If you’re anything like everyone, you’ve been paying attention to the American presidential election. You may even be thinking about it more than the municipal campaign that is currently peaking in Halifax, where official voting day is, as you almost totally definitely know, this Saturday, October 15. Technically it’s not good to care about another country’s politics over the election that matters to your daily life, although this time it’s OK. Because I’ve got a way for you to vote for president.
Thanks to a fluke of young love and bureaucracy, I am a seventh-generation Nova Scotian, born and raised in Halifax, who has both Canadian and American citizenship. My heart isn’t really into the whole Yankee Doodle thing—dad, an American who went to Dal, wasn’t a big part of my life after the divorce—although the never-quite-committed aspect of the dual citizen suits my journalistic temperament. Plus I’m allowed to take part in elections on both sides of the border, which is a definite perk.
Americans are such great producers of entertainment, they’ve even turned their big civics lesson into a show the world tunes in to. It always stars a couple sharply drawn characters, and somehow every election is “the most important election” the country has faced, ever, with the fate of the planet resting on the shoulders of the world’s most powerful person. Watching from outside the process is at best a guilty pleasure, at worst a trigger for anxiety and feeling powerless. A vote is the stake that reduces the guilt and converts anxiety to action, which is why I am sharing my ballot with you.
Below is a poll you can vote in, with options for Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton—you’ve heard of them—as well as Jill Stein for the Green Party, Roque “Rocky” De La Fuente of the American Delta Party and the highest-profile third-party candidate, Libertarian Gary Johnson. While there are apparently loads of other candidates, only the five I’ve named are on the ballot I received from my state of record (although there’s also a space for write-ins, so if you want to go full Yankee, add your rando choice in the comments). This is Halifax’s presidential ballot. Whoever is winning as of Sunday, October 23, is who I will mark on my actual ballot, before snail-mailing it to New Hampshire. A closely contested swing state, even! Enjoy being part of the show.
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This article appears in Oct 13-19, 2016.
For the love of all that is holy, vote Trump and watch Kyle’s head explode…
I vote Trump; but Kyle’s head need not explode. I just want to watch the meltdown of another superpower. #brexit
GIANT DOUCHE vs TURD SANDWICH
So Kyle, how did you vote?
Did you turn to stone?
This is the problem with unscientific polls. They can be hijacked by anyone, including the inane.
And don’t get me started on dual citizenship…