10:44 ET: CTV HAS JUST CALLED CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY
Observations, turn out at your polling stations – anything that’s legal and directly related to today’s voting. Not a debate or link dump thread, please. (Bumped)
Update: Sun News Livestream is now up. Tonight’s the night we also find out if the “election about nothing that captured the imagination of Canadians” meme is real – or just louder chatter from within the media-junkie echo chamber. I’m sort of leaning towards the latter, but I reserve the right to be wrong.
Update – Polls are closed in the east. LOL.. this is funny. It’s like wartime code… “My orange soda is fizzy…” #tweettheresults is trending right behind #Osama, worldwide. Whoa – 9:32 ET trending above.
Breaking… in one of the most unexpected feints in the history of the Elections Act, thousands of Canadians abandon social media and return to Usenet… developing…
Parkdale-High Park, phone calls to Lib supporters saying Polling Station has been moved. NDP wouldn’t do this?? Like hell they wouldn’t. CPC Canditate doesn’t have a chance there, so NDP has to be doing it.
Out here in rural Manitoba things were slow but steady. No worries anyway as Vic Toews won by 13000+ votes last time. Still want to prop up those Conservative numbers. Hoping the vote split will finally work to our advantage so I can watch progressive heads explode as Harper gets his majority.
This news headline is in the G&M.
“Turnout is key, especially for the NDP” Does this break the eloection canada laws on political adverizing on election day or is elections canada only worried about the Newfie kids on twitter?
Just voted for incumbent CPC Ed Holder in London West. Very quiet, no lines. Every vote matters.
Still couldn’t find a BQ candidate on the slate in Regina…guess I’ll have to vote for a NATIONAL representative.
Posted by Grok @ 1:43 “Opp’n will just turn their hateful and lying propaganda machine against whoever it is”
The Left is the MEDIA. The advent of & Sun News, the dominance of social media & sites like SDA has changed the game.
This election & the Conservative Majority I predict is the “end of the beginning” for the Left as represented by, er….. the MEDIA.
My polling station is in the school next to my apartment building, so it was most convenient to get my voting done first thing. I was doubly disappointed, though, not only was there no prize for being the first one there, but they reneged on the promise posted on a sign at the school door: “Tobacco free zone” – turns out there was no free tobacco either.
Just voted, a riding in rural Sask. This riding has been solid blue since the Reform days so can’t see it changing. Business was slow but steady. Two of the names on the ballot I had never heard of and I heard at least one other voter make the same comment. Don’t know whether they were pylon candidates or from the other side of the riding. During the campaign I received literature from only one candidate.
Don’t get SunTV news so may have to listen to results on TalkRadio tonight rather then watch the biased CBC coverage.In the meantime I’ll pray for a CPC majority.
Voted in the rain. Activity in the polling station was moderate. Polling station manager said it was busier during the advance polls. I asked the scrutineers how they verified Canadian citizenship (I had presented my passport), pointing out that anybody can get a drivers license, The answer was that only Canadian citizens are on the voters list, so if you got a voter card and you’re on the list, you must be a Canadian citizen. Does everybody believe that?
Voted in Langford early this morning (a district of Victoria), no lineup but steady coming and going. Odd thing, maybe I just didn’t notice last time but, they provided a pencil to mark the ballot with. I thought it had to be indelible, a pen. Anybody know any different? Not that the left would cheat of course.
Vίt: Just noticed now that CBC will start broadcasting results after 9 PM EDT. Which is good. I’ll get at least two periods of hockey in before changing the channel. 🙂
Off to vote now … in Hedy Fry’s Vancouver Centre riding. Enough said. 🙁
karenc I don’t know for sure but before EC staff put the ballot in. This time I did as usual and they called me back to put it in the box. I mentioned the difference and the gentleman said ‘we like you to do it yourself.’ I think they changed or trained better this go.
Prediction – No, not numbers, rather if the CPC gets the majority, for the next four years our ‘Media’ will harp on and on and on about seat vs. vote representation. The Greens should get so many seats because Lizzy’s team got n votes. Harper should only have n seats because he the CPC got only so many votes. The NDPs should have n seats, etc.
Cover your ears folks.
@Maureen – I had the same thing happen. I showed my passport first and was told it didn’t prove residency. I told her that a DL doesn’t prove eligibility. Got a shrug for my troubles.
I did discover that both the Libs and Dips were running in Calgary Southeast when I saw my ballot. Throughout the campaign, there weren’t any signs that I saw, no junk shoved in my mailbox, nothing. Neither have a hope of winning but they could have at least pretended they had campaigns going.
I voted around 2pm ast. Very quiet at the time. I live in a district founded and still populated by the descendants of Loyalists. The place voted Liberal once during the Mulroney destruction but has always been conservative prior and since. Three to one ratio of Conservatives to Liberals in the last federal vote.
Nearly deserted poll in suburban Vancouver at 8am.
Calgary West, light turnout at the poll — mostly retirees I expect, at about 10:00 AM. All quiet on the western front.
I asked at a CBC thread why they had no picture of the PM but I was happy to see the picture of a one Province sepratiste and Ig and Jack.
CBC You Don’t Live Here.
Voted in Blackstrap @ 10:45. Only one ahead of me.
My poll was at Senior Citizen Centre (only a single poll there in spite of vast space), but noticed Rec Centre also had a sign as a voting venue.
Way to hold down the costs, EC!!
Speedy I must have you wrong. I don’t get you man. Was there a troll named Speedy once? Anyway if you can say “CBC you don’t live here” You’re ok with me.
Maureen I sympathize with you concern!
My family are new Canadians, so we pay attention to such things.
My brother did not receive a VIC as he just turned 18 (don’t worry, his brain was yet to be fried, he voted Tory). He showed his driver’s license and health card, nobody wanted to see PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP!
I talked to EC Canada about the issue and it turns out that they really have no mandate to prevent fraud and they hope the threat of fine and jail time are a sufficient deterrent.
As someone who comes from a law abiding family of new Canadians, I get pissed off when I find out how easy it is to defraud the system.
On another note, when I voted, they REFUSED to see my ID… for the deputy RO the VIC card was sufficient grounds for voting. I saw a bunch of them in my building’s trash just after they were delivered. My chief RO’s office confirmed that the problem occurred and has been fixed (it was during advanced polling days).
Any ideas on how I should pursue my complaint further?
jethro, “the lady at the table said, “a lot of folks from (my suburb name) voting today”. I asked, wouldn’t this entire poll be from (my suburb name)?”
In theory you’re right, but it depends on how ACORN types and transient students show up.
Somewhat busy at my Calgary Southeast station. Lined up before they opened with about 10 others. Further to the Canadian residency discussions I asked a somewhat related question and was told that taking an oath was sufficient to get on the voters list on-the-spot. Oath + ID and “here’s your ballot.” You don’t even need to have ID which supports/corresponds with the riding you’re voting in because someone else can make a declaration on your behalf. This worries me…
When I voted, I was provided with a PENCIL to mark my X.
Hmmm . . .
Voted this AM here in Van Isle North. Sparse voters but trickling in none the less.
Presented my voter’s card and passport. Was told they needed my address on some ID, so showed them car ownership, which they accepted.
Last time, there was steady fraud going on and I suspect it was to boost NDP votes, as many of the perps were the ladies who volunteered to man the polling stations, who did NOT check everyone’s IDs thoroughly and “crossed off” voters’ names a couple of times. They allowed the people casting votes to retain the mailed voting cards.
I went back to John Duncan’s office and told the gal running the place it was easy to vote several times because of the collusion going on. I had to argue quite a bit, and she finally realized I was onto something when she started checking incoming bingo sheets, which showed people multiple-voting. I went back after lunch and acted as scrutineer at the desk I had voted at, manned by a dyed-in-the-wool NDP partisan, and she became totally flustered by my presence, despite the presence of another scrutineer from the NDP.
Good on our CPC office manager, she actually took it up with Elections Canada, after the election was over, despite John Duncan’s reluctance to do anything (he won narrowly, anyway). Turns out that there were over 260 falsified votes in northern Vancouver Island – are north of Courtney/Campbell River, mostly for NDP I suspect – but I think all this kerfuffle might have made this vote a bit more legit than in past years.
We’ll see.
voted conservative at the advance poll easter monday , It was resonably busy.
Larry Miller,Grey-Bruce-Owen Sound, Conservative (Inc). since 2004 should return.
Lot of mixed chatter with customers on Saturday & today.
Heading off to the poll later this afternoon with my wife, 2 daughters and 1 granddaughter. That’s 5 more votes for Kelly Block. My son-in-law went earlier and cast his ballot for Block even though the union thugs at his place of work have been pushing hard to get the employees to vote NDP. We are fortunate in this riding to have had two excellent MP’s in a row … Kelly Block and Carol Skelton. If voters would just examine the issues, we could continue with this type of representation.
Whenever I drive past a house with an ugly orange and green sign, I am tempted to knock on the door and ask the occupant to explain cap and trade. I’m betting 99 out of 100 wouldn’t even know what I’m talking about although it is a main part of the NDP platform.
Michael H Anderson at 1:41 PM
I was going to let it slide but go back to my post and read it at your comprehension speed.
Quiet but steady stream of mostly seniors and some 30-40 somethings at 11:00 AM in Cloverdale.
A LOT of seniors.
We are wishing and hoping the large turnout of seniors is prophetic for a CPC Majority.
Voted before heading in to work – I’m in Saanich + Gulf-Islands, which means I get a good chance of seeing the Conservative incumbent win… and I get to vote against Elizabeth May.
Business seemed pretty steady – the parking lot was fairly full, though part of that was due to the church in question holding a plant sale. Hm, green plot?
Voted at 3:00 pm. Talked to returning officers – turnout had been very light – they mentioned only 75 of 450 voters for their poll had already voted.
Holy paranoia Batman.
RonT – Go to elections.ca site. Get the number of the office in your district and call them. A VIC is not enough.
It was always a pencil.
No you don’t have to show citizenship.
I have just returned from voting. There was quite the line-up, which I suspect was due to people’s forgetting necessary documentation. For these events, I “over-pack”. I had my passport, my health card, my latest correspondence, the lot. I didn’t want to miss a chance to screw the NDP.
Ya know.. considering Elections Canada themselves control the release of results maybe they could manage simultaneous dissemination instead of threatening everybody with prosecution. Fire.Them.All.
Just got back from NDP Central, aka the Garneau School polling station in Edmonton Strathcona. The line-up for the U of A poll was very long – students, probably voting for the second time after casting their ballots in the advanced poll in their home, rural, ridings. Fortunately their advance votes will mean nothing since most of them come from safe CPC rural ridings where they are probably among the handful of dippers. I was able to vote at my poll in less than a minute.
My wife was almost disenfranchised when she presented two pieces of ID…one being her Birth Certificate and she was questioned in detail because the last names didn’t match…I suppose her parents are responsible for not knowing who she would be married to before she was born…or maybe prebirth arranged marriages are the way they want it to be now ? Another elderly lady was turned away because her passport wasn’t good enough…yet if either of them had slipped a bag over their head and presented any old picture ID there would have been no questions asked…Elections Canada…hiring only the best…
I’ve heard that there’s a big turnout at the Velvet Dragon polling station today. They’re going through damp tissues at an amazing rate.
I’m off to vote in the Gatineau riding across the river from Ottawa at a “friendly soup kitchen”? (Soupier de l’Amitie)
Wonder if I’ll get some friendly soup.
Looks like a fight between NDP and Bloc. NDP has the only female candidate, so being a somewhat feminist and definite federalist……
Deathly quiet at our Halifax polling station a couple of hours ago. Only one voter ahead of me (my wife) using the only cardboard thingy they call a voting booth. Almost missed finding the polling station as there was no Black Panther at the door 😉
Quick comment regarding this communications blackout. Who is going to enforce/monitor all the twitter/blogs/websites? What’s to prevent someone from pulling a Rick Warman and posting “evidence?”
Just finished voting in Hippy Central – Riverdale in Redmonton. Very light voting right now – friendly folks manning the voting stations. I racked up another vote for Peter Goldring, but I’ll be one of the few CPC votes in Riverdale.
The place is a festering Dipper haven in central Redmonton. Most of the CPC signs have been pulled down and thrown in the garbage or into the trees. That’s where I rescued a few to put in front of my house.
Goldring will never in a million years win in Riverdale, but hopefully other parts of the riding still retain a shred of common sense and he pulls it out again.
I’m in Harper’s riding (Calgary Southwest) and he votes at the same polling station as I do. When I arrived there at 11:50, there was a veritable gong show of local media lined up waiting for him to arrive and vote.
EC official was encouraging other voters to navigate the cordon of media/security (mostly media) and go inside. A little intimidating. Inside, a steady stream of people, and everything went smoothly.
‘Cept for those stupid pencils. Blasted things are always worn down to the nub when I go vote.
Voted at the advanced polls in Burlington, Ont. It was packed last Friday. Drove my wife down there last Monday , even busier. Really happy to see it. Whole family voted Tory, and we are in a Conservative area.
C’mon PMSH, give us 5 years!
Just voted in York, Ontario. I was the only voter in the place, and the ONLY MAN. The nice ladies are all very efficient and wonderful, and apparently Elections Canada couldn’t find a single adult male human to help “man” that post.
Not a problem, but interesting. No word on who’s going to help the nice ladies hump all that stuff back to the office after the polls close.
An NDP surge? Don’t get too excited. It may just be a premature eJackuLayton.
voted at 2pm, not much around the place.
voted for
Sure hoping the NDP “surge” is akin to the Smitherman “surge.”
I went out at 11:30am to vote at the local school. I would say turnout was light but steady. It was pouring rain and I placed an x to reelect my CPC MP. When I left the sun came out: I take that as an omen.
Just one more observation: OPP cruiser at every polling station. Seems to be more of that in this rural Ontario.
Slim, you’ve never met Peter Goldring, have you?
I will be a blank vote in my riding, for as much as I want to vote for Stephen Harper to be my prime minister, I cannot, in good conscience, close my eyes and grit my teeth and vote conservative this election.
Having had the misfortune of meeting Peter Goldring, and knowing that there is no alternative to that paranoid and antagonistic little man, I will go to my station today and decline my ballot.
As much as I want Stephen Harper to win a majority, it is far more important that I am able to look myself in the bathroom mirror on May 3, I will be unable to do that if I vote conservative in Edmonton East. Would that I simply lived someplace else, things would be so much easier.
Irene – I have said hi to Goldring a few times at Canada Day events, but don’t know much about him. That being said, I would vote for just about any a$$hole running under the CPC banner to keep the Marxists at bay.