An odd thought on Voting machines

|Ric|

|Ric|

|Ric|

Associate
Joined
28 Jun 2005
Posts
895
This is a bit of a bizarre thought but it just occurred to me whilst reading comp.risks and various items about the electronic voting machines that they are starting to use in elections.

Currently if you wish to, you can spoil your ballot and I'm sure that I've seen it said that this is a better way to show your desire not to vote for anyone (on the basis that you don't like any of the candidates) than simply not turning up.
Presumably with voting machines you can't spoil your ballot any more because you simply click on the candidate you want to vote for.

So the odd thought I had was what happens if you just stand in front of the machine and refuse to click a candidate, can you denial of service attack the election? lol.
If you got a group of mates all lined up to vote and stood in front of the machine and didn't vote can you be forcibly removed? Clearly if this happened currently with a paper system you don't actually physically need to (the rules might say otherwise) do it in the little booth.
 
If you block all the voting machines then in my opinion you are denying the people behind you their right to vote and you could therefor be arrested
 
Yep you would just be removed by the police for obstructing the proceedings.

The point about not being able to spoil your vote is a very valid one however. I spoiled my vote last general election and will most likely do the same thing this election (will be voting local however).

I guess they will quite like the idea that people can't voice their objection through recorded ballot spoils.
 
I'm curious how "long" you are allowed to vote.

At one point do you stop being a slow voter and start being someone that the police can remove?

Clearly if they make a rule/law that you can only take 5 minutes then there is a definitive point, but maxing out your allowed time is about the only rebellious act you can do if you can't spoil your ballot.
 
Zogger said:
and who counts the spoiled ballots? does it have any effect whatsoever?
Click to expand...
They are counted in the same way the votes are, it has the effect of showing your not apathetic and do not want to vote for any of the main parties.

If enough people do it, then it will have an effect, this is democracy you should be allowed to voice your opinion and I have never understood why there isn't a propper "non of the above" box.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom