59.1% of registered voters actually voted yesterday in our Federal Election.

59.1%.

A record low.

I can’t even fathom what some of the excuses might be. Of course one of the old standbys is: “My vote doesn’t matter anyway. Which, really, is a pretty poor excuse.

First of all, every single vote registered sends a message. If more people had voted Green or NDP, it would have sent a strong message that we need electoral reform. The pundits say that by not voting people are saying they are basically happy with the status quo. Was that the message you wanted to send?

If you feel like your voice isn’t being heard, get it heard. It isn’t like there aren’t any options these days, with a variety of options for getting your message online, connecting with people around common issues. When I feel like my ideas aren’t being heard, I just have to look in the mirror and realize I haven’t worked very hard to be heard; I haven’t even tried to connect with a group of like-minded citizens. But the option is there.

I’m anxious to hear some valid excuses for not voting. I would accept “I was in a coma.” I wonder what others you can come up with.

And once we get those on the table, let’s figure out how to overcome them. Anything less that 75% turnout next time will be cause for a national time-out! Dammit!

(Just a note of congratulations to Linda Duncan, the new NDP MP in Edmonton-Strathcona, and the only beacon of hope in an otherwise Conservatively-pure Alberta political landscape.)