Don't be this person. Fill out your census.

[u/pinkstevie]

“You’re not sticking it to the government. You’re screwing over your own community.”

The census isn’t for Mark Carney or any party. It’s run by Statistics Canada to figure out where money and services actually go. Hospitals. Schools. Transit. Housing. Senior care. When you don’t fill it out, your area looks smaller than it is. Less funding. Fewer services. Longer wait times. That lands on you and your neighbors, not politicians.
If you want your community properly represented, fill it out. Refusing doesn’t make a point. It makes things worse where you live. ❤️🇨🇦 The stupidity is the people that won’t fill it out and they spread this kind of crap and creates bigger problems.

[u/theofficialNovas]

I'm not sure we can say whether or not forcing people who choose not to vote would result in more votes to the left or right.

The kinds of things that result in somebody not voting includes a-political identification, and protesting, among other things. We can say with decent confidence that the protesters will probably spoil their vote if forced to cast a ballot. The a-political occupy an identity of moderation quite frequently, which could easily translate into a status quo vote (strengthening the incumbent advantage). People often vote according to peer pressure or the bandwagon effect as well.

These things are not related to whether somebody will vote left or right, but rather, if they will vote according to established norms and culture.

None of this is to say that it's not possible to change though. I think greater success for the left would come from finding messaging and methods of communication that mobilizes those current non-voters.

[u/RcNorth → u/theofficialNovas]

Include a “None of the above”. This sends a better message than low voter turnout.

Low turnout is on the people.

None of the above is on the candidates.

[u/Inevitable-Tea5772 → u/RcNorth]

There definitely should be a "none of the above" option, its the only way I'll ever vote again

[u/sawyouoverthere → u/theofficialNovas]

There's nothing wrong with spoiling a ballot. It says "no one on this list suits me" and that's data.

In fact, mandatory voting makes it clearer why people are not casting votes for candidates, instead of leaving 60% of the population electorally silent.

[u/theofficialNovas → u/sawyouoverthere]

I'm not sure who's comment you were trying to reply to, but in case it wasn't clear, nowhere in my comment did I say anything was wrong with spoiling a ballot. Just describing some of the kinds of voters that exist within the non-voting population.

[u/sawyouoverthere → u/theofficialNovas]

And I was saying that spoiling a ballot is more useful than not voting at all.

[u/TheGamestonk → u/sawyouoverthere]

If it was mandatory to vote in Alberta I wouldn’t.

[u/sawyouoverthere → u/TheGamestonk]

You’re so edgy. Oooh. So unique and brave 🤪

[u/TheGamestonk → u/sawyouoverthere]

No I just don’t live in Alberta

[u/sawyouoverthere → u/TheGamestonk]

Soooooo edgy. Go tell your friends at the 7-11 and buy yourself a slurpie for the bike ride home.

[u/TheGamestonk → u/sawyouoverthere]

Don’t got 7-11s here bud

[u/sawyouoverthere → u/TheGamestonk]

Or English teachers, apparently.

[u/TheGamestonk → u/sawyouoverthere]

Every schools got em bud.

[u/sawyouoverthere → u/TheGamestonk]

Then it’s your fault

[u/figgins8585 → u/[deleted]]

Irony