'Should we allow votes for RON (re-open nominations)?' blog discussion

Old_Wrinkly

As jonah50 says in an earlier post, the returning officer reads out the number of spoiled ballots at the end of the declaration of votes cast. That's probably it in terms of public awareness. All the papers, TV and websites seem to ignore them when showing results.

jonah50

destroyer.tong wrote: »

I am Dissapointed to see you advocating that people should visit the polling station and waste their vote by spoling the paper, we have a democracy in this country that many others do not, If people do not vote, or spoil their paper intentionaly, then they do not have the right to complain when things are not as they would like. My advice to all eligible voters is to cast a valid vote

Casting a valid vote hides the fact that you are fed up with the present system and want change. Only suporters of the status quo would give that advice. I have voted before and so "have the right to complain" but who is willing to listen to us?

When more votes are spoiled (and they ARE counted and the total read out - off TV!) than the winnning candidate gets then surely change will be unavoidable at last? Not this time perhaps, but to the horror of the much despised "establishement" the idea is catching on.

Power to the people, but don't expect vested interests and shady wealthy backers to give it up without spending a lot of money on very dirty tactics! Be alert.

sheep-ali

Many years ago my husband spoiled his ballot paper. When we read the results in the local paper, it said that there were no spoiled papers. At that point we lost faith in the whole system.
I will be voting but I still have no idea for whom. One of our candidates did not even bother to issue any leaflets so we cannot hold it against him!
One candidate appeared on the doorstep, the rest have been conspicuous by their absence.

MSE_Martin

destroyer.tong wrote: »

I am Dissapointed to see you advocating that people should visit the polling station and waste their vote by spoling the paper, we have a democracy in this country that many others do not, If people do not vote, or spoil their paper intentionaly, then they do not have the right to complain when things are not as they would like. My advice to all eligible voters is to cast a valid vote

I am most certainly not advocating anyone spoil their ballot

Politicians aren't as bad as you think ... vote for someone
You don't often hear this, but even after all the scandals, having met and co-operated with politicians of all parties in recent times, I believe most are decent people of conscience who want to improve others' lots.

So while it's easy to denigrate and deride, if we don't vote, what right do we have to complain? If you desperately feel the need to protest against them, register your distaste by turning up and spoiling your ballot. It's a far stronger message than not voting.

As you can see what i say is "if you desperately feel the need to protest against them" - i am advocating spoiling your ballot as better than not voting, but actively voting is by far the best option.

blucan

Martin, I have heard you say that spoiling your ballot is better than not voting twice or three times now. My simple question is how is it better if the result of spoiled ballots is not published? Justify your argument - I am waiting attentively. You have 2.5 hours to convince me before polls close.

You will see from my previous post that the only party that I am agreement more than 50% with is not standing in my constituency. This is not democracy, so all the more important that I make the most efficient protest I can against the whole sham. Advice please.

Paulgonnabedebtfree

destroyer.tong wrote: »

I am Dissapointed to see you advocating that people should visit the polling station and waste their vote by spoling the paper, we have a democracy in this country that many others do not, If people do not vote, or spoil their paper intentionaly, then they do not have the right to complain when things are not as they would like. My advice to all eligible voters is to cast a valid vote

I disagree. I believe that I do have the right to complain after making an active choice to abstain. I feel strongly that if I make an active choice to abstain (whether by spoiling or not attending) then that is my right - a right that MPs also have. Indeed, MPs even use this right as a way of not even bothering to turn up - by a process known as "pairing". However, I would perhaps agree with you if I failed to vote just because I couldn't be bothered.
I don't have a lot of time for politicians but I will be making a valid vote this time around as the issues feel clearer to me than they sometimes have. However, my vote is more of a vote against something rather than a vote for something else.

I really believe that there should be a none of the above option or a RON. I wonder if we will ever have a PM called RON .

jonah50

Well, there you go!
23% of the vote and 8% of the seats, what could be fairer than that?

If the Liberal Democrats bottle-it on getting real electoral reform then next time
(and down from 33% in the opinion polls - Ashcrofts millions were well spent)
we will all have to rally around the Green Party and hope they have principles they can stick to!
ttfn