the job. The elected officials, on the other hand, I'm not so sure. I think those that really believed in the job would find ways to do the work that come with less unnecessary public scrutiny and partisan politics.