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Nick:
It is an obligation. However, it is not legally required in the UK, and that is probably a good thing.
Is it? Sorry if I sound nit picky, but I have a right to vote and not to vote. In the UK (and that's all I can speak for BTW), there's certainly a, I dunno, societal compulsion to cast a vote but I'm allowed to be apathetic towards voting yet still care about issues.
You could trade votes with someone in a constituency where it counts. Or, if you think there aren't any of those, you could stand.
Not sure I follow here - you mean as an example, say I'm Labour/Democrat/whatever, find another voter in another constituency where my vote might make a difference, who is say Tory/Republican/whatever and agree to vote on their behalf and vice-versa? If this is what you mean, if I don't vote now on principle, I'm hardly going to vote for a party I don't agree with so my vote may make a difference elsewhere. There's also an issue of trust, obviously.
I'd happily stand, if you cough up the £750 deposit.
I think not. If you can't scrape together the deposit, you sure as hell aren't going to win. Powers of persuasion etc.
But this argument applies equally to people who moan about the system who do vote. I think the majority of people on this board are in some way dissatisfied with pretty much all political parties in their respective countries. Why don't any of us stand? Just because I don't vote and others do, I should get off me lazy ass and start a party that satisfies me?
Heh, and lets face it, it'd take an awfully large amount of money to win.
The best way I can see to challenge the system is by joining NGO's that you believe in, active protest, etc.
That's arguable. It depends on the methods of protest and the issues. You may have noticed that the government seems to take only minimal heed of public protest.
Course it depends on what and why and when, but I'd say you put a focus on issues and provide an argument more effectively through pressure groups than you can by voting for a political party. Public protest may only get minimal recognition, but it can target a specific issue (foxhunting, say), and it's very high profile. Every little bit counts. And whilst on about every little bit counting:
Only if there's some indication that they will vote if their desires are expressed. If they're not registered and don't really intend to vote - and I'm talking about pants here more than you - then they're just ballast.
I accept this, and it's backed up by what Stoatie said about hot air spread by non-voters, but there are definitely political groups looking closely at the 40% or whatever it was of non-voters.
There are also websites where people can register why they did not vote. Granted most of these are "they didn't have a BNP candiddate in my borough" type crap, but the point is there are movements representing the voices of non-voters and I don't think a planned, highly organised political machine like the Tories/Labour, Republicans/democrats will not be trying to tap this pool of votes if a large demographic for certain issues prevail within that group.
That's an argument for voting, surely? It seems to be the direct application of public opinion to policy-making. I happen to think Lekvar's right to some extent, though - certainly in the UK, Blair has repeatedly announced that he's got a mandate because he wasn't voted out etc. etc. - ignoring the fact that Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition couldn't organise a pissup in a brewery. Silence gives the ruling party the option of saying "no one disagrees strongly".
Yes, but if silence/non-voting gives an implied legitimacy to an administration, casting a protest vote to an alternative party like the Tories, is me giving that party an express approval of their policies or party and I find that worse.
but a mass of non-voters is certainly a tantalising carrot to get politicians moving.
On what?
Whatever. Well in the UK, the war for one. I think it's perfectly valid to say
"I'm not voting as I disagree with the Iraq War and Labour's policy, moreover, the Tories pretty much back the government on the issue and other parties have a pisspoor policy towards Iraq or no policy at all. As find this such an important issue, I am not voting for any of them."
So long as you voice your concerns and why you not voted, I think that's perfectly valid.
Out of interest, do people think that spoiling a voting card is more 'acceptable' or 'better' than just not turning up at all?
Alex:
in reality, mainstream political parties are usually happy enough to squabble over floating voters in the centre, and write off non-participants as a waste of time.
Maybe in safe seats, but looking at how close some of the counts came in the US, I'm sure they took along hard look at non-voters.
So, with the exception of Supaglue, who's effectively on the run: register. Vote.
Dude, I am so ready for them. No bastard bailiff is taking me alive. |
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