This election I don’t know who I’m going to vote for. When the electioneering machine started cranking up, so did the recorded messages. You know, the taped messages that lazy and/or cheap telemarketers seem to like. Saves them paying real people in India or Moncton to annoy householders at dinnertime. This election, it seems to me, there’s been more of these recorded calls coming from candidates and pollsters.
“Hi, I’m blahblah for the blahblah party and I want your vote October 6th.” Not bloody likely, I say to the recording and hang up. I’ve waited through the spiel for the option to press a key to get taken off the calling list. It isn’t there. So I made a vow: I will not vote for any party that phones me with a recorded message.
The Liberals were first out of the gate, no problem. I wouldn’t vote for Dalton McGuinty if he came to my house and made my dinner. Second was the Conservatives, a recording for Tim Hudak at 5:45 pm. No danger I was going to vote Conservative anyway, but what are they thinking? What are most people doing at that time? Either making dinner or eating it.
So I thought it was clear sailing. Whether because they don’t have sufficient resources or that they have the sense to know how alienating such calls are, I hadn’t had a recorded message from the NDP. Hadn’t had any live NDP calls either. Then, last Friday evening, 6:30, making dinner – phone rings. “Hi, I’m Kathy Cornish … NDP candidate…” No, it wasn’t really her. I’d have talked to the real Kathy Cornish. Wouldn’t have been thrilled with her timing, but was even less thrilled with it being a recording.
One election call from a human
The only actual human who has called campaigning was a lady on behalf of our Conservative candidate Jeff Yurek. I told her I wouldn’t be voting for his party under any circumstances, but I appreciated having a real person doing the calling. She said many people prefer the recorded calls. I asked why and she said she didn’t know. I cannot imagine. Maybe easier to hang up on?
And pollsters – I don’t mind them usually. They have a job to do and I’m usually willing to help them. But not an automated one. For pollsters and candidates alike, if you can’t be bothered actually having a human call me, I can’t believe my opinion or vote would have much sway with you.
So this election, I’m voting with my phone. Right now, the choices left to me in my riding are the Freedom Party or the Greens. They are the only ones who have not bothered me with phone calls, either recorded or live.
Carrie Anne
7 Oct 2011We were complaining about this as well! Grrrrrrr. It seemed to be the Cons… *click*. I spoke to one lady calling for NDP, but I think she only called here (in the afternoon, which was nice) as we had ordered a sign last election. This was a tough one, I tell ya.
Noah Stewart
4 Oct 2011I was thinking of Green or Freedom parties even without this annoyance. I wouldn’t have thought I’d be seriously considering Freedom Party but the options presented by the three major parties are so poor, similar to each other and generally out of touch with the concerns of Ontarians that I can’t possibly support any of them. Also, I like to support the underdogs when I believe in their message, since my vote has more impact for a small party or independent.
Dorothy
4 Oct 2011Hi Noah, and thanks for your thoughts. I agree with what you say about the three major parties and about supporting underdogs. I like some of the Green platform but I’m getting tired of people who seem to want to do my thinking for me. Have had enough of that under the Ontario Liberals!! I don’t know much about the Freedoms but I like the positions they state on the election signs they have around here.