This Thursday What Are You Doing

[jamesb]

If we had countrywide PR then your vote WOULD count.

Bothering to go and spoil your ballot paper makes no sense at all to me - the only person who will see it is some lowly vote-counter who will just log it with all the others that have more than one tick, or are illegible etc. What's the point?
I think that voting should be compulsory, as it is in MANY countries, BUT there must be a 'no confidence' box that you could tick.
"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing" - Edmund Burke

So your suggestion instead would be that I simply sit at home and don't vote at all? That seems even worse to me. It may be inneffective to spoil a ballot paper, but at least it shows something other than apathy, even if only to yourself.

There are no parties I agree with, not only enough to vote for, but even enough to believe that they would be a better option. I do a little to try and get my voice heard, and when I can I will be doing more. I actually read about various party policies as well, and look through manifestos. My political views don't come from a newspaper (I don't read them) or from television (I don't have one), they're as well-informed as I'm capable of making them with the resources within my reach.

This time I will actually be voting independent, but only because I believe that my local independent candidate is actually a good choice. Not to make a protest against another party.

I disagree that voting should be compulsory. People should not be forced to take an interest and, frankly, forcing them to vote wouldn't cause them to take an interest. Those of us who care enough to vote are much better off if those who don't care enough, don't vote.

Edit: Incidentally in the UK spoiled ballot papers are in fact still counted.

[enjay]

I disagree that voting should be compulsory. People should not be forced to take an interest and, frankly, forcing them to vote wouldn't cause them to take an interest. Those of us who care enough to vote are much better off if those who don't care enough, don't vote.

Agreed - forcing people who don't care to vote will only skew the votes of those who do care. I do think that voting should be made more accessible to the lazy, busy, house-bound and apathetic with SMS/email/online/telephone voting, however I would rather it remains something which the interested choose to do and the disinterested don't get in the way of.

Does anyone worry about the fact that ballot numbers have unique numbers on them identifying whose paper it is, by the way?

[localzuk]

Hehe, those sort of diagrams always put me as far in the liberal direction as possible. And this one, as pro EU as possible

And it got my views quite right, I most likely will be voting Lib Dem or Green.

[jamesb]

Hehe, those sort of diagrams always put me as far in the liberal direction as possible. And this one, as pro EU as possible

And it got my views quite right, I most likely will be voting Lib Dem or Green.

Pah, Liberals.



I may have to vote Conservative in the EU election now now just to balance the scales.

[localzuk]

Pah, Liberals.



I may have to vote Conservative in the EU election now now just to balance the scales.

If you want to balance it, then you'd have to vote for UKIP

[jamesb]

If you want to balance it, then you'd have to vote for UKIP

I don't think I could bring myself to.

[witch]

I understand why you are saying that forcing the apathetic to vote is no use - however, please note that they should be able to tick a box that says they have no confidence in any political party -at the very least this would mean that the political parties would have to acknowledge officially just how many people they are not reaching.

And PR would help prevent a party that less than half the country voted for getting in power.

[jamesb]

I understand why you are saying that forcing the apathetic to vote is no use - however, please note that they should be able to tick a box that says they have no confidence in any political party -at the very least this would mean that the political parties would have to acknowledge officially just how many people they are not reaching.

Which is essentially what I do. That's why spoiled ballots are counted here.

But I suspect such a box would make no difference to the majority of non-voters. Its not lack of confidence in the system, or lack of confidence in a political party, its just plain not caring who gets in because they're ignorant of the options.

There are voters like this as well - they always vote for the same party, not because they agree with them, but because otherwise they might have to pause and think.

And PR would help prevent a party that less than half the country voted for getting in power.

I do like the idea of proportional representation.

[grumpy_git]

I've applied for a postal vote (as I am currently staying 300 miles away from where I am registered)... got one for the local mayoral election, but nothing for the EU one.

Woman at the council says "Oh well I'm afraid it's not our problem, you see it's our printers, I can ask for another one to be sent out...".

So yes, your vote counts - if your local authority can be bothered to give you a ballot paper!

[SorenLorensen]

......

[k-strider]

i know which way I'm voting

actually spend all of thursday not at work but knocking on doors and say please come out and vote!

[russdev]

i know which way I'm voting

actually spend all of thursday not at work but knocking on doors and say please come out and vote!

Well got a green tree must be the green party

To be honest as long as people vote the danger is when people don't vote. I have a policy of locals I choose who is best for the area and Europe and nationals I votes for party whose views I support.

Russ

Russ

[browolf]

I don't care

[sidewinder]

I'll be voting...Greens for me

[OverWorked]

Interesting quiz, pretty much told me what I knew - life long Labour supporter should be voting Lib Dem. Certainly I'll be voting LD until such time as Labour as votable again (probably a term or two away).

That sums me up. We should meet for a drink sometime!

LD: 77%
Lab: 73%
Con: 65%
Green: 60%
UKIP: 46%
BNP: 40%

For anyone who (like me until 20 mins ago) is wondering what the elections are for, see the direct.go.uk website. It's for European (MEPs), County Council, and Mayors in some places.