With this in mind, who should a libertarian vote for? Should it be based on the economy? Social tolerance? War? I think looking at all three major parties (and discounting small parties and independents due to their obvious uselessness) there is no choice that is perfect or even good.

Another way to look at this issue comes from a blog post about the UK general election in 2005:

This is a howling fallacy. If you were to ask Gordon Ramsey whether he preferred McDonalds or Burger King, and he replied “they’re both shit”, would you infer that he was apathetic about food? Why, then, infer that I’m apathetic about politics.
It’s not apathy I feel. It’s contempt.

I agree. Implying that I must vote for the sake of the institution is a lazy canard. I’d argue that I’m much more knowledgeable about Canadian politics than the typical voter who votes based on guttural instinct. Indeed it’s the fact that I do pay attention which leads me to refrain from voting.