Why you should vote

[IceBus]

I see there's already a thread about people not planning to vote, so I figured I'd post some rather compelling reasons to vote.

1. What we've done to retain the right to vote freely

Whether you can only remember as far back as World War II or have a slightly longer memory, thousands of British people have died to ensure our generation had the right to vote freely and live in a democratic society. By exercising that right you're paying a tiny little homage to everyone who fought to ensure our country stayed free. I'd feel pretty ashamed if I didn't vote.

2. You're a woman

The suffragette movement was the most significant occurrence in the 20th Century for women's rights - if you're a woman and don't exercise that right, I'd feel pretty bad considering what Emily Pankhurst et al put themselves through.

3. Politicians are all the same blah blah

It may be the case that you can't slide a cigarette paper between some candidates - but the fact is, there are huge differences between what the actual parties would do if they got into power in terms of healthcare, crime, welfare, immigration and security. Do you really want to leave that up to everyone else?

4. One vote doesn't make a difference blah blah

This is patently untrue - one vote can be the difference, and while it's unlikely that it'll end up being a one vote margin to secure a victory for any given candidate, when you add up 3000 'one vote doesn't make a difference' people, that can quite easily swing an election.

5. I don't like politics and I like complaining about it

As far as I'm concerned, if you don't vote you can shut up and hold your water when it comes to complaining about the government, politics, public services and politicians. If you don't vote you have failed to engage with the system and as such haven't done the one thing you can do to affect the system. If you don't vote, you can't complain - if you do, feel free to complain about everything.


While I can totally understand why people don't vote, the reasons they give are really weak. If you don't agree wholeheartedly with one candidate, pick the one you agree most with and vote for them. Change in politics usually happens at glacial speed - by voting for the lesser of two evils, over times things should get better.

By not voting you risk letting a tiny proportion of our country decide it's future. I for one, think that is an absolute disgrace.

 

[platypus]

For these and several other reasons, hear hear.

 

[Ricochet J]

Well said.

 

['Wes]

You're entitled to your opinion, but getting all riled up because people don't vote has got to be a sickness.

 

[Hutchy]

I have a feeling that one was building up inside over the past week or 2.

 

[platypus]

You're entitled to your opinion, but getting all riled up because people don't vote has got to be a sickness.

A sickness? Or common sense? We live in a democratic system, such as it is. Democracy doesn't work if people "can't be bothered" to vote. That is a sickening attitude. There are several ways to protest against politicians.

If you genuinely believe that non of the candidates deserve your vote, you abstain by spoiling your ballot paper. It's really quite simple, not turning up to vote is a disgrace, and should be illegal.

 

[greywolf]

The fact that so many people just seem not to care or be bothered to vote is pretty sickening. Its not that it takes very long, and you can't complain about the current governemnt if you didn't bother to vote!

 

[4T5]

For me it's Simple. If you don't vote you have no right to comment or moan about the state of the country now or in the next 4/5 years.

 

[Russinating]

For a lot of things in life, I like to attach the question "what if everyone did that/this?".

ie. Dropping one piece of litter on the floor doesn't make a huge difference... but what if everyone did it? Alternately, what if everyone binned their litter and picked up any that were accidentally dropped?

The same goes for voting. What if everybody said "my vote won't make a difference so I won't"? And while there may be not much difference between the three main parties, there certainly is between them and the smaller groups - BNP, UKIP, Green etc.

 

[Guerrilla]

Well said, and i agree should someone truely want to not vote for any of the candidates that the should at the very least spoil their paper, simply not voting will just be overlooked.

 

[scorza]

I wholeheartedly agree.

3. Politicians are all the same blah blah

It may be the case that you can't slide a cigarette paper between some candidates - but the fact is, there are huge differences between what the actual parties would do if they got into power in terms of healthcare, crime, welfare, immigration and security. Do you really want to leave that up to everyone else?

One thing I'd like to add is that even if there is no candidate who you wish to vote for, I think you should still vote and spoil your ballot i.e. put a cross across the whole ballot sheet, don't draw a nob on it or anything anti-social like that. The reason is that politicians like to dismiss low voter turnout as voter apathy, if there was a high turnout with a high number of spoilt ballots then they can't do that and will have to acknowledge voter disgust at the lack of choice. Who knows, it might encourage new political parties to emerge.

 

[greywolf]

I wholeheartedly agree.



One thing I'd like to add is that even if there is no candidate who you wish to vote for, I think you should still vote and spoil your ballot i.e. put a cross across the whole ballot sheet, don't draw a nob on it or anything anti-social like that. The reason is that politicians like to dismiss low voter turnout as voter apathy, if there was a high turnout with a high number of spoilt ballots then they can't do that and will have to acknowledge voter disgust at the lack of choice. Who knows, it might encourage new political parties to emerge.

Personally I think there should be a "none of the above box".

 

[platypus]

Personally I think there should be a "none of the above box".

There is no need. You cross your paper.

What you are probably thinking of, and I agree there is a necessity for, is a total of "Abstentions" to be listed in the final count. The problem with that however, is that there are some many people who can't be bothered to vote that it doesn't work properly.

 

['Wes]

For me it's Simple. If you don't vote you have no right to comment or moan about the state of the country now or in the next 4/5 years.

That's the thing, i don't moan about my country, i never watch the news or read the newspaper about what's happening in this country and in the world, except for the odd F1, Football and Boxing news, that's why i don't vote.

 

[platypus]

One thing I'd like to add is that even if there is no candidate who you wish to vote for, I think you should still vote and spoil your ballot i.e. put a cross across the whole ballot sheet, don't draw a nob on it or anything anti-social like that. The reason is that politicians like to dismiss low voter turnout as voter apathy, if there was a high turnout with a high number of spoilt ballots then they can't do that and will have to acknowledge voter disgust at the lack of choice. Who knows, it might encourage new political parties to emerge.

Yes, yes, yes. Abstention is the only way forward.

 

[platypus]

That's the thing, i don't moan about my country, i never watch the news or read the newspaper about what's happening in this country and in the world, except for the odd F1, Football and Boxing news, that's why i don't vote.

What a sad way to lead your life.

 

[greywolf]

There is no need. You cross your paper.

What you are probably thinking of, and I agree there is a necessity for, is a total of "Abstentions" to be listed in the final count. The problem with that however, is that there are some many people who can't be bothered to vote that it doesn't work properly.

I believe Australia have this, and that you have to vote. Makes a lot of scence.

 

['Wes]

What a sad way to lead your life.

It's my life mate, i'd rather enjoy going out with friends to the pub and on holiday, playing games, going to work and getting the job done and coming back home, taking care of myself by going to the gym and eating healthy, spending time with my pets and my family, you still think that's a sad way to lead my life? Caring for those close to me and enjoying time with my friends and by myself? Or have you got a regime which i could follow till the day i die which would include sitting on the edge of my seat wondering what the next political outcome is?

 

[platypus]

It's my life mate, i'd rather enjoy going out with friends to the pub and on holiday, playing games, going to work and getting the job done and coming back home, taking care of myself by going to the gym and eating healthy, spending time with my pets and my family, you still think that's a sad way to lead my life? Caring for those close to me and enjoying time with my friends and by myself? Or have you got a regime which i could follow till the day i die which would include sitting on the edge of my seat wondering what the next political outcome is?

And how hard is it for you to take 5 minutes of your life every 4/5 years to vote, and trying to help make your life, your friends lives, your communities lives, your countries lives better? Yet you are too selfish to do that? That is what I mean by a sad way to live.

Who knows; if everyone actually voted properly, we might be able to enjoy life more because we'd have a political system that worked a damned sight better then it does now.

 

[[TW]Fox]

For me it's Simple. If you don't vote you have no right to comment or moan about the state of the country now or in the next 4/5 years.

Absolutely 100% agree.