As the 2015 federal election campaign enters its home stretch, many Canadians who say they want a change in Ottawa are thinking of voting for their second choice.
The concept of strategic voting isn’t new, but this year it has gained traction under what is being called the ABC vote: Anyone But Conservative.
Advocacy group Lead Now has started a petition whose signees pledge to vote for whoever has the best shot at beating the local Tory candidate. So far, 85,000 people have signed on.
“What we’ve really seen at this election is better data and more data at the riding level,” said youth engagement expert Ilona Dougherty. “Which really means that people can, if they choose to vote strategically, have more of an impact because they have more data than ever before.”
However, that data and the will to use it doesn’t necessarily translate to big enough changes in voting in individual ridings.
“I think it creates more of a national effect where people are looking at whom, between Justin Trudeau and Tom Mulcair, can win nationally,” said Leger Marketing VP Public Affairs Sebastien Dallaire. “I don’t think in specific ridings it’s going to make such a big impact.
“If you look in Quebec, especially, where you have three or four parties that are competitive, then how do you know who’s in the best position to win?” he added. “You can end up shooting yourself in the foot. You vote for a party you don’t really like and on top of it, they don’t win.”
