Robert Libman: How do you get more citizens to vote?

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Abe Lincoln said that “the ballot is stronger than the bullet.” The last decade has shown that we do not always appreciate our democracy and the wisdom of those words. Voter turnout has declined during the last three elections at each level of government: federal, provincial, and in Montreal. The 2018 Quebec election had the second lowest turnout since the 1920s. The recent Montreal election had a turnout of just 38.3 percent.

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The provincial elections next October will be the third in just over 12 months. Looking ahead to that vote and others, what can we do to reverse what appears to be a trend?

An obvious step would be for the voting process to evolve as society evolves.

In this fast-paced age of technology and social media, attention span has diminished and we often expect things to be almost instantaneous as technology has made our lives more comfortable. Unless voters are particularly inspired by a candidate or mobilized by a polarizing issue, many may simply not bother leaving home to wait in line to physically exercise their right to vote. Most of us have become completely dependent on computers or smartphones. Fewer and fewer people are booking a flight, hotel, or banking in person or even with a phone call. Everything is done online. Why should the vote be different? Shouldn’t you be able to sit at home, go to your town, district or town and search for all the candidates? Each candidate could have a link to their platform or talking points, their bio, and even photos of them with their family. This would not only make it easier for voters to participate, but it would also make it easier for voters to make informed decisions. Of course, given the risk of hacking, security technology should be able to ensure that the system is foolproof.

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Obviously, those who don’t have access to computers or tech savvy should still be able to vote old-fashioned, but the costs of running an election would likely be significantly reduced.

Such a change would likely also increase the participation of the youngest, who are generally less inclined than their elders to cast their vote.

Another remedy would be for governments to make voting mandatory, as it is to complete a census. There should be a fine for not voting as in Australia or, conversely, a tax credit or allowance to reward those who vote.

A more drastic way of targeting voters who feel disenfranchised could be to offer a real “vote-down” option, a means by which disgruntled people could stand up and be counted.

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In many elections, citizens are under the impression that their vote does not matter. Many Quebec Anglophones certainly know the sentiment. What if there was a “none of the above” or “undecided” option on the ballot, where voters could express their disappointment or sense of exclusion in a tangible way? I suspect that it would mobilize many of the voters who complain at home to participate.

It is important that the election results and the democratic process reflect a true snapshot of the public’s situation. The option could even win at times, which would have to trigger another vote or result in a second place in office, which could be quite a humbling experience.

In reality, quantifying popular discontent should force political candidates to be more sensitive to certain realities and work harder to win their vote.

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Strange scenarios and unintended consequences are always possible by-products, but in today’s world, some creative and controversial solutions seem necessary to generate the high voter engagement that is a sign of a healthy democracy.

Robert Libman is an architect and building planning consultant who has served as a leader of the Equality Party and MNA, as mayor of Côte-St-Luc, and as a member of the Montreal executive committee. He was a conservative candidate in the 2015 federal elections.