After the last provincial election, which had a turnout just above 50%, Elections BC commissioned a voter engagement survey. The most interesting data is about people who didn’t vote, although of course their responses can’t be trusted:

54% of non-voters believe their vote “matters” compared to 84% of voters. 43% of non-voters believe the outcome of the election had a “direct effect” on them compared to 70% of voters. 96% of voters believe it is important that people vote, but 76% of non-voters agree, 52% strongly.

Some highlights from non-voter responses:

Why didn’t you vote?

• 35% personal circumstances
  • 18% busy
  • 6% out of town but not out of province (BC has the most flexible absentee voting system in Canada, but not everyone knows that)
• 29% disengaged
  • 7% sceptical of politics
  • 7% didn’t like candidates
  • 7% wasn’t interested
  • 5% didn’t like parties
• 16% lack of knowledge
  • 9% didn’t know enough about platforms
• 7% pessimistic (the best reason not to vote)
  • 5% voting doesn’t matter
  • 2% outcome certain
• 6% forgot

What’s the #1 thing that could be improved?

• 26% education (no agency in BC has a mandate for voter education – Elections BC does it for the lolz)
  • 3% information about candidates & platforms
  • 1% more opportunity to meet candidates
• 16% voting process
  • 9% compulsory voting
  • 2% electronic voting
  • 2% online voting
• 7% change electoral system

What would make you more likely to vote?

• 34% different political parties
• 13% more campaign information
• 2% different candidates, platforms or issues
• 2% different political system
• 2% online voting

The Canadian edition of Who’s Your City? is finally out. Richard Florida has published rankings of the top Canadian cities for a few broad cohorts. But the territorial capitals (can Iqaluit actually be considered a city?) do so well it makes me think his statistical tools break down in extreme cases. And then there’s the inexplicable high scores of Toronto and Calgary…

Anyway, I’m going to go see if one of the 295 single women under 30 in Iqaluit strikes my fancy…