Voting matters, but too many still refuse to do it

I am of the school of belief that voting really does matter.

Periodically, and usually as on this just past Remembrance Day, we were reminded that many people gave lives and limbs to preserve our political system, way of life and right to vote.

Yet as recently as Oct. 5 in Windsor's Ward 7 byelection only 27.75 per cent of eligible voters cast ballots for one of a horde of candidates seeking that council seat. Indeed, of 18,589 eligible voters only 5,156 ballots were counted.

The successful candidate Jeewan Gill received 1,015 votes or 19.69 per cent of the votes cast. However, his victory represented only 5.46 per cent of those eligible to vote. Effectively Gill represents 929.5 eligible voter residents of Ward 7.

Essentially he was elected by one of 20 eligible voters. Congratulations naturally to Gill, but a sour pickle award goes to that overwhelming number of eligible Ward 7 voters who refrained from getting out and voting.

But then is this unusual?

Two Oct. 26 federal by-elections in Toronto had much the same level of turnout. In Toronto Centre, 31 per cent of eligible voters performed their civic responsibility, while in York Centre only 25.6 per cent of eligible voters made the effort. In Toronto Centre (largely east of Yonge and south of Bloor), the successful Liberal candidate outran a remarkable challenge by federal Green party's new leader Annamie Paul. This was the seat formerly held by federal Finance minister Bill Morneau.

In York Centre (surrounds the former Downsview airport), the Liberals won largely because Maxine Bernier extreme right wing supporters diverted 3.6 per cent of the vote from a prospective Conservative winner (Liberals 45.7 per cent and Conservatives 41.8 per cent).

In both federal by-elections, the Liberals retained both seats. But to me, what is most astonishing is that so many people did not vote.

I mentioned all this apparent voter indifference to democracy on our side of the border because of the relatively astounding turnout for the U.S. presidential election. Over the past four presidential elections (2004- 16) as a percentage of population voters have averaged 55.8 per cent turnout. In off-presidential election years for other U.S. federal representatives that percentage drops further.

This most recent U.S. presidential election thus stands as somewhat of a tribute. A turnout of 66.4 per cent of eligible American voters participated in that search for America's leader.

This was possibly the most consequential election in America since 1932 when Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt swamped incumbent Republican president Herbert Hoover (472 to 59 Electoral College votes).

The 2020 U.S. presidential election voter participation of 66.4 per cent of eligible voters was not as high as 1900 (73.2 per cent), but higher than any other election including 1904 (65.2 per cent) and 1908 (65.4 per cent).

Interestingly the 1932 Hoover-roosevelt contest attracted only 52.6 per cent of voters.

However, one question. In the ostensible paragon of democracy why did total turnout remain only two-thirds of eligible voters?

Or, by the same token, why was turnout so low in Windsor's Ward 7 byelection and the two Toronto federal by-elections?

While I have always opposed it, some countries have compulsory voting (Australia, Luxembourg, Uruguay, Costa Rica and Belgium), although few enforce voting with sanctions.

Ironically mandatory voting can be viewed as undemocratic. Thus because voting is a right that you may choose to exercise or not exercise, respect for the right (or some would argue, the privilege) is essential.

But why do so many people take their fundamental right so casually?

Each year on Nov. 11, we are reminded that thousands of Canadians died to preserve, among other things, our right to vote. Have we as beneficiaries of that sacrifice become blasé about that blood-earned right?

COVID-19 reticence might offer some modest explanation, but that seems not to have mattered to many Americans. So are we convinced politicians “are all alike?” To some extent that has been an issue in several provincial elections. Or are we just too busy or preoccupied?

Whatever the answers, it is truly a shame that so many people can't be bothered to vote and convey their hard-earned, but often casually dismissed rights.