Anyone else NOT voting today?

Zarf · 6 May 2010 at 14:23

What exactly, and I ask this sincerely, would a spoilt ballot do? The votes will be counted, whichever party introduced as your government and the spoilt ballots will get a quick mention and perhaps an interview or two by some mouthpiece about 'hoping we can convince people next time with our policies'. By Monday it will not be mentioned again.

By spoiling your ballot you are effectively saying "I'm a potential voter who cannot accept any of the parties as they are" but by not voting you are saying "I don't matter"

Spoiled ballots give the parties incentive to try harder as they know you are a potential vote. Where's their incentive to try and appease you if you can't be relied on to make the effort to go to the Polls?

ringo747 · 6 May 2010 at 14:24

I don't vote either - never had, probably never will.

Participant · 6 May 2010 at 14:29

regulus said:
it will then penetrate you

*Snigger*

regulus · 6 May 2010 at 14:38

platypus said:
Will you deign to vote if PR is introduced?

I would vote for a candidate I can believe in.

I cannot believe in clowns regurgitating speeches written for them by campaign managers. A bit in the Metro this morning made me laugh where Brown made a soaring remark about coming home to Labour. Watching him on Prime Minster Questions week after week, he can barely speak without stuttering and then is only a guy for the details. Am I supposed to believe he spoke that slogan from the heart? Or from a piece of paper?

It's a dog and pony show. Just in this case the dogs can speak and speak the words of others.

regulus · 6 May 2010 at 14:39

Robbie G said:
*Snigger*

I was going for penetrate your skull but thought it was too bitchy

mjt · 6 May 2010 at 14:48

I'm not in the UK for the moment so unfortunately not.

Freefaller · 6 May 2010 at 15:02

So if there was a "none" box, and it had a majority, what the heck would happen then?!

Tefal · 6 May 2010 at 15:10

Freefaller said:
So if there was a "none" box, and it had a majority, what the heck would happen then?!

All candidates have to step down and news ones have to take their place then the election is run again.

That's why it's important.

Shoseki · 6 May 2010 at 15:29

I didn't vote because I wasn't registered. Turned away from polling booth.

Why you need to register, I have no idea. I took along passport to show I am a British citizen...

andy_mk3 · 6 May 2010 at 15:33

Me.

I'm not 18 until the 19th of this month, hey-ho

dannyjo22 · 6 May 2010 at 15:34

Tefal said:
All candidates have to step down and news ones have to take their place then the election is run again.

That's why it's important.

I would very much like to see that added to the paper, I would then have voted for none of the above. As would a lot of people I know. I think thats the reason they don't add it. It would get too large a response with internet campaigns etc.

I really do wish it was there. 97 and maybe the elction after are the only years I've felt strongly enough about one party over another to have not voted none of the above if it was there.

subbytna · 6 May 2010 at 15:38

I'm voting BNP today

kidding, I'm not voting at all, all a bunch of ***ers

platypus · 6 May 2010 at 15:40

Shoseki said:
I didn't vote because I wasn't registered. Turned away from polling booth.

Why you need to register, I have no idea. I took along passport to show I am a British citizen...

Why would having a British passport automatically entitle you to vote? Given that qualifying EU & Commonwealth citizens can vote in this country, and not all British people can I don't see the link.

The rules on registering to vote are quite clear; it is what the Electoral Roll is for.

RDM · 6 May 2010 at 15:45

bam0 said:
Why do people keep saying this, intentionally spoiling your ballot is valid and has the same effect.

Because it is not the same at all. Spoiling your ballot just puts you in the "too stupid to correctly complete a polling card" category. Spoilt ballots mean nothing at all in our current system so if you are truely disillusioned and do not want to vote for anyone you may as well save yourself some time and just not bother.

bam0 · 6 May 2010 at 15:54

RDM said:
Because it is not the same at all. Spoiling your ballot just puts you in the "too stupid to correctly complete a polling card" category. Spoilt ballots mean nothing at all in our current system so if you are truely disillusioned and do not want to vote for anyone you may as well save yourself some time and just not bother.

No it does not, and if the numbers of spoilt ballots were high it would be obvious that it wasn't people making a mistake. A high percentage of spoilt ballots would actually reinforce the point that there are people out there who care enough to vote but don't consider anyone worth voting for, that is vastly different than not voting at all.

coltpython3 · 6 May 2010 at 16:01

Just saw on bbc news!!!

listen to this guys. was just listening to bbc news like 10-15 mins ago and they asked a man whether or not he has voted yet.

he replied im not voting

the guy asked why havnt you voted?

he replied " I don't associate myself with crooks and criminals"

+1 to that man

btw im not making this up

RDM · 6 May 2010 at 16:05

bam0 said:
No it does not, and if the numbers of spoilt ballots were high it would be obvious that it wasn't people making a mistake. A high percentage of spoilt ballots would actually reinforce the point that there are people out there who care enough to vote but don't consider anyone worth voting for, that is vastly different than not voting at all.

In an ideal world this would be the case, however in our current system this really isn't the case. Nothing will get done and the result would be exactly the same as if you hadn't bothered. In reality it is no different from not voting.

anything I don't mind · 6 May 2010 at 16:22

Now i don't want the people that voted these ******** into power complaining 6 months down the line. People like me take a stance and refuse to participate in this non sense called democracy and you be damn sure i will complain.

If you vote, you do not have a right to complain as it is your fault for putting these treasonous self righteous individuals into power.

Tefal · 6 May 2010 at 17:04

groen said:
Now i don't want the people that voted these ******** into power complaining 6 months down the line. People like me take a stance and refuse to participate in this non sense called democracy and you be damn sure i will complain.

If you vote, you do not have a right to complain as it is your fault for putting these treasonous self righteous individuals into power.

what if you voted for the other guy?

Although the hypocrisy of you calling them self righteous is funny.

joeyjojo · 6 May 2010 at 17:17

Mr-White said:
Nope, they haven't earned my vote, they need to try harder

You've lived in a free country with a good infrastructure, with very little danger to your life. Imagine living somewhere war-torn or in poverty. The UK is a great country, and happens to be safe and non-intrusive enough to breed apathy in people like you (and me). But you should be aware of this, and think how lucky you are. Then it follows naturally that having a say in the continued running of the country is of huge importance.