In a recent discussion with my sister-in-law, she told me she was frustrated with the current state of the election. At the moment, her riding - Saskatoon-Humboldt, in this case - is considered a safe seat and an easy Conservative win. As a result, she says that there is little effort to try to win her vote, and the parties are effectively ignoring that riding in an effort to win swing votes in other areas, primarily in Eastern Canada.
She notes that she has not seen much effort from the candidates to meet people in her riding, and they haven't even tried to get their name out. She says that half of the candidates required an online search before she even knew who they were.
The frustration comes from two counts. One, as an informed voter, it is difficult for her to pick a candidate that will act in her riding's best interest. None of the candidates appear to be invested in the election. Two, it makes it appear that the votes of her and the other people in her riding are meaningless. The assumption that the election will be a walk for the Conservative party means that there is no attention being placed on that riding or the needs of the people in it. If candidates can't be bothered in an election, what will they do when they have the seat and are in government?
In that particular riding, the assumption of safety is an unfortunate one to make. In 2004, Saskatoon-Humboldt was a tight three way race, with under 500 votes separating first and third place. It is a riding which, with active candidates, could go in any direction. I was there during the 2004 election, and all three candidates made an effort to reach each corner of the riding. In 2011 that is no longer the case, and the assumption that it is a safe seat means the victor is a given.
What happens when a seat becomes viewed as safe it becomes difficult to find top shelf candidates and voters in the riding begin to feel as though their vote is pointless. While I have found a candidate and party here whom I feel comfortable voting for, what happens in a riding where you can't feel comfortable voting for anyone? It disconnects you from the process, and it makes you feel as though your vote and your views don't actually matter overall. If a party wins by a landslide every time, it had better be because they are doing a good job in that riding for their constituents, not because there is a distinct lack of available alternatives.
A close race is better for all parties, since the need to connect with the people gives them a better chance to learn what the main issues are for people in a riding and what people need. An indifferent populace is going to be less likely to get out to events, meet the candidates, and talk to them about what matters. If you believe your vote is irrelevant, there's no incentive to get involved.
Personally, I am not one to tell people who to choose, that's their decision. But I will say that whoever you vote for on May 2, it should be someone who you believe will work for you in Ottawa. The unfortunate fact is that in this province, there are people who feel as though none of their candidates would do so. That's the danger of a safe seat, and one that needs to be addressed before the entire province disconnects.
