Whack The PM

Whack the PM is the election polling game no leader wants to win.

So far our track record is 100%. Can we do it again in 2008? We need your help.

In 2004, Stephen Harper received the most number of whacks, giving him the dubious distinction of being the most despised leader. Whack the PM predicted that Harper would lose the election. And he did. (Click on the image to view it bigger.)

You can also read an analysis of the results: 2004 Whack the PM Summary. It shows the issues the leaders were getting whacked for. And the differences by region, right across Canada.

In the 2006 election, Paul Martin received the most number of whacks. We predicted that he would go down to defeat. And he did. Uncanny but true. Correct for both elections.

Will Whack the PM accurately predict election results for 2008?

We don’t know. As of today, September 26th, Stephen Harper is leading, which would mean he’ll lose the election or have to be satisfied with a minority. But that can’t be right can it? Some of the official polls have Stephen Harper winning a majority. So, we’ll just to have to wait and see.

Add your voice by playing www.whackthepm.ca

Summary:

Whack the PM, an online polling game and strategic voting tool at www.whackthepm.ca, is helping Canadians address the election issues and decide who they should vote against.

Whack the PM puts the leaders of the five top parties in a simmering hot tub with tough questions about global warming, the economy, leadership, food safety, Afghanistan, minority governments and the kicker — “All politicians are liars. Why should I trust you?”

With each question, voters respond by whacking the candidate who has the most irritating answer on the head. Using this visceral and interactive process, voters determine which leader is most deserving of their distrust.

Whack the PM offers strategic voting advice on a riding-by-riding basis. It has been designed to select the candidate who has the best chance of defeating your detested leader in your riding. For example, if you want to defeat the Liberals, you may be advised to vote for the NDP, the Tories, or whichever candidate has the best chance to defeat them. It helps voters make the most effective and strategic use of their votes.

2004 and 2006 Media Buzz on Whack the PM:

“The most interesting “poll” to follow this seething country may, in fact, not even be a proper poll at all but a bit of a prank on the Web called Whack the PM. Run by a Toronto visual-arts group called the James Gang, the site has been tracking nothing but public anger — and has run uncannily close to the shifts in the more legitimate polls.” Roy MacGregor, The Globe and Mail

“www.whackthepm.ca, created by the clever and irreverent minds of Bill and Franke James of Toronto’s The James Gang, not only sweetens an otherwise humourless campaign, but also ties a fun game to a (highly informal) poll.” Jack Kapica, The Globe and Mail

“Arguably the most fun un-scientific election prognosticator is the Web site “Whack the PM!” run by the James Gang…” Tom Blackwell, The National Post

“Hot: Whack the PM. The Internet election game has been a big hit during this campaign, and not only in Canada. Recent statistics show that 33 U.S. Government employees have even played the game as well as 230 people in Britain and 11 in Switzerland. Says the game’s operator, Franke James: ‘I thought the Swiss were neutral.’” Jane Taber, The Globe and Mail

2006 Articles:
Jane Taber: Whack the PM is HOT
National Post: Whack the PM is Front Page News
Jack Kapica: Whack-a-pol: Here’s an election poll nobody wants to win

Canada’s election is heating up. (And so is our planet.) Who will get us out of this hot water?

TORONTO, September 13, 2008 — As the October 14th Federal Election Day draws near, Canadians are in hot water trying to decide which leader to trust.

Whack the PM, an online polling game and strategic voting tool at www.whackthepm.ca, is helping Canadians address the election issues and decide who they should vote against.

Whack the PM puts the leaders of the five top parties in a simmering hot tub with tough questions about global warming, the economy, leadership, food safety, Afghanistan, minority governments and the kicker — “All politicians are liars. Why should I trust you?”

With each question, voters respond by whacking the candidate who has the most irritating answer on the head. Using this visceral and interactive process, voters determine which leader is most deserving of their distrust.

“We don’t play favorites. We make fun of all the candidates,” says Franke James, the site co-creator and co-founder of The James Gang, a social media and creative content company. “The Canadian electorate is facing some big decisions. Will the economy trump the environment? Is a carbon tax necessary to punish polluters? If Stephen Harper wins a majority how will that change the face of Canada? Which leader can we trust? With Whack the PM we’re allowing average Canadians to vent, and helping them decide who they should vote against.”

At the time of this release, Stephen Harper is being whacked most often, and leads the straw poll as Canada’s most detested politician. See the current stats at: www.whackthepm.ca/stats_show.php.

Whack the PM offers strategic voting advice on a riding-by-riding basis. It has been designed to select the candidate who has the best chance of defeating your detested leader in your riding. For example, if you want to defeat the Liberals, you may be advised to vote for the NDP, the Tories, or whichever candidate has the best chance to defeat them. It helps voters make the most effective and strategic use of their votes.

About The James Gang

The James Gang creates entertaining and educational content, online and offline. Entertainment projects include My Green Conscience, Verbotomy: the create-a-word game, and Office-Politics. The James Gang is a privately held company based in Toronto. For more information visit: www.jamesgang.com.

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For Information:
The James Gang
Tel: 416·256·9166
Email: franke [at] jamesgang.com