Local elections how to spoil ballot?

[sessell]

I've always voted, even in local elections. However, as a GC lefty I am stuck. Our labour council are generally good, but the local candidate is an avowed, authoritarian TRA, though her promotional materials don't mention that, just standing up for women! I have seen her on FB laying into a GC woman and bragging about protesting outside a Woman's Place event . I really don't want to support them into a position where they could decimate single-sex spaces. Similarly greens, and lib-dems. I can't vote Tory for their cruelty. So I am left with spoiling my ballot. I'll write something like 'sex not gender identity in local politics.' But I wondered if any others are in the same position and if we could coordinate a slogan. It's a small protest, but candidates do read all spoiled ballots.

I'll be writing

WOMAN:
ADULT
HUMAN
FEMALE

against the candidates' names.

I've written this on another thread too - if you draw some kind of symbol next to one of the names (right by the name, not in the X box), it's more likely to be shown to the candidates and their agents at the count by the returning officer.

They have regular huddles during the count where the returning officer presents ballot papers he plans to declare as spoiled. The candidates get a chance to object if they think there was a 'clear intention to vote' and a discussion ensues to try to reach agreement.

I want mine to be seen before it goes into the spoiled ballots pile.

I wrote that I would have voted Labour had they known what a woman was and cared about protecting our legal rights then used #labourlosingwomen

So they will see exactly that they lost and why - if they look.

Please don't, so many local services that women and children rely on are reliant on Councillors not being useless.

Please, please vote for whoever is the best of the bunch. There may be independent options if you don't want to vote for a particular party.

No one reads spoilt papers. You are wasting your time and an actual vote.

I had some stickers made up for the last round of elections which I stuck on the ballot paper.

This time I'll be voting as there are very particular circumstances in the city in which I live, and they require an affirmative vote.

Spoiling your ballot is an entirely appropriate thing to do, though, if you really feel that you cannot bring yourself to vote positively for a candidate. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

@murbblurb

No one reads spoilt papers. You are wasting your time and an actual vote.

I've been involved in many local election counts and I have seen a large number of spoiled ballot papers in the huddles. Including pictures of what appeared to be penises.

This is because the returning officer required agreement where at all possible as to whether a particular ballot was deemed 'spoiled' or not.

Final decision rests with the returning officer - but they do like consensus from the candidates and their agents.

No one reads spoilt papers. You are wasting your time and an actual vote.

They always have been at the counts I've been involved in. Possibly because it's the most interesting part of a long, boring night.

WorkingItOutAsIGo - I like that - I might put #labourlosingwomen in the tick box & let them argue it out whether that's a vote for, or against. I'm in a very safe Tory seat here.

@GroggyLegs, I've seen some very entertaining spoiled ballots

And the 'is this penis a clear intention to vote?' discussions are hilarious, especially if one of the election agents has been propping up the bar for too long and has to be dragged away to take part in the huddle.

I'm going to write something along the lines of: 'as you don't respect my sex, don't expect my X'. Wording snaffled from the GRA group gcritical.org/

I'm not happy about it and I was hoping for an independent candidate with half a brain but there isn't one. I've held my nose for the last couple of elections and I'm not doing it any more. I've no expectation regarding getting noted, I'm doing it because I this wretched effort feels like the best I can manage. So you can spare me your finger wagging.

@floisme thanks for the link to gcritical.org Their recommendations for PCC votes are excellent and I'm glad to see there is a candidate in my area who seems to understand the difference between sex and gender. So someone to vote for! I'd forgotten the PCC election. I'm still stuck re the local council and will write something suitable aimed at Labour who would have my vote if I could trust them on this.

@murbblurb

No one reads spoilt papers. You are wasting your time and an actual vote.

Yes they do! I've seen some corkers that they have had to show to the candidates 😬

@EdwinPootsLovesArchaeology

I'll be writing

WOMAN:
ADULT
HUMAN
FEMALE

against the candidates' names.

I've written this on another thread too - if you draw some kind of symbol next to one of the names (right by the name, not in the X box), it's more likely to be shown to the candidates and their agents at the count by the returning officer.

They have regular huddles during the count where the returning officer presents ballot papers he plans to declare as spoiled. The candidates get a chance to object if they think there was a 'clear intention to vote' and a discussion ensues to try to reach agreement.

I want mine to be seen before it goes into the spoiled ballots pile.

Frankly I can live with the risk of no one seeing my spoilt ballot it’s not like they weren’t taking any notice of my views anyway.

I wrote LabourLosingWomen and AdultHumanFemale across my postal ballot and sent it in.

I will be sure to remember to put a symbol by the name of the person I want to see the spoilt ballot next time. Thank-you!

Another one planning on going with Labour Losing Women and Woman - Adult Human Female just so there's no room for doubt.

Maybe the little woman symbol near the box too, I like that symbol idea.

Blimey - must be boring at the poll count! Still don't think it is going to influence policy, and it is definitely a wasted vote. You know. The thing people campaigned and suffered for you to have...

Still don't think it is going to influence policy, and it is definitely a wasted vote. You know. The thing people campaigned and suffered for you to have...

You don't need to say this. Spoiling the ballot is, in a way, a positive vote...not an abstention. People did not fight for others to vote for candidates that they do not in any way support. People must determine their own priorities and election intentions.

Look, mate, I'm prepared to drag my arse up to the polling station to register my protest, so maybe have a pop at the 70%+ of voters in my ward who won't even bother getting or casting a ballot paper?

@murbblurb and everyone else who thinks a spoilt ballot disrespects the suffragettes. Here is a quote and hopefully a picture (if it uploads) from American suffragette Susan B Antony: “No self-respecting woman should wish or work for the success of a party that ignores her sex.” In my view it disrespects these pioneers if we blithely support parties that mostly blindly work to destroy the rights they fought for. Not voting at all is unthinkable. But in terms of voting, spoiling the ballot and making the reason clear is better than voting for a candidate who actively opposes sex-based rights.

@murbblurb

No one reads spoilt papers. You are wasting your time and an actual vote.

Every single time this comes up. I dont care if mine never gets read, i only bother to do this so they know I actually bothered to turn up only to find women still dont matter. So they can fuck themselves for my actual x in a box.

Those of us who have fought to keep local services that support women going know how much every damn vote makes, so yes I get angry to think that so many women apparently think this one issue is worth throwing the women living around them under the bus for the next four years.

Local elections desperately need every single sensible vote they can get.

@SushiGo

Those of us who have fought to keep local services that support women going know how much every damn vote makes, so yes I get angry to think that so many women apparently think this one issue is worth throwing the women living around them under the bus for the next four years.

Local elections desperately need every single sensible vote they can get.

What use are mixed sex services to women? You know when men can be women on their say so. Be angry I dont give a shit, my vote is mine to ignore, spoil or actually use to vote. Do you get this angry at all those who cant even get off their arse to go vote or organise a postal vote?

@SushiGo my local choice is
A) Tory, white old dude, convicted drunk driver and the only candidate to bother sending out something about policy/him
Or
B) one of three candidates who I can find nothing about. I know name, address and party. Nothing from them through the door. Nothing on the local party websites. Nothing if I google them but the election notification.

The PCC lot I can see. So I’ve made a choice. It’s not one I’m happy with but I’d be less happy with the other options

That's the point though isn't it. Services that impact women aren't solely ones that involve ethical questions about mixed sex provision.

So to drill it down to that is pointless. There's a whole picture here.

And yes, I am very involved in asking people to vote. Not for any particular party. Just to vote.

It's telling to me that because I disagree with you, you assume I know nothing about it.

If you don't know anything about your candidates I recommend posting on your local Facebook group. Someone will pop up, tag them and you can ask questions.

@SushiGo

If you don't know anything about your candidates I recommend posting on your local Facebook group. Someone will pop up, tag them and you can ask questions.

I know all I need to about my candidates thanks. I'm making a valid point by spoiling my vote. Any service that's for only women should stay that way. And until women are listened to about this I will withhold my vote. Christ this stuff hasn't even become mainstream news yet, but it should be, we are 50% and we matter.