Advance polls ballyhoo may mean nothing at all

There has been much ballyhooing about the turnout at advance polls.

 

Details: http://bit.ly/1GGVNEw

3.6 million votes have been cast. 71 percent increase over same period last election. If you are Conservative this is proof that the base is mobilizing to ensure that Justin Reefer-Madness Trudeau does not get into power and swear in as PM wearing a niqab. If you are Liberal this is proof that young people are mobilizing to oust Stephen Nice-Hair Harper so that he is not able to turn Canada into a booze-and-drug-free police state. And if you are NDP this is proof that you are still in the race.

It is possible, though, that none of these are true and that the increased number voting at advanced polls has absolutely nothing to do with final total voter turnout.

When I was 18, you were only allowed to vote at advanced polls if you were going to be unable to vote on the election day. This system was in place to ensure that those who wanted to vote could vote. Now, though, the system is designed to make it easy for people to vote. They shouldn’t really be called “advanced polls” they should just be called… “polls.” Thus, it’s possible that the increase does not represent any new voters. Maybe it’s the same old tired group of old people who always vote except they are now voting in advance because it’s convenient, not because they have to.

We will not know until after the election if there is a change in voter turnout.

Election day is Monday. 

If you are Conservative I hope you are able to leave your house and vote, despite the threat to your safety lurking around every corner. 

If you are Liberal I hope you get straight long enough to even remember to vote and that an attack of the munchies doesn’t side track your trip to the polls with a trip to the Quickie for an Eat More bar (the best pothead candy bar by the way ... or so I've read). 

If you’re NDP I hope that you don’t miss the communal bus which will take you all to the polls together in absolute equal discomfort. 

And, if you are a Green I assume you will not be voting because the ballots are made of paper and paper comes from trees – this whole election is just a veiled big oil deforestation project. Get it? Veiled?