Just curious: Canadian DUers, how do you usually vote?

[Lucy Goosey]

I have voted NDP most often, but I've also cast ballots for the Greens and the Liberals. The only time I've worked on a political campaign was in 2004 when I lived in Ottawa Centre for Ed Broadbent (NDP). I'm now one riding east in Ottawa Vanier, a Liberal stronghold.

My Mom is from Alberta, and her family thinks we are all communists - Mom left Edmonton in '66 and became a Trudeau Maniac. She was quite the black sheep. She has voted Progressive Conservative since then, but she refuses to vote for the current iteration of the (Not Progressive) Conservatives. My Dad is a member of the Liberal Party.

[rationalcalgarian]

1. NDP

And living in Calgary, that makes me a bit of a pariah! But I have to support a party that, in its founding mandate, refused to accept corporate donations and continues to refuse them. This party is funded by the people only and continues to survive and be a pain in the ass to the far right Conservatives and center-right Liberals and their corporate sponsors. Gotta love it.

But the question arises: Do I want the NDP to govern? And the answer is no. The NDP is at its best as the third party holding the balance of power in a minority government because if we leave it up to the Liberals and Conservatives to make progressive decisions, it will be 1955 forever. When they have to make a deal with the NDP to get their own bills passed, good things happen. Like National Health Care.

[Posteritatis]

2. It depends a bit each election

Politically I'm usually in between the Liberals and NDP, and have been fairly happy on at least a local level with my representation under either. Between that and the fact that elections in my provincial and federal ridings are always close enough that each vote demonstrably matters, I feel kind of blessed that way.

I usually vote at least a little strategically because of that - I supported the Liberals in the last federal election to counteract the Conservatives, and voted NDP in the provincial one because I like near-parity situations in the provincial government. (Of course, the NDP demolished the other two parties, which I also won't argue much with.)

[Spazito]

3. Usually Liberal but will vote for the NDP candidate if it looks like...

they have a better chance at defeating the Cons when we are talking Federal elections. Provincially, before moving to harper-central Alberta, I usually voted NDP because they are the opposition to the Cons who are hiding under the cloak of the name "Liberal" when, in reality, they are simply re-tread Socreds (very conservative). I vote Liberal provincially in Alberta.

[Rainforestgoddess]

4. Liberal federally

I really like our MP - Keith Martin, and Green provincially, since the provincial liberal party in BC is very conservative.

[daleo]

5. My riding has the only Alberta non-Conservative

Who happens to be NDP. I voted for her, but if a Liberal happened to be a more viable candidate I would vote that way.

[Lucy Goosey]

6. Jaffer's former riding?

I was so happy when he got booted. Well done!

[daleo]

7. The very same

It will be interesting to see if Duncan can hold it. Harper will throw plenty of resources into the battle.

[Fallenserpent]

8. NDP

I've voted for them both provincially (Ontario) and federally. I've enjoyed the local MP's and MPP's, but have had issues with some of the leaders.

The reason I support the NDP is because they are the closest we have to social democrats in Canada. They are pro-union and pro-environment. Both things I feel strongly about. If they ever get into power with the current group of politicians I doubt they will live up to their ideals, but they would still be a huge improvement over the two current neo-liberal capitalist parties that get the majority of the votes.

Imagine the perma-smile of old Jack boy's face if he became Prime Minister.... to funny

[laundry_queen]

9. So far, I've voted for everything except Liberal

When I was young and stupid and still brainwashed from conservative Albertan parents I voted for Reform and PC. Moved to BC, found DU (although I had changed my views before then) and have since voted for NDP, Green Party and the Marijuana Party provincially(I must be the only person who has ever voted for that party that has never actually smoked the stuff, lmao). It was easy for me to vote whatever I wanted though because I was in a riding that was hardcore Conservative (Jay Hill). Now I'm back in Alberta, but in an area that has gone for other parties before, I will weigh my vote carefully. Whatever candidate has the best chance of beating the Con will be getting my vote.

[iverglas]

10. I could almost say that myself ;)

I was stripped of my first vote, in the 1972 federal, by a bit of corruption in the riding where I lived and was a student, where local election officers managed to keep quite a few students off the list. The MP was an NDPer from whom I was taking a course, and of course I would have voted for him.

In the next federal ... 1974, good grief, was this the first time I ever managed to vote and I did this?? -- I voted Progressive Conservative. I worked on the local NDP campaign, but it was a total no hoper, and I very much wanted to defeat Trudeau. "Wage and price controls", folks. And lies.

Since then, NDP, every election, every level, except the last Ontario provincial. No, I guess it was the 2003 Ontario. Again, worked on the NDP campaign, but it was just too important to get rid of Harris's Conservatives to risk splitting the local vote, where the Liberal vote was obviously stronger that time around (it's a swing riding at both levels).

I'd vote Liberal in the next federal in the same circumstances, but fortunately my riding is fairly comfortably NDP federally now -- so it will be the ones who vote Liberal here who will be responsible for splitting the vote, and for a Conservative win, should that happen. But hey, we'll still hear the Liberals telling people in my riding they have to vote Liberal to vote against Harris, even with a sitting NDP MP. It's just what they do.

Mind you, it might be the damned Green voters who manage to be the deciding factor in my riding, deluded idiots that they are (we've had known Conservatives run as Green here), and I might have to restrain myself from throwing rocks through the window of the house around the corner with the weeds and the Green sign sharing the lawn ...

[BolivarianHero]

16. Canadian Alliance (I remain ashamed) by "proxy" once...NDP since.

My mom voted how I told her to when I was 17 because I was more interested in politics than she was (first time she didn't votre Liberal).

I voted NDP in every provincial and federal election since and participated in a couple of campaigns. The one exception was 2008, because I had a jam-packed day and didn't want to shuffle things around to vote in a riding that's gone Liberal since the 1930s.

Municipally, I voted for Liberal incumbent in 2003, a loose-cannon libertarian in 2006 (when there was no incumbent or progressive candidate running for mayor), though I voted for every NDPer and left-wing Liberal on the council ballot), and Clive Doucet in 2010.

[iverglas]

18. "a riding that's gone Liberal since the 1930s"

So how long have you lived in * ?

;)

[BolivarianHero]

20. Ottawa-Vanier?

Since 2008. The election was a few weeks after I had moved.

And actually, this riding has never not gone Liberal since its creation. Its two predecessors, Russell and Ottawa, were Liberal since 1926 and 1889 respectively.

I feel like my vote won't count till we fix our electoral system. I'm sick of all the suburban fuckwads in 905 and lower mainland B.C. choosing my government.

[iverglas]

21. nuh uh?

I knew which one it was. ;)

And it did go Tory in the 30s, didn't it?

Ah, no, I was thinking provincial:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottawa%E2%80%94Vanier_%28provincial_electoral_district%29

and do you know, I didn't realize it had that 1955-71 PC reign. The power of the charismatic candidate, I guess. Also, the golden years of John Robarts and Bill Davis.

Yup, I wants me some electoral reform too. But definitely not that second-choice business. I want to be represented by my first choice, me.

[lightningandsnow]

11. NDP.

I've only been old enough to vote for one election (municipal), but I don't think I'm voting Liberal unless I somehow move to an area where the NDP gets almost no votes, the Conservatives are more batshit than average, and it's a Liberal/Conservative swing riding.

I'd vote Green if it was the right candidate, though.

[Bragi]

12. I support whoever is mostly likely to defeat the CPC

I'm closer in viewpoint to the NDP than the Liberals, but the most important thing I can do with my vote is support whoever is most likely to prevent the conservatives from winning my riding. I'm in an NDP riding now, and will therefore vote for them next election.

[polly7]

15. Ditto.

My vote goes to whoever can prevent the Cons from winning here too.

[HEyHEY]

13. I now vote for the candidate, not the party

Last election I voted for Heddy Fry and provincially for Bill Barisoff. Barisoff is a BC liberal, but a good guy. Heddy was a good choice in my neighbourhood as it was one of the useless NDP guys running there. Federal election before I voted NDP. So, it all depends on the candidate. I don't buy into that party shit anymore.

Good example is James Moore, he's a con, but voted in favour of Gay marriage an is really more of a red tory, the last liberal candidate in his riding was Lou Sekora, a total scumbag, "Suck at the public teet and fuck em" kind of guy.

[tuvor]

14. I vote for whatever best helps to keep the scariest party out. n/t

[Sandrine for you]

17. Bloq Québécois nt

[iverglas]

19. and provincially?

I knew Amir Khadir many years ago, and I guess if I were in Quebec I'd just have to hope I lived in his riding. ;)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qu%C3%A9bec_solidaire
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amir_Khadir

[Sandrine for you]

22. My députée is Agnès Maltais, and I vote for this lady.

but I like Khadir a lot.

[HEyHEY]

23. I did as a joke once

When I lived in Trois Riveries. There was no way anyone but Yves Rocheleau was taking that. So, I figured I'd be the first British Columbian to vote bloc.

[Sandrine for you]

24. Good one....nt

[Arrowhead2k1]

25. Liberal. I would vote NDP but

I don't want to throw my vote away in a highly competitive district between a Conservative MP and a Liberal MP. I'll take the Liberal MP over any Conservative any day.

[BolivarianHero]

26. What if the Liberal were Tom Wappel?

I can think of a dozen Tories I'd take over someone like that.