If I vote NDP, Am I supporting the Conservatives?

[shainhouse]

I'm just asking this because a vote for NDP would take away from the Liberals, further helping Stephen Harper, so in a way, I'd be supporting the conservatives.

I really don't want to vote Liberal, but I'd rather a party be voted out than in in this election...

[Jaimoe]

If you vote NDP in a riding where they have no chance in hell of winning, then you would be indirectly casting a vote against a Liberal victory.

I'm having difficulty with my riding too. I'm in the hotly contested Danforth riding: Either Liberal Dennis Mills or NDP Jack Layton will win. The Conservatives are not in the picture. Layton has a slight lead.

Do I vote Liberal and risk Layton not getting elected ( even though he will probably still head the NDP ), or go with Mills? Normally I would vote Liberal and if this was any other riding I would do so, but I like Jack and he brings an important voice to the NDP and Canadian politics in general.

One thing is for sure, I won't be voting Conservative: I think Harper is an evil man.

[Jobass]

Please vote liberal. As unfortunate as it is, we must vote OUT Harper, and realistically, only the liberal vote will accomplish this. We CANNOT let the PC's into power and i really do think a liberal vote can prevent such a thing.

[shainhouse]

So I am voting conservative (in a way) if I support the NDP. I love the fact that I feel like I have to vote for someone instead of wanting to vote for someone.

[TimmyB]

I like you shainhouse live in Hamilton West where the NDP with David Christopherson running has a good chance of beating out Stan Keyes.

But I'll be voting Liberal and I'll tell you why. Her Excellency the Right Honourable Clarkson, Governor General of Canada will have to decide who gets the first opportunity after the election to attempt to lead this great country if we are in a minority government situation.

The Globe & Mail this week said that Clarkson's handlers have told her that even if the Liberals have a few less seats than the Conservative party (Not the PC anymore everybody, I wish they were) that they have more confidence in the Liberal party under Paul Martin to forming a minority government over Stephen Harper.

This means that even if the Liberals have ten or less seats than the Conservatives then we still might be governed by a Liberal government.

This gives me pause to realize that if I vote NDP in Hamilton and take a seat away from the Liberals then that might contribute to a number too great for the Liberals to take office in a minority situation.

As I believe MarcO said in a post early in this eleciton, if you want to support the NDP or Green party then give them $1.75 after the election, as that's what every party gets for each vote.

Let's not become the "51st state" by allowing the Conservative party to take office. As Michael Moore recently said "Why would you want to?"

[TimmyB]

Under a minority government run by the Liberals the NDP will still have a voice as they will probably be in a coalition.

Jack Layton has been quoted recently that under a coaliton of the Liberals and NDP he will be pushing for a referendum on proportional representation in Canada. If this comes to pass then in the next election or the one after that no one anymore will be discussing voting strategically in your riding, which I believe will make Canada stronger.

No one ever talks about voting strategically if you are Conservative. You only have one choice Conservative. It is unfortunate that the left has three, the Liberals, NDP and Green Party. Hopefully under proportional representation even the Green party will get more than one or two seats in parliament.