Today, not long after moaning about how I can’t vote anywhere (Canada or Spain), I actually…voted! The city of Barcelona held a sort of non-binding, “testing the waters” referendum for (or against) Catalan independence. Amazingly, as a non-resident, I was allowed to vote (though I found out that in a “real” vote I wouldn’t be allowed to). Maybe I have a penchant for being in place to vote in independence referenda. I was in Montreal for the big one there, in 1995. Perhaps I should move to Scotland next? Or just stay in Catalunya, until 2014 or whenever they do the “real thing” (if ever). Maybe they’ll let me vote “for real” by then. It probably depends on whether the promoters think immigrants would generally be in favour or against.
At latest count this evening, a bit more than 21% of eligible voters voted. While this may sound low, the goal the organizers set themselves was 10% participation, so for them it was a huge success. I’ll be curious to see the results tomorrow, although I suppose it will be in favour of a Catalan state, since obviously independentistes tend to be the most motivated to get out and vote. That leads to the problem of legitimacy. Are those who didn’t vote casting an “implicit no?” What percentage of “yes” from the overall voting population is considered enough to make a result valid? (In Scotland’s 1979 referendum the magic number was 40%, and while there was relatively good turnout (>60%), and a small majority voted in favour of separation, overall it didn’t pass. Even if it had (or had Quebec’s 1995, or might an eventual Catalan one), what then? Would Westminster “let” Scotland go? Would Parliament Hill amicably wave “adieu” to Quebec? Would the Spanish Cortes say: quedamos en contacto, ¿vale? to Catalunya? If anyone knows, it sure isn’t me. I just do my little part, one way or another — when someone lets me.