Voted

[sabotabby]

I have never seen lineups like this. It took an hour (I know that's nothing in the US, but in Canada that's a very long time—you're usually in and out in 5-10 minutes for advance polls). Also it's Easter, and raining. The poll workers were stressed but the mood in the lineup was quite cheerful and chatty.

You do not get a sticker or a lollipop and I think that needs to change.

Comments

[dissectionist]

We just went to ours and then turned around and came home. (Our voting is a 5-min walk from our house, so it doesn’t make sense to wait for 30-45 mins to vote; we’ll just try again later.) Usually we just walk right in!

[sabotabby]

I've never not been able to just walk right in. It's a good sign, though.

[naomikritzer]

Canadians don't get stickers??? DANG.

(I know some US states do something fancy and state-specific, but in mine it's the standard red sticker that just says "I Voted." You could gussy that up with a little maple leaf and have a Canadian version with minimal redesign!)

[sabotabby]

We used to get stickers! They stopped doing them for some reason. I think we should get stickers again though; it would increase turnout.

[redbird]

For historical reasons, in the US they're allowed to hand out "I voted" stickers, but not lollipops or hot dogs or anything else that might count as an incentive to voting.

So we get places offering the occasional Election Day special, like free donuts, but they can't check whether the customer voted before giving them the donut.

[sabotabby]

What if the stickers are the glitter kind?

It's so weird that Trump and Elon can hand out checks for a million dollars but you can't hand out lollipops.

[joymoose]

An elections Canada person was on The Big Story podcast and said there were stickers. I saw no stickers and feel robbed.

[sabotabby]

They lied. When I first got there they only had materials for one polling officer and they had to get on the phone and ask for more to be delivered.

[rafiwinters]

Here in the U.S. we are, or at least I am, wondering what will happen with your election. How do you think it's going to go?

[sabotabby]

I can't even speculate. Liberals are in majority territory, according to the polls, but a lot of people who will vote Tory don't want to admit that out loud. So I am still provisionally worried. I think the NDP will be crushed (not in the good Orange Crush way, in the bad "no official party status" way), but honestly they deserve it at this point for not being radical enough and suppressing the most politically progressive candidates.

It is clear that Trump's elections and policies have really hurt the Tories. PP established himself as in lock-step with Trump and represents the most radical end of the political spectrum. He's had to pivot and try to rebrand as less of an extremist, but this is challenging because he was very much an extremist a few months ago and people's memory isn't that short.

This all could turn out very well. The ideal scenario is usually a Liberal minority with the NDP holding the balance of power, but controversially, it might not be the ideal this time. What would be good is if the Tories are crushed so thoroughly that they need to do what no other far-right party in the Anglosphere has had to do, and shift the Overton window back towards the centre. This would cause a split in the party and we would once again end up with two right-wing parties, allowing a greater diversity of politics on the left as well. There's a non-zero chance that Poilievre loses his seat, which would also be great to see.

The bad outcome is that everyone is lying about who they're voting for, and/or Carney fails to stick the landing, and we end up with a Tory government. In which case, we are de facto the 51st state.

[ioplokon]

The people demand stickers!!

[sabotabby]

GLITTER STICKERS WHEN

[blogcutter]

Not sure how serious you are but honestly, in over 50 years of voting in Canadian elections (at all levels of government) I don't recall ONCE getting sticker or a lollypop or any form of prize whatsoever, nor do I want one!! Of course, it's possible I'm just getting old and forgetful ...

In my book, you should vote simply because it's the right thing to do, just like getting vaccinated, separating your garbage and recyclables, etc. Assuming you're eligible to vote, of course - if you're not, maybe chain yourself to the nearest railing, yell loudly and carry a big stick with an appropriate placard attached?

I plan to vote on election day and I'm hoping for sunshine and rainbows everywhere - but hold the lollipops, please!

[ioplokon]

The best way to get people to vote is for them to see and hear that other people have voted - particularly those in their community. That's the point of the stickers (also, fun!).

[sabotabby]

I am absolutely being silly, but I have gotten stickers at polls before! I remember we used to all get them and post Facebook selfies when we voted.

And yes, it's civic duty, but that clearly wasn't enough to get out the vote in the provincial election.

[kore]

In my book, you should vote simply because it's the right thing to do, just like getting vaccinated

//cries

[sovay]

You do not get a sticker or a lollipop and I think that needs to change.

You should totally get stickers!

May it do what you want it to.

[sabotabby]

Let's hope we can turn back the tide of fascism.

[radiantfracture]

What kind of a lollipop do you want?

[sabotabby]

I'm not even sure if I like lollipops. Do they come in lime? I like most lime things. I'd have given it to ioplokon anyway as a "sorry you can't vote" consolation prize.

[springheel_jack]

[ioplokon]

Cogito ergo votio?

[dagibbs]

My wait was just over 20 minutes -- and I agree that felt long. An hour seems very long.

[sabotabby]

It was very long! But everyone was in good spirits and very kind to the poll workers as far as I could see.

[china_shop]

Is it a paper ballot or electronic voting? Just curious (and paranoid).

[sabotabby]

Paper, which I also haven't seen in awhile.

[kore]

I hope hope hope for good news! The turnout sounds promising.

[sabotabby]

High turnouts are normally good for Team Not Fascist, so here's hoping.