I anyone not going to be bothered to vote on Thursday?

If not, do you think its better to go along and spoil your ballot paper rather than just not turn up?

Is spoiling you ballot paper a complete waste of time or does it get the point across?

Sorry meant to post in General Chit Chat

Its better than doing nothing at all. I think if enought people did it then someone might mention it on the telly. Not that that would do much.

If you don't vote you got no right to complain! If you really don't think any of the governments on offer are any good then you should stand for election!

Originally posted by blagtastic
Sorry meant to post in General Chit Chat

Not a problem :) moved it to General Chit-Chat

If you don't vote when you are able to :@, you have no right to complain about the government.

vote for these http://www.omrlp.com/ :D

surely for some people, making use of their right not to vote, or to abstain, is an expression against the current government AND all the alternatives - it makes a political statement in itself.

Originally posted by HarrietStar
surely for some people, making use of their right not to vote, or to abstain, is an expression against the current government AND all the alternatives - it makes a political statement in itself.


If that's the case then they can still vote by spoiling their ballot paper, which would still show an expression against the government and the alternatives but also show that they're not just lazy and couldn't bear to drag themselves away from Trisha to get to the polling station.

Originally posted by HarrietStar
surely for some people, making use of their right not to vote, or to abstain, is an expression against the current government AND all the alternatives - it makes a political statement in itself.

Well, no because they haven't done anything! The goverment will only assume laziness on the part of non voters. You have to actually DO something in order to abstain. If a million people spoilt their ballot papers someone might notice. 50 million people stay at home? They just claim voter apathy has increased.

If you don't want to vote then don't, but don't waste your time and the time of those people who have to count the votes by deliberatey spoiling ure ballot paper.

Originally posted by BruciesBabe
If you don't want to vote then don't, but don't waste your time and the time of those people who have to count the votes by deliberatey spoiling ure ballot paper.

By saying that are you not removing the voice of those who wish to get off their rears and make a point - that no one standing is good enough. That is entirely the idea of democracy, giving everyone a chance to have their say???

I feel really disheartened about it and frustrated but I think my only option this time will be to spoil my vote.

I don't think anyone standing deserves my vote and I resent having to vote for the best of a bad bunch!!

I won't be voting 'cos I'm too lazy (or at least that's what I want the government to keep thinking!)

The people that don't vote are the people of tomorrow! (Wow I like the sound of that)

Spoil your ballot paper or don't vote, at the end of the day it's the same thing. As for sending a message to whichever party forms the next government, forget it. All that'll happen is that policies will be more and more aimed at the falling number of voters. If the turnout is higher in one area, say Ecclesall, than another, say Longley, then the politicians will gear their policies to the Ecclesall voters as they are more likely to vote.

I like the idea of having an option 'None of the above' on the ballot paper. Under my scheme, if more than 50% of the voters chose this option, they would have no representation at either national or local level depending on whether it was a local or national election. Without a voice people would soon find out the usefulness of their elected members.

Originally posted by HarrietStar
surely for some people, making use of their right not to vote, or to abstain, is an expression against the current government AND all the alternatives - it makes a political statement in itself.

yes, but not a very useful one. The politicians will take it as you saying I dont vote so you dont need to make policies that help me. And they wont. They will come up with policies that benefit the people who bother to vote because they have a chance to win that vote. They have no chance to win yours if you abstain.

Originally posted by blagtastic
I anyone not going to be bothered to vote on Thursday?

If not, do you think its better to go along and spoil your ballot paper rather than just not turn up?

Is spoiling you ballot paper a complete waste of time or does it get the point across?

I'm so glad my grandparents spent 4 years going through hell to save us from the Nazis.....clearly they needn't have bothered.

Originally posted by HarrietStar
surely for some people, making use of their right not to vote, or to abstain, is an expression against the current government AND all the alternatives - it makes a political statement in itself. just write ...none of the above on the ballot sheet but think first what your grand parents went through to get you the vote

yeh i am going to vote, but i was thinking of 'good will hunting' when they march around the yard and one of the boys says he is utilising his right not to march at all. I think it's bad people don't vote, but in a democracy they have every right not to.

I've pretty much decided I'm going to vote Lib Dem.. Cos I'm fed up of Blair and his lies, I don't want the Tories back in, so yeh, the Lib Dems are the only real choice unless I want to be retarded and vote BNP, which I don't, cos contrary to popular belief I ain't THAT daft!

I just want to vote fo a hybrid all the parties. I'm was totally against the war so Lib dems sound good here. I have worries about imigration so the Tories sound good here. I also think we have a good economy at the moment so well done labour!.

......and if you didn't vote, don't complain about taxes, the health service, roads, housing, carbon emissions, Iraq, schools, or any other subject. You had the opportunity to have your say at the ballot box. Don't start bleating or moaning about this, that and the other if you couldn't be bothered to vote.

What if you didn't like the choice of candidates? Well, voting isn't a beauty competition, or a perfect wish list. It's about choosing the party which best approximates to your views. Abstention and spoiling your vote are two options which get you nowhere. Your views, whatever they are, will just simply be irgnored by all the political parties.

Originally posted by max
I like the idea of having an option 'None of the above' on the ballot paper. Under my scheme, if more than 50% of the voters chose this option, they would have no representation at either national or local level depending on whether it was a local or national election.

Well that's half of a good idea that went totally stupid at the end.

By voting none of the above, electors would be saying that "none of the candidates that you have put before us are worthy of our vote"

Returning "none of the above" as the elected representative for a consituency should then force a new ballot where none of the previous candidates are permitted to apply.

Your idea of simply punishing them by removing their representation for four years is half baked; but rings true with the general New Labour attitude of viewing the electorate as somehow in need of a lesson in politics.

It's the other way around.

Likewise, electors should have the power to recall their MP and hold a by-election, should their elected representative do something they don't like.

Remember, MPs are servants, not masters.

BBC website
The 'none of the above' ballot option already exists in the US state of Nevada. Thailand is proposing the same - if 'none of the above' comes first, the ballot will have to be re-run with new candidates.

Originally posted by redrobbo
What if you didn't like the choice of candidates? Well, voting isn't a beauty competition, or a perfect wish list. It's about choosing the party which best approximates to your views.

You'd think a party that bangs on about choice all the time would recognise the tyranny of a restricted choice of parliamentary candidates, not to mention Women only shortlists and the like.

Apparently not, and now that the FPP systems works in Labours favour, naturally they will be reluctant to tamper with it. Domestic Realpolitik in action.

Once again, new labour think the electorate need a lesson in politics.