I can understand, in a way, the mentality behind not voting. In our cretinous first-past-the-post system, the probability that your vote will actually make a difference is nigh on zero. The only situation where an individual's vote changes the outcome is if the results are a tie, or one vote away from a tie. This incredibly unlikely outcome is the ONLY instance where your vote counts.
Sadly, this issue is true of ALL electoral systems. One individual vote is negligible. However, in aggregate, they do count. Consider any one atom in Mount Everest. That one atom is insignificant, but collectively, they are all an amazing wonder of the world.
The "my vote doesn't count" idea only makes logical sense if no one else votes, otherwise it is an infantile cop-out. (So is the "there is no good party for which to vote" whinge. Really, then go out and form your own party OR better yet, make the other parties accountable. If 50 of your mates joined a local party, then you could determine who your riding candidate would be. )
Given three main parties, and a 40% voting rate, it is possible for one of the main parties to 'win' whilst having the support of less than 15% of the population. ONE FIFTH OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF NON-VOTERS.
Yes and this is true of any electoral system.
First-past-the-post systems may not be the ideal system, but there are problems with other systems such as the STV (single transferalbe vote), proportional rep, and so on.
For example, in the proportional system the votes are tallied and each party is allocated (to the nearest person, can't have 0.57 of a seat) a number of seats according to this proportion. The parties themselves decide who will make up their propertion of seats. So, under this system, the voters do NOT have a say in who will represent them. (Sometimes these types of systems have the party chose from a list, but still you, the voter, do NOT vote for your representative.)
This may not sound too bad, if you live in a small country. such as any country in Europe, save Russia. However, for large countries, like Canada, the USA, and so on, having a party chose the members, from ridings thousands of miles from where you live, would NOT go over very well.) AND you would find that the majority of those chosen will be party hacks, mostly drawn from the capital city region. AND which representative would be accountable to your riding??
Also , if 60% of the electorate decide not to vote, then the outcome is still determined by the 40% who do vote, just like first past the post.
STV is even worse. (Recounts would be a fricken nightmare!)
Come on non-voters, get out and vote. I know the odds are, that individually, your vote has practically zero chance of making a difference, but how many of you buy lottery tickets?
And please bear in mind that a lottery win is a selfish positive outcome, whereas we could all benefit from the 'lottery win' of a different political landscape.
Most of my pot-head friends don't vote, but I'm gonna be on their case. If I only persuade one person, it's a start.
Not voting is about as stupid as not bathing.
IMO your "pot-head" friends who don't vote are contributing to prohibition.
Demob baby 1946. I think they call us the baby boomers.
