why are you not voting today?

[fogbat]

So, as Pootle said - what does NOT voting achieve? The same old shit just trundles on but we're more likely to get the worst of the three parties. It's the apathy that gets me. What exactly do you think you're achieving by not voting?

Harriet Harman has a ridiculous, ungodly majority in my area. What exactly will voting achieve for me?

 

[Idaho]

Yes, because they at least got off their arse and tried to do something about it.

Spoil your ballot paper if you don't want to endorse any of the major parties.

Nonsense.

 

[danny la rouge]

How does not voting make a difference?

They don't like it up 'em.

 

[madzone]

I want democracy. If that means that the views of the country are accurately represented, then so be it.

How does not voting achieve democracy. It smacks of sulking to me.

 

[Citizen66]

I don't agree with capitalist party politics so not going down the route of endorsing it. I know not voting actually aids those i'd least like to see in power but it's a point in principle.

 

[madzone]

Harriet Harman has a ridiculous, ungodly majority in my area. What exactly will voting achieve for me?

It will lessen the majority

 

[stupid dogbot]

I want democracy. If that means that the views of the country are accurately represented, then so be it.

So, you're happy for the BNP to get in, yeah? No issues with that at all?

 

[cesare]

So, as Pootle said - what does NOT voting achieve? The same old shit just trundles on but we're more likely to get the worst of the three parties. It's the apathy that gets me. What exactly do you think you're achieving by not voting?

It's not apathy. It's active (and in my case, angry) abstaining. No confidence. And if enough people do it, it'll gather momentum.

 

[kabbes]

To be fair -- if enough people refused to vote, I think it would actually make a difference. The lower the turnout, the lower the implied mandate. I think politicians would be very nervous if the turnout was less than 25%, for example.

 

[madzone]

They don't like it up 'em.

And how exactly is sitting at home, doing fuck all but moaning put it 'up em'?

 

[fogbat]

It will lessen the majority

And in practical terms?

It'll do sweet fuck-all.

 

[danny la rouge]

Well, if you actually gave a toss, you could always have stood as a candidate.

And become of one the Overlords? The history of the Labour Party shows how that works out

 

[madzone]

To be fair -- if enough people refused to vote, I think it would actually make a difference. The lower the turnout, the lower the implied mandate. I think politicians would be very nervous if the turnout was less than 25%, for example.

And how likely is that?

 

[madzone]

And in practical terms?

It'll do sweet fuck-all.

Whereas not voting?......

 

[dylans]

How does not voting achieve democracy. It smacks of sulking to me.

If you walked into a restaurant and were presented with a choice of only 3 maggoty rancid dishes dragged from the garbage bins and covered with excrement would you choose one? No, you would walk out of the restaurant.

By not voting I am walking out of the restaurant

 

[cesare]

And how likely is that?

Increasingly likely. Are you of the impression that most people vote in this country?

 

[Pie 1]

Because as of Tuesday, Lambeth are claiming that they still have not received my overseas voting application even though I sent it two days after the election was announced by priority mail from Switzerland.
Fucking liars

 

[madzone]

If you walked into a restaurant and were presented with a choice of only 3 maggoty rancid dishes dragged from the garbage bins and covered with excrement would you choose one? No, you would walk out of the restaurant.

By not voting I am walking out of the restaurant

Or you could shit on the floor of the restaurant

 

[TopCat]

I can't contemplate voting for any prospective MP in Croydon Central today. I might go and vote for the council election.

 

[danny la rouge]

And how exactly is sitting at home, doing fuck all but moaning put it 'up em'?

The one thing that all MPs of all parties worry about is "apathy". They like to depend on people supporting them, or at least hating the other lot enough to keep voting. They really don't like the idea of a shrinking mandate.

 

[madzone]

Increasingly likely. Are you of the impression that most people vote in this country?

I think more than 25% do

 

[fogbat]

Whereas not voting?......

Will achieve no less.

And will save me the effort of walking across the road to the polling thingy.

 

[cesare]

I think more than 25% do

More than 25%, but less than 50.

 

[stupid dogbot]

The one thing that all MPs of all parties worry about is "apathy". They like to depend on people supporting them, or at least hating the other lot enough to keep voting. They really don't like the idea of a shrinking mandate.

Whilst I don't entirely disagree...

Will Cameron really care if he's elected on a 26% turnout?

Will Sass and his smug tory ilk?

Of course they won't, they'll trumpet it as a victory all the same...

 

[madzone]

Well, we'll have to agree to disagree on this one. Can't be bothered arguing with any of you today.

If the Tories get in it will be your fault

 

[Pingu]

Also, low turn out and the first past the post system favours extreme groups like the BNP.

No particular party ticks all my boxes, but I'd rather register some sort of support to a party that is the closest to what I want for myself and the society I want to live in.

OP - what do you achieve by NOT voting?

the same as if i went and spoiled my balot paper - fuck all.

i just dont see why i would vote for a party or person whose views i disagree with.

 

[kabbes]

And how likely is that?

More likely than your vote overturning an established majority.

 

[fogbat]

If you walked into a restaurant and were presented with a choice of only 3 maggoty rancid dishes dragged from the garbage bins and covered with excrement would you choose one? No, you would walk out of the restaurant.

By not voting I am walking out of the restaurant

By choosing one of them, you'd also be telling the restaurant that you like the choices you have available, and want more of the same.

 

[kabbes]

I think more than 25% do

I just plucked 25% out of the air. The point is that the lower the mandate gets, the more nervous the politicians would get. They certainly don't like turnout being less than 50%, which it often is. And the lower it goes -- as it passes 40%, 30%, 20% etc -- the more worried they would be.

 

[gamma globulins]

I feel the same about voting as I do about getting clean water out of a tap
Particularly as a woman I can't help but think that people died to get me the right to vote and I owe it to them to make use of it. I just think that given the situation in many places we are incredibly lucky to have at least a semblance of democracy.

Thanks. That's a pretty solid argument.

I still don't get the not voting thing. I don't think that it's read that way by the politicians, and while they talk about the need for a mandate I'm not convinced they believe it. I also think that lower turnout tends to encourage mainstream politics to pander to right-wing prejudice as those who abstain on principle tend to be left wingers, so it becomes more about who can get a larger share of the right-wing voters.