Please Don’t Vote

Do. Not. Vote.

That’s the message that some Carleton students want to spread through their viral video that has caused quite a bit of controversy during election week.

Elections for the Carleton University Student’s Association (CUSA) are held this week, February 11th and 12th.

The “Don’t Vote” video went up on DC++, the filesharing network on campus, as well as on YouTube last week. It was pulled down in about a day. The Chief Electoral Officer banned all audio/video campaign material. The “Don’t Vote” video doesn’t mention either slate, Demand Better or Because It Matters , and it doesn’t feature any candidates from the two sides. It’s in the style of the celebrity-filled “Don’t Vote” video that was popular during the U.S election.

New media is a fantastic way to reach out to important groups of students: first year students, off-campus students, international students, and the students who brush past volunteers in the tunnels because they’ve heard it all before and have lost faith in CUSA.

I’ve been handing out flyers in the tunnels. Instead of wasting paper, a more efficient way of spreading the word would be to use audio and video material to introduce candidates and their platforms to the student population.

New media is the key to increasing voter turn out. If audio and video campaigning is ruled out, I say eliminate Facebook campaigning as well. That would be fair.

If the candidates can use Facebook to campaign, then they should be able to use YouTube. Period.

The “Don’t Vote” video was pulled early on, but some internet savvy individuals have duplicated it and put it right back online.

I love the video. I’ve watched it more than once. I even sent the link to my mom.

Check it out below.

I don’t know how long this will stay online, so watch while you still can.

And don’t forget to vote on February 11th and 12th! You can vote all over campus: the Atrium, the Loeb tunnel, Residence Commons, the tunnel level of MacOdrum Library, the tunnel junction between Staecie and Herzberg, the St. Patrick’s Building, Minto Centre and even in Athletics. All you need is your student card.