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Original poster

Very cool website which tells you how much your vote is really worth....

166 replies

catinthehat2 · 09/04/2010 12:22

Find out how powerful your vote is compared to the UK average

I live in a safe seat, my vote is worthless.

OP posts:
BessieBoots · 05/05/2010 11:34

That's a brilliant website- Amin a very safe constituency with a Plaid Cymru MP, but that's who I'd vote for anyway...

Twit · 05/05/2010 11:30

[gets here a bit late]

we are an ultra safe con seat, 0.049 and ranked 506th.
This has finally convinced me who to vote for as I was undecided between two of them.

I agree that this has to be evidence enough to change the way our votes are used, because actually the tv debates are pretty meaningless unless we can actually vote for the person taking part and that that vote goes towards who runs the country.

(feeling useless emoticon)

Takver · 21/04/2010 16:24

Wow, I am doing better than the lot of you by the look of it - 1.036 and no. 6 of 650 in terms of voter power.

(Which is why I will be voting for my least-worst realistic option, rather than my preferred one.)

I also get a REAL vote with proportional representation & all when we get to vote for the AMs (smug emoticon)

WebDude · 11/04/2010 12:58

Indeed it does, policywonk, which is why (catinthehat2) I wrote "worthless ... to bother to vote..." mostly tongue in cheek...

It's quite clear every time they analyse the results of voting that many of the votes have no effect on the eventual numbers of MPs in the Commons.

I only wrote 'worthless' because so many millions can be wasted as they have no effect, and even if more of the electorate voted in a "safe" seat, either
a) the "safe" candidate/ party would pick up enough extras to seal a victory or
b) the extra votes would be sufficiently split not to give anyone else a majority.

policywonk · 10/04/2010 22:09

Well this looks like a great illustration of the arguments for proportional representation!

glittery · 10/04/2010 22:04

JarethTheGoblinKing Fri 09-Apr-10 22:54:23

I wonder where is #650?

Knowsley in merseyside

NoahAndTheWhale · 10/04/2010 21:23

Have just discovered (due to some election advertsing) that our boundary has changed. Still in a conservative stronghold though.

Power is 0.067 and 461 out of 650.

TinyPawz · 10/04/2010 21:22

Jareth I live in West Belfast. A Sinn Fein stronghold (thank goodness).

Original poster
catinthehat2 · 10/04/2010 20:16

WebD - been thinking abt this today. You say -
" it certainly puts some perspective on how worthless it is for perhaps half the population to bother to vote.."

I think I disagree - we all HAVE to vote, however minuscule our % because

A) if you don't vote_ (and you are the opposite party to me), you are making my vote a fraction more powerful.

B) if you do vote (and you are the same party as me), we are using our votes to block out the opposite party whose members DON'T bother to vote

I think this site illustrates why the parties are obsessed with voter turnout, I've never really understood it so clearly before.

Does that sound right?

OP posts:
WebDude · 10/04/2010 13:42

Blimey it described "0.126" as being "very safe" but seeing 0.017 and 0.012 puts it into context...

My area is ranked a little over half way, which goes to show many more than half must be safe or very safe!

I already knew my vote was worthless, had I actually been on the electoral roll.

Thanks for bringing it to our attention - it certainly puts some perspective on how worthless it is for perhaps half the population to bother to vote...

I know that sounds daft, but I'm sure YKWIM

MollieO · 10/04/2010 01:14

Very safe Tory seat. I will be abroad on business for the election so this has made me think it is probably not worth organising a postal vote .

Kaloki · 10/04/2010 00:57

Seems my vote actually counts at 0.9%

Shame the vote only has influence as far as electing people and not on getting them to vote in the House of Commons..

ScreaminEagle · 10/04/2010 00:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

McDreamy · 09/04/2010 23:45

Wrong constituency with my postcode

EightiesChick · 09/04/2010 23:36

There's a message on the site saying some people are having problems with the postcode search. Think that bit of it's out of order for now. I didn't get anything on postcode but constituency name has been fine. Put part of the name in and see what it gives you.

retiredgoth2 · 09/04/2010 23:12

...hmmm.

Site doesn't recognise my postcode or the name of my (highly marginal) constituency...

..it is being boundary and name changed. But I've entered both without success....

littleducks · 09/04/2010 22:56

My vote is worth 0.182 of a normal vote

(will still vote though)

MP is tory and fairly good as a local MP, am not sure if a tory government would be a blessing or a disaster

ShinyAndNew · 09/04/2010 22:54

Ours is a very safe labour seat. However I am still voting Lib Dem. Who were the next most popular, so surely they have some chance?

IMoveTheStars · 09/04/2010 22:54

Tiny, where do you live?

I wonder where is #650?

TinyPawz · 09/04/2010 22:49

0.004 Ultra safe

The average UK voter has 50x more voting power

Ranked 643 out of 650!

Although I could have guessed that.

EightiesChick · 09/04/2010 22:48

0.046. Constituency is in the low 500s. This has made me more persuaded towards PR than I have ever been. I knew it was an ultra safe seat anyway, but to see the figures... Annoyingly, I am still agonising over how to vote as it means a lot to me to have it (people died etc) in spite of it being meaningless.

FiveGoMadInDorset · 09/04/2010 22:48

Anyone live in the most important constituency?

CrankyTwanky · 09/04/2010 22:47

Quarter of a vote!

gaelicsheep · 09/04/2010 22:45

1.41 times the national average here. Not bad. I don't mind who's in at the moment either.

I just pray that the privileged few who live in marginals are intelligent human beings.

stillenacht · 09/04/2010 22:41

650 sorry