Sunday, June 13, 2004

I hate how newspapers always publish polls indicating "X percent of
Canadians intend to vote for this party." That isn't what matters! What
matters is the number of ridings that are going to elect each party, so what
we need is riding by riding polls. I realize that the popular vote is often
a useful guideline, but it is of no importance whatsoever in situations like
ce que nous vivons, where there is a difference of only a couple of
percentage points between the two leading parties.

Ideally they should publish polls for each riding, if only to remind voters
that their vote only has an effect within their own riding. I'm concerned
that publishing TORIES ARE IN THE LEAD BY TWO PERCENTAGE POINTS! on the
front of every newspaper might encourage, for example, voters in Toronto to
vote Liberal so the Tories don't win, which would be a wasted vote if they
live in a riding that would never elect a Tory anyway.

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