Because it's election day and all...

[electricland]

Fellow Canadians: go vote! (I did. Getting my annual post-Thanksgiving cold has proved useful in terms of getting things done around my neighbourhood.)

Back with me? Excellent. If you read a lot of blogs, as I do, and a number of them are American, you tend to come across the concept of "registered Republicans" and "registered Democrats" and "registered independents" a lot. It seems to be quite central to a lot of USians' political lives, to the extent that when the news on the vandalism in Parkdale-High Park and St. Paul's (which, in case you weren't sure, was TOTALLY UNCOOL in every way) hit south of the border, I saw at least one commenter from the US refer to the victims as "registered Liberals". (They may or may not have been, but they all had Liberal lawn signs.)

To me, this concept is a little bizarre. In my world, you show up at your polling place on voting day, you mark your ballot for your favourite candidate, and that's it. If you wish, you may choose to display a lawn sign for one or more candidates or volunteer for a candidate, but there's no insistence on you being officially a member of their party. Certainly there are registered party members in this country, and they play a huge role in choosing party leaders and so on, so more power to them. But I'm not a registered member of any party, and I'm not sure I actually know anyone who is (other than politicians). It just doesn't come up in discussion. On the other hand, maybe I'm just oblivious to the true state of affairs -- it's certainly happened before.

Clearly a highly scientific and not remotely self-selecting poll is called for!

[Poll #1278521]

In other news, Scalzi's post about the many ways USians can turn out unable to vote makes me so happy to be Canadian. *hugs Elections Canada*

Comments

[lietya.livejournal.com]

As you've no doubt figured out, one reason is that at least some states demand party registration before someone can vote in the primaries (which is when the candidates are chosen, as with the battle between Obama and Clinton).

But really this is just an excuse to say that while I'm listed as one, I'm not a Democrat. ;) My state IS one of those which limits primaries, and I want to vote in them enough that I gave up and registered Democrat. I used to be "unaffiliated," which come to think of it is probably still not quite the same thing as what you mean by the word - it meant I still checked a box on my voter registration form*, but one which indicated no commitment to any political party.


*if you're curious, it's here : http://www.ct.gov/sots/LIB/sots/ElectionServices/ElectForms/electforms/ed671.pdf

edited to fix typographical weirdness

[cretkid.livejournal.com]

I'm registered as an Independent, but I tend to vote for the candidate that suits my inclinations at the time of voting. I've gone both Democratic and Republican (and I was seriously thinking Republican this go around until McCain picked that twit as a running mate.. I may still go that way).

I'm more invested in local elections than the national one.

[gurudata.livejournal.com]

Hiho,

I'm not currently a member of any party, but I have been in the past. Three times, for two different parties. That would probably never fly in the US!

CU,
Andrew