Spoilt votes - post them here so that the parties/papers can see them

Well of course the reasons behind spoilt ballots will be analysed - along with all other information available - after the election. It's data. They have data analysts. Those people don't just go 'ah, spoilt ballots don't count so we ignore their existence'

I have to admit, my first reaction on reading this was “aaarrrggh why!” In this election, let’s be honest, we’re are not going to end up with a Labour or libdem majority. It just doesn’t look possible. So all we can hope to do is lessen the effect of the worst of the Tories via a hung parliament/coalition/some other wobbly bollocks. Women’s rights are so SO important, but if neither Labour or libdems are actually in power to enforce their bills, it’s not as pressing as it could be at another time. I hope that makes some kind of sense.

There is no perfect vote or strong leader but there is a very likely chance that we will get a misogynist, racist, intolerant PM

Sorry, which of the main party leaders isn't misogynist, racist or intolerant? If there was a half palatable candidate with a chance of winning sufficient seats to form a government, nobody would be spoiling their ballots.

Save yourselves a trip, not voting and spoiling amounts to the same thing

Now who is spreading disinformation? They are not the same thing at all. Spoiled ballots are counted. A significant increase in spoiled ballots will result in questions being asked: this could be a question about whether the ballot paper was too confusing, resulting in people inadvertently spoiling their ballots; or it could raise questions where an incumbent's majority is slashed to a significant extent, without a corresponding increase in the number people voting for the other candidates or a corresponding decrease in voter turn out. In that situation, any election agent worth their wages will be looking at the spoiled ballots to work out what the issue was.

To those who argue that everyone should vote Labour on the basis that they are anti-austerity and pro-NHS, or Libdem as they are pro-EU, etc, I say the following: I cannot vote, as I have done all my 40+ years as a voter, Labour.

Because they will take my vote as an endorsement of all their policies. They always do - all parties do. They will take MY vote as an endorsement of their appalling, anti-women's rights policies.

They can fuck right off.

And my children will see me do it.

Save yourselves a trip, not voting and spoiling amounts to the same thing,

Not to me it doesn't. I will know I have participated.

Well I'd happily tell people to vote. Because I think it's important to have a voice and use it. Even if no party overly impresses me, living in a democracy and voting in a party is important.

If people don't want to vote, fine, if they want to spoil their paper, fine, but don't do it kidding yourself it is some big protest and people who matter are sitting pouring over the papers and reading them they are not.

Save yourselves a trip, not voting and spoiling amounts to the same thing,

Unlike some posters I'm not telling everyone whether they should vote or not. Nor have I said what I'm planning to do myself. What I will say is that, whatever I do, I'll have given it more thought than any election I've ever voted in. And despite all the bluster, it's evident that some people are very invested in talking people out of this, which makes me curious. Cos if they care as little as they say, why keep posting?

I get the reason behind spoiling votes and may have done it in the past. I feel that this election, however, is different, if all the spoilt votes could be put into tactical voting we may not get an utter idiot running the country and our SEN support, NHS etc might have a hope in hell.
There is no perfect vote or strong leader but there is a very likely chance that we will get a misogynist, racist, intolerant PM. Just a thought

Well maybe not but I have a much better understanding than any one writing shite on their ballot paper and thinking it is either looked at by someone in power, or anyone who actually gives a shit. It's not.

LOL! Excellent appealing to authority (yourself) there! You're not the only one who's participated in electoral counts and returning, you know.

Nobody cares. Of course not. Spoiled ballots are never noted as protests against the way politicians have dealt with issues of the day. Nope. Not ever. Certainly not in the most recent elections in this country. Nobody noticed or said a word or reported on it. Nope. Silence.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6988225/Scores-spoiled-ballot-papers-delay-local-election-results.html

inews.co.uk/news/politics/local-elections-2019-spoiled-ballot-card-brexit-502657

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/local-elections-results-brexit-2019-spoiled-ballot-papers-voters-brexit-a8897676.html

www.itv.com/news/2019-05-03/local-elections-2019-voters-spoil-ballots-in-anger-at-conservatives-and-labours-brexit-stance/

Oh. Well blow me down with a spoiled ballot feather.

If they're so arrogant that they're not even curious enough to take a look then that is even more reason then why they don't deserve any votes

And then how would we get s government? Some form of autocracy? We should all not vote? So then who decides? The queen?

And don't be so daft, of course they don't read them, most of them have friggen cocks drawn on them, or some random illegible shite.

Irrelevant of your expectations they don't.
If they're so arrogant that they're not even curious enough to take a look then that is even more reason then why they don't deserve any votes.

then I would expect them to take a look

Irrelevant of your expectations they don't.

Spoilt votes are counted and feature in turnout %. So not quite the same as not turning up

Eh, yeah it is, because they also count those that don't turn up.

You don't have a very sophisticated understanding of democracy and protest, do you

Well maybe not but I have a much better understanding than any one writing shite on their ballot paper and thinking it is either looked at by someone in power, or anyone who actually gives a shit. It's not.

It's counted. Like those who don't vote. Some council worker on a low wage will read them, lucky them. And then that's it. End of. They are counted like the folk who don't vote.

Anyone thinking it makes one iota of difference is fooling themselves. The only thing that matters is who you vote for. Unless you count the local council junior having to read through them trying hard not to get fed up of the large amount of cocks drawn on them.

There is no reason whatsoever why candidates and agents will trawl through rejected ballots.
Thank you for going to all the trouble of posting statistics and links - you seem to care a great deal about this.
I'm not going to repeat my post and I know they are not obliged to go through them but, if the count is tight or if have any curiosity at all about their constituents, then I would expect them to take a look.

the point that parties are not obliged to take note of them has been made many times

The parties will be watching sites like MN though, so its actually quite likely they will see comments like this thread. They value it enough to specifically come and do webchats (even if they give dogshit answers). They know we're angry. They know why.

Labour, for example, know Dawn Butler is a liability so they fudged their manifesto to try and pull the wool over both sides' eyes, then put her in a cupboard after she gobbed off and rumbled them.

BuzzShitbagBobbly - LOL, crosspost!

Spoiling it is no different to not voting and no one of import actually cares.

You don't have a very sophisticated understanding of democracy and protest, do you?

Literally no one apart from you is going to give a flying fuck.

Except you, who cares enough to turn up here and have a moan up. Why bother, if it's so insignificant?

Home2018 "Literally no one apart from you is going to give a flying fuck."

You gave enough of a fuck to take time to scold the uppity women though...

I think the issue is more that any candidate or agent worth their salt would surely want to see them, if only to make sure they can't be counted. And if they're really not interested in why people might go to the trouble of travelling to a polling station without casting a vote, then more fool them - they don't deserve to win

Here are some actual statistics about spoiled ballot papers.

The proportion of ballots rejected at counts [in 2017] was 0.2%. This compares with 0.3% in 2015

The link gives more information on parts of the UK and the reasons for rejection.

www.electoralcommission.org.uk/who-we-are-and-what-we-do/elections-and-referendums/past-elections-and-referendums/uk-general-elections/results-and-turnout-2017-uk-general-election

There is no reason whatsoever why candidates and agents will trawl through rejected ballots. Almost a quarter (24.9%) were rejected due to voting for more than one candidate so analysing those for example tells them nothing beyond the voters didn't understand what they were doing.

My friend is a Returning Officer. Spoiled ballots are carefully checked to see if a clear indication to vote for a particular candidate can be identified. This check often involves the candidates being asked to look at the ballot paper to agree with the Returning Officer's decision. Spoiled ballot papers are more closely scrutinised than any other. They are counted as part of the turnout percentage and the number of them is included (as 'rejected' votes) when the result is announced, and if there is a significant proportion/change to the usual proportion of spoiled ballots, either in a particular constituency or overall, it may be picked up and reported on by the media.

It is fundamentally untrue to say that spoiling a ballot paper makes no difference whatsoever. It makes no difference to the final result, but the candidates will often/usually get to see many of the spoiled papers and they will be counted as part of the turnout.

The number of holier-than-thou posts on ballot spoiling is amazing

There's certainly been plenty "holier than thou" posts on this subject. Do whatever you want but try to avoid getting thrown out of the polling station when taking a picture of the spoilt paper.

It has nothing to do with telling women what to do
There have been a number of threads on this topic recently with some posters seemingly very invested indeed in telling us what to do. Do have a look.

As for what happens to spoilt ballots, thank you for your advice - the point that parties are not obliged to take note of them has been made many times. I think the issue is more that any candidate or agent worth their salt would surely want to see them, if only to make sure they can't be counted. And if they're really not interested in why people might go to the trouble of travelling to a polling station without casting a vote, then more fool them - they don't deserve to win.

There has been considerable misinformation about spoiled ballot papers, what the effect is, what happens to them and importantly who cares about them.
Even if they make them into paper aeroplanes, it's still our right to pick none of the above. Doing something "pointless" and "childish" hurts me less than voting for something I fundamentally disagree with.

The number of holier-than-thou posts on ballot spoiling is amazing. Just makes me more determined to do it, and now I've had a few ideas from others about how to word it.