After taking an introduction course in Political Science, I realize (even more) how democracy is failing in Western society. I can go on and on about what we could do and what we should be doing, but instead I will just encourage you guys to get involved in any way you can. If you’re in junior high or high school, I encourage you to do a mock election! It was quite successful at Lester B Pearson last year, with our city election and then our federal election. Calgarians have definitely been busy with politics!
In the next few weeks before the election date (which is on Monday, April 23), I am going to blog about each party that is currently running in the 2012 Alberta Elections. Keep checking this blog as I will be adding more links and information about the election!
I think it’s important to vote as an informed citizen… and please, try to avoid spoiling your ballot (even if you do it on purpose and dislike every party). Remember, in Canada we give money to parties who receive votes (something Harper wanted to abolish some time ago), so even if you don’t currently like any of the party leaders, at least support the party you sort of fit with.
Here are some quizzes that help determine where your political views stand:
The Political Compass gives you a general idea of where you stand and also provides a chart of where other leaders stand in the compass (like Stalin falls under communism and facism).
Politics Watch has a quiz that is Canadian based, so it can help you understand which party aligns with your vision.
CBC News has an official Alberta Votes 2012 quiz which actually keeps track of how many people took it. Currently a little over 26 000 people responded to the quiz!
Here are useful sites about the election:
I’m pretty sure Elections Alberta is the official site regarding the elections this year, so check it out if you have questions about where and how to vote!
The Election Almanac has some results from previous years!
Check out Vote Compass closer to election day, as they ahve a Vote Compass lens feature that frequently updates election results!
The following links will be any posts written by YAA staff regarding the election:
Anamjit has written a short and sweet post about why this provincial election will be the most exciting yet!
**EDIT**
Election-related events:
Momentum is holding a Provincial Elections Workshop on April 19 from 6-8 PM. They’ll give you the who, what, when, where, and how of voting! Email salimahk@momentum.org to register.
This website is a really great overview of where each party stands for different issues. Please visit this if you’re having troubles deciding on who to vote for!