To Vote or not to vote

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Statement by Amol Rajan (editor of the Independent newspaper) to an audience of students yesterday

"You should be ashamed of yourself if you're not going to vote. Generations of men, women and children have died for the vote. Not voting is extremely offensive"

No sitting on the fence there by Amol - but what about the rest of us. How many of us I wonder are willing to put up with a painful backside despite such exhortations.

 

[bluewolf]

I always vote. I sometimes despair at the people that I'm asked to vote for, but not voting seems to be a bit apathetic, and apathy is at fault for quite a lot of what is wrong with the World we live in...

 

[Imurg]

I think it depends on who you have to vote for.
If I can't trust whoever is on the ballot paper to represent me then I'm not going to vote for them.
And if there's nobody on the ballot paper that I can trust then I ain't voting for any of them
Why should I have to vote for someone I don't want to vote for..?
Somewhere they have a box on their paper's that says "none of the above"...or is this a myth?

Doesn't seem unreasonable to have one of those over here.

If and election happened tomorrow I really couldn't pin down who I would vote for so on that basis I wouldn't vote.
And if that offends someone then that's their problem.....

 

[London mike 61]

I normally vote but the case for not voting may be because you don't like the candidate or their proposals. I'd hate to vote for something I would later regret.

 

[MegaSteve]

Think I have only on one occasion not voted... Have though, on more than one occasion, 'spoilt my paper' which for me counts as 'none of the above'...

Sadly, too many cast their vote based on the colour of the rosette rather than the qualities of the person wearing it....

 

[bluewolf]

Sadly, too many cast their vote based on the colour of the rosette rather than the qualities of the person wearing it....

As a proud Wiganer, this is my biggest issue with voting. You could put a red rosette on Fred West and he'd be elected round here..

 

[Doon frae Troon]

I really detest people who do not vote and then spend half of their waking hours complaining about the people who were voted in.
I have always voted in national and local elections.
The reason.......Far to many people have died for me to have that privilege.

 

[In_The_Rough]

As a proud Wiganer, this is my biggest issue with voting. You could put a red rosette on Fred West and he'd be elected round here..

Same here pal, we have had a Lib MP recently but it was only a protest vote it was always going to go back to Labour and it did. As my Dad says a Donkey with a Red flag stuck up it's arse would get elected round here. Do not know why the Tories even bother putting someone forward TBH. Having said that I always vote regardless but it is pointless really. Should have the Australian system where as if you cannot be bothered to vote then it is a big fine. At the end of the day someone has to run the country.

 

[MegaSteve]

As a proud Wiganer, this is my biggest issue with voting. You could put a red rosette on Fred West and he'd be elected round here..

Same here pal, we have had a Lib MP recently but it was only a protest vote it was always going to go back to Labour and it did. As my Dad says a Donkey with a Red flag stuck up it's arse would get elected round here. Do not know why the Tories even bother putting someone forward TBH.

The reverse could be said of around here... Which is why we are currently lumbered with the son of a Tory grandee... I doubt he knew where Ruislip was until he got given the seat... In theory it's supposed to balance out but I doubt it does...

 

[jimbob.someroo]

I really detest people who do not vote and then spend half of their waking hours complaining about the people who were voted in.

This is the biggest point for me and the reason I vote whenever possible.

If I vote for a party who are not elected, I can feel aggrieved if they are doing a bad job. If I can't be bothered to vote at all, then (just in my opinion) you don't have the right to have a whinge. If you don't want to vote for ANY of the candidates on the paper, then spoil your ballot.

However, whatever happens 99% of the time, someone on that paper is going to be in charge of your area / country / golf club. If you don't like any, at least vote for the one you believe you do the least poor job!

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Let me put the cat amongst the pigeons by saying my feelings in my last post apply to members of golf clubs who do not attend or vote at AGM's.

 

[In_The_Rough]

The reverse could be said of around here... Which is why we are currently lumbered with the son of a Tory grandee... I doubt he knew where Ruislip was until he got given the seat... In theory it's supposed to balance out but I doubt it does...

Indeed. We had the wonderful Tony Benn as our MP for longer than I care to remember. He served the town well over the decades from his house in Holland Park, Kensington which he shared with his wife who was a yank if I remember correct. Benn famously stated upon his resignation of his seat that he was leaving parliament in order to spend more time on politics. The MP's should live in the area they are representing whichever party they are from. How can he be bothered about the place when he himself is a Londoner and he lives in the capital? but because he had the red rosette on he used to win by a landslide every election. I can remember once that there was a guy who voted who did not even know who the candigate was that he voted for! his response was I do not give a #### as long as it keeps them other scumbags out. I am sure this is the case the other way round in Tory heartlands as well.

 

[jimbob.someroo]

Let me put the cat amongst the pigeons by saying my feelings in my last post apply to members of golf clubs who do not attend or vote at AGM's.

Again, agreed. If you don't turn up to the AGM and voice a major issue you have, I don't feel you can then be annoyed if it isn't addressed throughout the year. If you can't go, have a look at the agenda and drop an email to let them know if you have any strong feelings on something to be brought up.

 

[Duckster]

Let me put the cat amongst the pigeons by saying my feelings in my last post apply to members of golf clubs who do not attend or vote at AGM's.

Very true. Decisions are made by those who show up.

 

[MadAdey]

I think there is a catch 22 situation when it comes to voting. Do I vote for someone I do not want to vote for or not bother voting. If I make my vote because it is my duty to vote and I do not agree with what they are doing, do I have the right to complain when they are making decisions I do not agree with.? After all I voted them in.

If I do not vote then do I have the right to complain about who does get voted in when I do not agree with there decisions? After all I did nothing to influence the who got in so give up my right to complain.

As someone has already mentioned........... why can't I vote none of the above.

 

[Foxholer]

Statement by Amol Rajan (editor of the Independent newspaper) to an audience of students yesterday

"You should be ashamed of yourself if you're not going to vote. Generations of men, women and children have died for the vote. Not voting is extremely offensive"

No sitting on the fence there by Amol - but what about the rest of us. How many of us I wonder are willing to put up with a painful backside despite such exhortations.

I can never quite agree with this view. And, in this case, the wording is wrong, imo, anyway!

Whole generations have not died for this! Many people have died, across many generations..., but not entire generations - as far as I know!

And what they fought for was the right to vote which also includes the right to not vote! A conscious non-vote, or 'spoiled' vote is just as, if not more, valid than a random vote imo!

 

[MadAdey]

I can never quite agree with this view. And, in this case, the wording is wrong, imo, anyway!

Whole generations have not died for this! Many people have died, across many generations..., but not entire generations - as far as I know!

And what they fought for was the right to vote which also includes the right to not vote! A conscious non-vote, or 'spoiled' vote is just as, if not more, valid than a random vote imo!

Got to agree there Fox. IMO a better statement would be something more like:

"many people have died to give people the freedom of speach and the right to have a say in how the country is won"

Freedom of choice would also include making the choice not to vote.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Very true. Decisions are made by those who show up.

In about 35 years of committee work I can only recall one occasion where, after a vote, a proposed committee member was not elected.

What does that say about the silent [spineless] majority.

 

[Foxholer]

Let me put the cat amongst the pigeons by saying my feelings in my last post apply to members of golf clubs who do not attend or vote at AGM's.

Now this one, and any subsequent whinging, I can certainly agree with!

As for the Party vs Candidate, I always vote for the Party at General Elections and Candidate at Local ones. By happenstance, I've been in 3 different electorates where the PM has been the candidate (not the same Party either). I don't think any of them ever got my vote!

 

[USER1999]

If you could vote for none of the above, what would happen if that had the most votes?