So I did the unthinkable.

I did something no one admits to: I didn’t even make an attempt to vote in a recent by election in Toronto Center. Actually, I consciously chose to not exercise my democratic right as a citizen to cast a vote for any of the given candidate. Then I admitted to it.

The response was, well, swift. A barrage of Twitter voices rained down public condemnation. Words like “disgusting”, “outrage”, “sad”, “unpatriotic”, etc. flooded in. I was all alone, defending my action to some of the most vocal proponents of voter malaise and of course partisan happy clappers. At the same time I was also receiving email, IM’s, and direct messages from others admitting they’d done the same. I was now a confessional for the quiet majority. And if 23% was indeed voter turnout then this sustained intellectual guilt offensive isn’t working friends.

Let’s be clear about something, I am an engaged citizen, but apathetic. And judging by the honest and direct response(s) I received, others are to.

So let me re-introduce the elephant in the room and ask that we start a new conversation without militant foamers ranting about what my/our patriotic rights are and are not. Because this apathy is infectious and volatile. My action may have gotten up the nose of a few people, but I can now openly engage a very large group of citizens in this dialogue without an agenda. (The spoiled ballot argument is a different conversation).

The worst part of my decision was not in ‘renouncing’ my voice, but the knowledge that my community would (initially) be disappointed: Meegs, Ian ,Mark ,Shawn - the people who have inspired and made citizen engagement exciting for me w/o any partisan colours. And the reason why I cared enough to write this post.

So why did so many of us (the majority) not vote in the Toronto Center by election? (Past results: http://www.elections.on.ca/en-CA/Tools/PastResults.htm) I have no idea. But I do know that the cure to our voter apathy is in citizen/community self-organization and engagement (like my experience with those mentioned previously) — not personal brands, lawn signs or buttons.

As citizens we need to speak to each other and identify our collective priorities and solutions rather than continue be lazy (yes lazy) and have a few (strong) voices influence polices and platforms. It is here that that we will feel our voice again giving our votes purpose. Because if “they” still don’t listen, then new leaders will emerge from the community to run as strong independent alternatives who better reflect the community mandate, rather than continue our great Canadian tradition of flogging solutions, shoe horned into tired political brands.

I’ll see you at GevilCamp ChangeCamp, flask in tow.
I’ve set up a confessional, what do you think? Results will be shared at ChangeCamp http://rypple.com/ryantaylor/vote