Photo: D’Arcy Norman

Before getting into the nuances for this election, let me first state what I have been for years about this “option”. Over time, it’s poison for a democracy. The government will never represent its people if they never vote for who they actually want. [A second part of this is our electoral system that needs to be overhauled]

Second, let’s be accurate and call it what it is: it is a tactical vote. It’s something you do in the immediate, for the short-term. In war, an army can win many tactical battles, but lose the war (See the US in Vietnam). That’s because of poor strategy. Which is what “strategic voting” is for a democractic society: a poor strategy. That being said, if I were to accept its premise, it’s also done wrong. You as a voter, if you want to “vote tactically”, must look at your riding. Your vote only affects your riding. If, for example, you want to prevent the PQ from entering, you must ensure you don’t bring down the vote of that person who can defeat the PQ. If your riding is Liberal, for instance, you must avoid drawing down enough Lib votes to let the PQ pass up the middle (See Harper Conservatives in Toronto, 2011). Same thing if a CAQ or Quebec Solidaire is likeliest to win in your riding – you would vote CAQ or QS if your aim is tactical.

That being said, I don’t, can’t and won’t support “tactical voting”. It’s the wrong strategy for a democracy. (But it is up to individual voters to make their personal choice).