Who's Not Going To Vote In The General Election?

[Maydup]

I think I have decided to abstain, I really cannot put my mark against any of the options offered in my consituency, anyone else refusing?

[Khandro]

Maydup, It's your choice of course, but I really think everyone eligible should vote, it's a precious democratic right. Think of the women who fought so hard and died even, to get that privilege.

You may not hold any of your candidates in high esteem but you could think in terms of who you think would be best to run the country over the next 5 years, Jeremy Corbyn or Teresa May and vote only with that in Mind.

You might even feel better for having done it, whatever happens you can feel you have made your contribution.

[Peter Pedant]

usually spoiling the ballot paper is the way to show you wish to vote but there is no one worth voting for

with a line - obscene words are NOT required

the candidates have a hoolie over these and agree that the line or cross cannot be assigned to any candidate
in this case the ballot paper is not private

[ poncey Brian Redhead of radio 4 was caught out on this
he claimed invasion of privacy and treason and the rest
and the n admitted that his ballot was one of the ones 'unclear']

[barney4444]

If I have a democratic right to vote then I have a democratic right not to vote. that`s democracy.

[Peter Pedant]

45 million eligible apparently

[jim360]

I don't want to go too far down this rabbit hole -- been there, done that -- but still I find it odd that you'd explain how voting for an individual is futile while supporting the voting system that relies on that. If you want to vote for a party then you should remove the individual constituency set-up of our parliament and shouldn't really support FPTP.

Well, that's the way I see it, anyway.

Everyone should vote if they can. Choosing not to is of course a right but I'd still encourage everyone to vote.

[Old_Geezer]

One is voting for an individual whether one want to think of it like that /admit it, or not. Political parties confuse the situation because it divides loyalty to the dominant constituency view further. It's bad enough that the elected individual doesn't canvass the democratic view of those they represent prior to debating/voting on an issue but will be tempted to vote how they personally want, without the addition of parties demanding they toe the party line and vote as directed. Political parties should be banned. Representatives should find out what their constituents think and either vote that way, or explain/justify afterwards why the argument/discussion in the House persuaded them to vote otherwise.

[naomi24]

Jim, //I find it odd that you'd explain how voting for an individual is futile while supporting the voting system that relies on that.//

Well, put it this way. Even if I thought, for example, that Diane Abbott was an honest soul filled with integrity, it would be silly of me to help to elect her when I want a Conservative government running the country. That would be self-defeating.

[jim360]

Well, what I mean is that our voting system isn't designed to lend support to a party, but to an MP. I'm not saying that you shouldn't vote on party issues, I'm just saying that the system doesn't make that at all easy for most people.

[vetuste_ennemi]

I will vote. Pointless (in one sense) under the FPTP system because the Labour incumbent is a dead cert (about which I don't complain), but nonetheless I think I should vote.

My wife meanwhile, who has managed to get Brexit and the London mayoral elections right, has persisted with her historic perversity by
(this time)voting Labour. Previous aberrations being the Greens and such.
Her affections for Labour are mainly to do with the quality of our local MP, who is an excellent local representative. We've been to many of his meetings, have seen him often at the local Chinese, occasionally walking around town and even had him once on our doorstep. (VE to JM: I'm slightly to the right of Genghis Khan, only slightly left of AOG and won't be voting for you, innit).

[naomi24]

Jim, // I'm just saying that the system doesn't make that at all easy for most people. //

Why? Everyone has the same options.

[Ellipsis]

I am a believer in spoiled papers, have done it twice and was tempted to this time too. I always look to see how big the spoiled paper vote is.

[naomi24]

v_e, //our local MP, who is an excellent local representative. //

I think that's often the case.

[Khandro]

barney4444 //
//If I have a democratic right to vote then I have a democratic right not to vote. that`s democracy.//

No that isn't democracy. Opting out of the democratic system cannot be seen as democratic. I would argue that participating and spoiling your ballot paper if you feel so inclined is a part of the process, because it will be recorded along with the others as 'Spoilt ballots' and will be taken into account.

[jim360]

Well not necessarily -- in this election, for example, the Green Party (and UKIP) aren't even standing in about 200 seats each, or something of that level. And none of the mainland parties stands in Northern Ireland.

So yeah -- if you are wanting to vote for parties, then single-member FPTP constituencies suck. And if, like OG, you want to vote for individuals, then political parties suck.

Either way, the voting system sucks. :P

[naomi24]

Jim, //in this election, for example, the Green Party (and UKIP) aren't even standing in about 200 seats each, or something of that level. And none of the mainland parties stands in Northern Ireland. //

Perhaps that's because they know they haven't a hope of winning or even coming anywhere close to winning. Seems sensible to me.

[jim360]

Yes, although it does mean that voters in those seats *don't* have that choice -- and even in seats they are standing, voting for the Greens/UKIP/anyone other than the Big Two is barely worth bothering.

I know you can't get as passionate about it because, in the end, your preferred choice is always likely to be a viable one. But, until this election at least, it seemed that there was a strong trend towards other parties that simply ended up leaving voters disenfranchised. That's a sad state of affairs.

[ichkeria]

The Green Party, the Tories and UKIP all stand in some constituencies in N Ireland. Labour, as I understand it, has a policy of not standing there. The SDLP is largely identified with labour and Alliance with the Lib Dems. The latter therefore would see no point in standing there.

You're largely right in general though Jim.

[jim360]

Yes, but UKIP are weird.

Didn't realise that NI Conservatives were a thing, though (although I guess I can be forgiven for overlooking them; in 2015 they scraped 1% of the total vote!).

[naomi24]

Jim, //although it does mean that voters in those seats *don't* have that choice//

But in all honesty, can you blame the system for that? I don't think so. Any political party can field candidates. Whether they choose to do so is up to them.

[jim360]

Well, yes I can blame the system for that, and indeed many people do. When Four million people vote for a party and they win one seat for their efforts (UKIP, 2015), or when about as many people vote for two parties, but one gets nine times as many seats (Labour v. SDP/Liberal, 1983), then you absolutely *can* look at the system and think "this isn't a remotely fair representation of how we voted as a nation".