Ready to vote?

By the time you read this, you should already have your voter card from Elections Canada, notifying you of where to cast your ballot in the upcoming election.

As well, the final list of candidates that will have their name on said ballot will also be available.

As mentioned, there are several debates coming up where you will have the chance to hear what the candidates in Oshawa have to say.

However, those debates and the views expressed within their confines only mean as much as the ballots that are cast.

And Canada, in recent history, has had a problem with that.

Voter turnout has been on the decline over the past two decades, with the 2008 election seeing the worst turnout in Canada’s history at 58.8 per cent.

The last election, back in 2011, faired marginally better at 61.4 per cent – the third worst in history.

While the reason between the sliding numbers is up for debate – some say voter apathy, others say low youth turnout, the list goes on – what isn’t up for debate is that casting your ballot is an essential part of living in a democracy.

And with this election, there are plenty of chances to vote. Just check out the story on page 13 for advanced voting options should you be unable to get out there on Oct. 19. Also on that page, you’ll find a list of all the acceptable forms of identification that you can bring with you to ensure that you are able to vote.

This election has turned into a tight three-way race, with the most recent poll from Ipsos Reid showing a five per cent difference between the first place Liberals and third place NDP, but with a margin of error of three per cent, those numbers could flip very easily.

So while the old cliché is that every vote counts, this election seems to be turning more and more into one that proves the frequently used saying right.

Get out and vote this year.