I was reading today that it might be another two weeks before Iraqi’s know the outcome of their election. While they wait, tensions between groups build, and a bomber killed 100 people today. We’ve become desensitized, and I for one cannot be comfortable  assuming I’m going to wake up and read about more bombings in Iraq.

While the Iraq people wait for their election results Canadians are voting January 23rd.
A friend and I met at my office (Tim Horton’s:^) and got into a discussion about strategic voting. My own family doesn’t know what I vote, only that I do. I’m happy to mix it up with anyone who has trotted off to the voting station, but at the end of the day and the discussion, how I vote is my business.

Having said that there is an excellent post at Blogs Canada E-group about strategic voting. It’s laid out with good hypotheticals, and I find the comments very interesting.

…I also think that Canadians are more or less resigned to the fact that we will see minority governments as long as the BQ remains as strong as it is.

Can’t argue with that.

…When will this country step into the twentieth century and move to some form of proportional representation?

Not any time soon.

Jay Currie made some good points.

…Given the choices what many people seem to be doing is voting to avoid the outcome they least like on a national and local level. Robert Heinlein pointed out that while there may not be a party or a candidate you want to vote for, there is almost certainly one which you want to vote against. 

The idea of a “protest vote” - Green/Christian Heritage/Trotskyite - is a strategy of a different kind.

So is the reflection of a comedian whose name I forget, “I never vote, voting only encourages them.”

At a minimum 40% of the eligible voters in Canada will not vote which, if politicians were actually paying attention, should suggest that none of them are getting it right.

Weather is going to be a factor, weather is always a factor in this country, and it merely matches the cynicism. I think 40% is low ball.

…Its not up to the voter to STRATEGIZE the vote, but to vote what they support.

What also strikes me is that there isn’t a lot of chatter under that post.  It isn’t written in a wonky way, it’s accessible and understandable. Usually people talk back when they aren’t being talked down to or ‘over.’ It’s a bit close to an election for all that silence.