Who else doesn't vote?? And why???

[sweetheart]

I was having a peek on "The Sun" website this morning and saw they have launched a campaign to get younger people to vote.

I am 24 and have never voted - not even in a local election.

I don't vote because -

I don't know much about politics or what each party stands for
I don't have the time to find out
And whatever pre-election promises are made they are normally a load of bollocks anyway.
Plus, from what I've seen - I don't like any of the candidates.

Is there anyone else out there the same or am I just being a irresposible citizen by wasting my vote.

Oh btw, dh is 25 and he doesn't vote either!!!

[Lonelymum]

I have always voted - am even sending off for a postal vote this time as we have just moved house and we are not on the electoral roll here.

How can you say you don't know what the parties stand for?

Think of any issue that affects you - education, taxes, student loans, health, there must be something!

[morningpaper]

I think that's fine, as long as you never ever complain about taxes, police, the NHS, whether you have got any money or not, women's rights, criminals, the cost of living or your legal rights.

Oh and if the Tories get in, toss up the economy and interest rates soar, and your house gets repossesed - no complaining!

[Tinker]

Why don't you find out? If you can post on here, you can read a few news sites surely?

I agree, I don't think you can criticise if you don't take part in the first place.

[KBear]

Women died so we can vote - I always bear that in mind when I can't be bothered to go and vote. Patronising but true!

[lunavix]

I'm not.

Forgot to send the form in saying we lived here! (although they should know that for council tax purposes )

[piffle]

I'm with KBear, look at people in Iraq who waited overnight at great personal risk (actually one mother gave birth in the queue and still would not leave before her vote was cast)
I guess complacency leads to voter apathy - if there was something you radically disagreed with, then you would seek out the party who most closely matched your ideals.
I think as a woman, seeing what the suffragettes did to earn us the vote, then we are duty bound to cast it, I take politics very seriously though.
I'm not saying right or wrong btw, just that it has more than a can I be arsed to register and walk to the booth about it than you may first thnk

[MrsBigD]

I won't vote because I can't
I've been living here for 14 years paying taxes and NI etc but as a foreign EU national I'm only allowed to vote in local elections

[enigma]

I disagree with that Piffle. If I was around when women were disenfranchised I would have been standing alongside Emily Pankhurst and the rest of 'em campaigning for women's suffrage. However the point is having the right to vote - you are not then duty bound to exercise it. What if none of the 3 main political parties approximate to your views - why should you be forced to make hobson's choice.

I also don't think it's logically coherent to say that you can't criticise any aspects of public policy if you didn't vote.

As it happens I will be voting - but only because I want to make sure the Lib Dems don't get in as don't want dh to pay 50% income tax.

[Lonelymum]

That's terrible MrsBigD. On the other hand, it always used to annoy me that dh was allowed to vote here (he is Australian!) I'm ok about it now as he has taken out British citizenship. Any chance of you doing the same?

[MrsBigD]

nope lonely mum because I didnt get a 'indefinite leave to stay stamp' in my passport when I first came here. Didnt know I should get one since I can work here without one...

as for your dh... similar here... dh is a Kiwi and can vote.. that's the commonwealth for you

[sweetheart]

enigma, thank you for your very articulate point of view - was staring to feel a bit ambushed.

I feel if I did vote it would be a wasted vote anyway so I don't see the point.

[Dophus]

Last year (or was it the year before) a right wing facist (Le Pen) did extremely well in the first round of elections(sorry - I can't quite remembetr the French political system). Reason: voter apathy.

It is a sad fact that those with extreme politucal views become over-represented in elections, essentially because they can be bothered to vote. For this reason (plus ones given below) everyone should exercise their right to vote. If you don't know who to vote for THEN FIND OUT!

I do believe, however, that our ballot papers should include 'none of the above'

[flamesparrow]

I didn't vote before for the same reasons as you.

The past year or so though I have been whinging more, and decided to learn more. This time round I can make an informed choice (lesser of the evils I suspect), and can have a right to whinge

[snafu]

Must...not...post...on...this...thread.....aaaaargh

[hunkermunker]

I think that if you don't want to vote for any of the main parties, go and spoil your ballot. If enough people made the effort to actually go and do this, it would show that not everyone just sits on their arse watching the footie because they can't be bothered to vote - more that they have the desire to vote, just not for any of the choices on offer.

Of course, if everyone did that, it could also mean that people had got too stupid to work out how to put a cross in a box

[JoolsToo]

first election day after my 18th birthday I was first at the polling station - never missed since - and thats a lot of voting

some you win, some you lose

[enigma]

Snafu - why must you not post on this thread. Does it press your buttons? Might you be tempted to say something inflammatory ? (intrigued)

[snafu]

enigma. I have quite strong views on voting and last time I aired them I think I upset a couple of people. I don't want to do that again. I'll just say that I think people should use their vote.

[Chandra]

I don't vote here because I'm not British, I don't vote in my country since I left because I think it's fair that the people, who will suffer the winning candidate directly, should decide on their own as we expats can't see the full picture nor do have to live with the consequences.

[sweetheart]

good on you flamesparrow - perhaps you could give me private lessons on the basics of politics then i could go and vote.

[Dophus]

You don;t need to know anyhting about politics - just atch the news or read a paper and see who saysd things that make sense to you. Give this person your vote!

[suedonim]

I've always voted, where possible (couldn't vote for Scots MSP's when we lived in Indonesia!). It just seems to be the correct thing to do when I live in a democracy which came about by other people's sacrifices. Ds1 has arranged a proxy vote, though he lives in the US. Ds2's girlfriend is going back to Paris from Scotland next month just to vote in their referendum on the EU.

[flamesparrow]

Mine is pretty much to read all the different papers (good cross section of bias then), and the one you swear at least wins !

Did also rummage in the net a while ago...

[crunchie]

We just did a quick straw poll at work and out of 12 people only 3 will vote!!! That is awful. ost used the reason that everyone is as bad as each other and therefore aligning yourself to one party means you cannot complain about them WTF

I was so shocked at the total apathy about it. It is not a female or a young thing, more a total - well I can't do much about it - attitude. But if 75% don't vote that doesn't help.

[Dophus]

If 75% don't vote I have a horrible feeling Howard may squeeze in