Election

[ffutures]

With less than 24 hours before the UK elections begin (and the council elections in most constituencies) I might as well add my voice to everyone else who is saying that if you don't vote, you have no good reason to be upset about the results. Parties win because people vote for them - you might think that your preferred candidate doesn't have a chance, but if you don't vote on that basis it's a self-fulfilling prophecy.

One other thing worth pointing out is that you don't necessarily have to vote for the same party in the national and local elections. This seems to be a tough one for many people, but local council politics are a very different thing to running the country. Think of the Government vote as your strategic vote for the long term; The Council vote is your tactical vote, and actually more likely to have an immediate effect on your life.

later feorag points out that if none of the candidates appeal a spoilt ballot is a way of expressing a protest - but make sure it can't possibly be interpreted as a vote for any candidate!

Comments

[feorag.livejournal.com]

I should point out that in my case, being able to vote was fortuitous in that my postal ballot arrived during the few hours I've been at home.

Also, spoiling one's paper is valid. Indeed, if you are totally disgusted with what's on offer, it's the only option you have if you don't want people to assume you just don't care.

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

Indeed, I suspect if all the people who don't vote, spoilt their papers, and the election system was generating something in the region of 40% spoilt ballots, politicians might be obliged to do something about the system, and the quality of candidates...

[pauldrye.livejournal.com]

I think you underestimate the extent to which politicians don't give a rat's arse so long as they remain in power.

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

You may very well have a point.

[heliograph.livejournal.com]

"politicians might be obliged to do something about the system, and the quality of candidates..."

Why? The system works for them, and a spoilt ballot doesn't change that. If they didn't get elected, who would pay to clean their moats?

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Yes, sorry, forgot that one.

[pengshui-master.livejournal.com]

I've been told that spoiled papers are not counted.

So the actual usefulness of this a protest is somewhat doubtful - as tempting as the idea is. Personally I'd vote for to Ron like we had in uni elections

[lonemagpie.livejournal.com]

It's a popular myth that spoiled papers are counted as a protest, but they aren't - they're just binned. Spoiling your ballot paper is no different than not bothering to vote.

As for not voting meaning you can't complain - bullshit. You should vote for the candidate you believe will best do the job. If you don't believe any of them can, then IMO it's a far worse thing to give your assent to candidate you don't want than it is to refuse to endorse anyone who you don't think can do it.

There really needs to be a "none of the above" option on ballot papers, which is counted as a proper result. I guarantee that turnout would quadruple.

[pwilkinson.livejournal.com]

Spoiled ballot papers may not be counted as a protest, but they are counted. The returning officer has to be able to demonstrate that the total number of ballot papers counted is equal to the number given out at polling stations or received back through the post.

Having said that, if you want to spoil a ballot paper, you have to do it very carefully - as I was remarking to a local election agent the other day, his job at the count is to convince the returning officer that ballot paper that says "f*** off" against his candidate's name is a valid vote for his candidate. And returning officers have been known to agree - they tend to want to minimise the number of papers counted as spoiled (particularly as absolutely no attempt is made to separate out deliberately spoiled votes from ones spoiled because of incompetence by voters or polling station staff).

So, a "None of the above" option might well increase turnout - though I would hope, given that no general election has ever had a turnout anything like as low as 25%, that turnout would not quadruple.

[lonemagpie.livejournal.com]

they're totalled for statistical purposes, yeah, but they're not counted as protests.

Having said that, if you want to spoil a ballot paper, you have to do it very carefully - as I was remarking to a local election agent the other day, his job at the count is to convince the returning officer that ballot paper that says "f*** off" against his candidate's name is a valid vote for his candidate. And returning officers have been known to agree - they tend to want to minimise the number of papers counted as spoiled (particularly as absolutely no attempt is made to separate out deliberately spoiled votes from ones spoiled because of incompetence by voters or polling station staff).


Well, that'd give Labour a comfortable majority this time round...

though I would hope, given that no general election has ever had a turnout anything like as low as 25%, that turnout would not quadruple.

Well, double, anyway. you know what I mean

[armb.livejournal.com]

Counts are supervised by candidates, agents, or party activists, who would notice a significant number of spoiled protest votes, even if they are not officially counted or published as such.

[heliograph.livejournal.com]

Isn't not voting functionally the same as voting none of the above?

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

No, it can just mean you're too lazy to bother. Parties can use the total votes cast for each party etc. to lobby for electoral reform.

[w00hoo.livejournal.com]

Indeed, the easiest out for politicians is the assumption that anyone who doesn't vote is just too lazy or unconcerned about what is happening to be bothered. It's never seriously viewed as proof that there is a problem.

As mentioned further up, spoilt paper are counted, but nothing happens with that count. Up until this election turning up to vote and then spoiling my paper has been my preferred method in the hope that eventually the number of spoilt papers will rise and somebody will bother to comment on the reason behind it. Possibly leading to a 'none of the above' option.

There are actually a few constituencies with a 'none of the above' option this time round as a number of people are standing with that as a party name, generally on the manifesto that they don't have a manifesto or expect to get in, they just want people to be able to vote that way.

This time round I've voted Lib Dem, it'll not make one iota of difference in my constituency as it's a very safe Tory seat, but I'm hoping that a big enough percentage for Lib Dem may give the 'this is broken' message quicker than spoiling papers for the rest of my life...

[heliograph.livejournal.com]

Shouldn't everyone just write-in "Daleks"?

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

That's counted as a UKIP vote, I think.