AIBU: The Green Party

To those who have experience - the number of spoilt ballot papers are recorded aren't they? Would a dramatic number of spoilt papers send a message, not with comments I understand, to the main parties and how so many voters are so dissatisfied with them?

If hating 50% of the population is considered a 'side issue', I'm not sure the human race should survive climate change. What's the point? Another few millenia of rape, murder and male supremacy? Thanks, I'll pass.

I held my nose and voted Lib Dem. Would have gone with Labour but their Brexit stance combined with the cult of Corbyn means that I just couldn't bring myself to do it. My local Labour council are actually pretty good, but regardless of that fact the party can and will look at local elections as a barometer of wider support.

The Lib Dems aren't much better (thinking specifically of the 'woke' twitter feed). But I didn't want to spoil my ballot.

Sometimes though the alternatives are worse, sometimes it needs to not be a vote 'for' but a vote 'against'

But just 'hating women' cannot be the basis on which to base a decision

That's a pretty fundamental reason for me not to give someone my vote tbh.

Not low at all, other issues are important to me as well, and right now as I am about to vote, moreso.

Lol at 'just hating women'
How low can you go?

Lol at 'just hating women'
How low can you go?

I swithered all day about whether to vote at all but finally felt compelled to do so. There was no room to write anything meaningful if I spoilt my ballot papers and a choice between Labour, Conservative and one Independent so I voted for him. It seemed closest to 'none of the above'.

But just 'hating women' cannot be the basis on which to base a decision, if I spoil a vote I may as well not vote at all, as I have already said my 2nd mayoral vote will be strategic. I'm not voting for who I want, I am voting against who I don't want.

Locally I want my bins collected and roads not being built and children to have school places, today that is what I will be voting for.

But voting for someone who hates women achieves worse than nothing.

All the counts i've been at the nominees and other party members were watching the ballot papers like hawks to check they weren't being put in the wrong pile. Plenty of time to glimpse a penis or an 'adult human female'. Think of it as subliminal messaging.

I will be voting shortly (parents evening first) I will be voting for who I feel best addresses the local issues that are important to me. I am repeatedly advised to vote independent but they really are either not what I want or have many ideas I disagree with.

Mayor is a little harder, vote 2 will most likely be strategic.

I worked at one election as a counter about 15 years ago and there didnt seem to be anyone there taking note of the way in which ballots were spoiled or what was written. Just as well as there were a number of doodled penises. Was a while ago though so may be different now, but as I said, not seen any evidence ballot spoiling achieves much.

I spoiled my ballot. I hope I managed to do it in a slightly meaningful way, they hadn't left any room for comments

You didn't.

Don't spoil your ballot. The only people who see it will be counting agents, election agents, and prospective councillors

Unless it is a very close contest it is likely only the tellers and the presiding officer will see them.

I was told that there was some way to have your lack of vote recorded - not just as a spoiled ballot? Can't seem to find out what that may be?

There isn't.

Don't spoil your ballot. The only people who see it will be counting agents, election agents, and prospective councillors.

At local level, if you are unhappy about your choices, STAND YOURSELF!

It doesn't cost any money at local level to register to stand as an independent. You just need ten nominators who must live in your ward. You file your papers with the local council's electoral department and that's it.

Even if you only get 10 votes, and one of them is your own, it's far better than not voting at all or spoiling your ballot. You, for example, could get the 10 votes a sitting councillor needs to return. And you may do better than you suspect.

Nothing will change unless good people start getting stuck in. Don't give away your democratic right to determine who governs you. Ever.

I voted Green due to our local candidate being involved heavily in activity to clean and protect local woodland, of which I approve. I'm not impressed with their policies on our sex based rights, but none of the other options available to me today were any saner, and nor am I convinced that spoiling my ballot will have the slightest effect either. It was a difficult one.

This is the first time I really don't know what to support.

I spoiled my ballot. I hope I managed to do it in a slightly meaningful way, they hadn't left any room for comments.

I don't disagree Lego it's a rock and a hard place and it shouldn't be a problem but it is and there are men and women fighting against it. I'm not a member but I might return - I don't agree with the TWAW policy and I'm not the only one. I have never 100% agreed with any political party, even the ones I support. It's a big issue to disagree on, no doubt about that, but I didn't want to spoil my ballot.

I’m so desperately conflicted about this. I’m on my way to vote now. Greens have been so visible here, really engaging with local communities and very active. I wanted to vote for them to support their work locally but I just can’t overlook their record nationally as others have said.
Conservative stronghold here anyway and a lazy one at that. MP has replied to none of my letters.

Shall I vote green and hope for change in the future if the local person is decent?

I agree LegoToast. like most parties it's a mix of machiavellian charismatics, sincere idealistic do-gooders and brainless sheep. I'm one of the middle category who saw the light and got the heck out.

I've spoiled my ballot many times.
Once I wrote "All Wankers" in big letters across the slip.

Some local GP actions

www.greenparty.org.uk/assets/images/national-site/le-2019/local-government-programme-2019-03-12.pdf

In my borough the GP is gaining volunteers and we are putting together community projects.

There's also a few GC voices connecting behind the scenes.

Just like MN isn't a hive mind neither is a political party - there is push and pull.