A Brief Message from Niagara At Large
The advanced polls for the federal election have already opened in every riding across the country this Canadian Thanksgiving weekend so if you don’t think you can make it to your polling station on election day this coming October 19th, take advantage of them.
We have had some pretty unimpressive voter turnouts during the last few federal elections in this country. In 2011, the Harper government won a majority – enough to give it a free hand to do virtually anything it wanted to over the past four years – with only 61 per cent of those eligible to vote across the country actually casting a ballot and barely 40 per cent of them voting for Harper’s Conservatives.
Image courtesy of Niagara, Ontario artist Julia Blushak
Only 39 per cent of young people between the ages of 18 and 24 bothered to vote in the 2011 election, leaving little wonder why candidates running for office spend far less time addressing issues affecting younger people than they do on issues affecting people in their middle years and seniors.
But here is the hopeful news. Past elections show that the larger the voter turnout, the more likely it is that there will be a change in government, meaning in this case that the Harper government would go. So do yourselves and the country a favour people. Get out there and vote!
Here is some information from Elections Canada on advanced polls –
Vote on advance voting days
There are four advance voting days. Polls are open from noon to 8:00 p.m.
- Friday, October 9
- Saturday, October 10
- Sunday, October 11
- Monday, October 12
Your voter information card tells you the address of your advance polling place. You can also find it in the Voter Information Service.
Visit Niagara At Large at www.niagaraatlarge.com for more news and commentary for and from the greater bi-national Niagara region.
(NOW IT IS YOUR TURN. Niagara At Large encourages you to share your views on this post. A reminder that we only post comments by individuals who share their first and last name with them.)
Niagara At Large 
There was a huge turn out ay my advance polling station. That gives me hope that others are also fed up.
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Lots at mine too. It may very well turn out to be a record percentage of voters this time, unless it just translates into fewer attending on October 19th. Time will tell. Certainly there is enough motivation for people to get out and engage in the privilege, with hopefully more young people recognizing the need for their participation.
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