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

PJsatMidday did you spoil your paper because you disagree with GRA? Or because you disagree with the manifesto presented by all parties?

I've made my position perfectly clear on this thread.

But income from a country with compulsory voting. If we feel disengaged, we cast a donkey vote, a spoiled ballot.

Voting is optional here. The disengaged voter can choose to stay at home. Yet we have gone out in freezing rain to intentionally, and in some cases very creatively, spoil our ballots. This should be interpreted very differently from a "donkey vote" made to avoid a fine.

I spoilt mine too, with much resignation but on reflection I am glad I did. It felt the right thing to do, for me.
I live in one of the safest Tory seats in the country and the current MP, a BoJo crony, was parachuted in when the previous incumbent retired.
She is not well thought of locally and it will be interesting to see how her majority holds up. The LibDems will probably come second, but I could never vote for them with Jo Swinson in charge -- if she doesn't get the self ID issue what else is she hopeless on?
As for labour I might have voted for them holding my nose were it not for the appalling of mishmash policies on self-ID. And as for JC, I wouldn't trust him as far as I could spit.
DH has gone off to the count, his friend is the labour candidate, poor chap. I will ask him about numbers of and slogans on spoilt ballots when he gets back (at about 3am probably!)

Your vote will be recorded as a spoiled vote but that's it. The reason why won't be acknowledged by anyone.*

It will be acknowledged by me. It's called integrity.

🤷🏻‍♀️ the one thing I'm certain of is that your energy and conviction is worthwhile. And I agree with it wholeheartedly. But as I said. In a country with compulsory voting, donkey votes are just that. I don't know how else to effect any change without voting. Things do need to change.

If someone can tell me how not voting as best I can can change the things I despair about, then please. I'd love option two.

Perhaps we could try writing to our MPs? Maybe a petition or two?

This thread has been a real eye opener. It’s been interesting seeing what feminist actually think of the GRA and main political parties

I also suggest it is not just 'feminists', but if the wider general public had any indication of what was truly being furthered, and proposed, in the name of transgender ideology they would also be up in arms.

The problem is, and critical to why so many are spoiling their ballots, is that reforms are being sailed in under the radar - without debate ( at all), and without public consultation. It is all being presented as a done deal. The issues are profound, Involving our conceptions of sex, of what it means to be female in our society, the impact on our children and what they are being told, the impact on young lesbians and gay men......really first order stuff! and none of it is 'out there' for discussion. All debate closed down.

I don't think anyone other than the counters even see the spoiled papers.

Your vote will be recorded as a spoiled vote but that's it. The reason why won't be acknowledged by anyone.

What would have had more weight was taking all the passion and pride you feel and channeling it into activism.

This is exactly what so many of us have been doing.
Do catch up.

What would have had more weight was taking all the passion and pride you feel and channeling it into activism. Like all the activist women who fought long and hard to fight for the right to have what you have refused to exercise.

Gee. What great advice. Why didn't we think of that? Any more pearls of wisdom to throw before us?

I walked out of my door with a pocketful of stickers but even then, up until the moment I walked up to the booth, I deliberated my decision. Do I hold my nose and vote Labour and hope that they see sense on women's rights, do I vote SDP, who broadly match my views on all issues bar Brexit and have my vote taken as endorsement of Brexit, or do I spoil?

Reader, I spoiled. I didn't take a photo in the polling station but I did take a snap of my stickers earlier (hence NC, my constituency would be easily googled even if I hid the name of it).

Explaining the message about "no to male violence". www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/man-drives-truck-jarrow-firm-1397453

Explaining the message about violence against women: www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/uproar-continues-over-theresa-may-at-gunpoint-labour-candidate-kate-osborne-as-local-party-rages_uk_5dc936f2e4b02bf579430453

Kate Osborne is entitled to free speech, but it has consequences.

What would have had more weight was taking all the passion and pride you feel and channeling it into activism. Like all the activist women who fought long and hard to fight for the right to have what you have refused to exercise.

Read the thread. Many of us have been been fighting GRA reform for years. We've been ignored, belittled and even threatened by the parties we've traditionally voted for. They've made it abundantly clear that men come above women's safety and dignity. Their activists don't get to insult, abuse and threaten us and then demand our vote. Just no. And they can blame themselves for their well-deserved results. You don't get into power by sticking up two fingers at 51% of the population.

I spoiled my ballot, so did DH.
Something I thought I'd never do.
Reasons were feminist and other reasons too.

This thread has been a real eye opener. It’s been interesting seeing what feminist actually think of the GRA and main political parties. Thank you

Good! And thank you! The most interesting threads are elsewhere on the board, though.

Many of the issues are not just to do with strictly 'feminist' issues, though. I spoiled my vote for other reasons too.

I did exercise my right. I turned up to vote and made my feelings clear about what was on offer by spoiling my ballot.

Who are you to tell me that I have had zero political impact whatsoever? And how do you know that those of us who spoiled our ballots are not activists?

Spoilt my ballot, can't write the message here as it's banned. Protect women's rights

I don't want to ruin the party, but sadly the spotty teenagers or bored people sat counting your donkey votes chucked them in the bin, and you've had zero political impact whatsoever

That is utter tripe. No ballot paper is chucked in the bin. I personally think spoiling your ballot paper is pointless but they certainly don't get binned.

I don't want to ruin the party, but sadly the spotty teenagers or bored people sat counting your donkey votes chucked them in the bin, and you've had zero political impact whatsoever.

What would have had more weight was taking all the passion and pride you feel and channeling it into activism. Like all the activist women who fought long and hard to fight for the right to have what you have refused to exercise.

I'm not trying to cause a ruckus, I'm not. But income from a country with compulsory voting. If we feel disengaged, we cast a donkey vote, a spoiled ballot. It has no meaning other than avoiding a fine.

Do you think the next government spend anytime analysing spoilt ballots. No. So what's the point?

I copied an earlier message
"I will not endorse parties that are abolishing the legal status of women #notoselfID

PJsatMidday did you spoil your paper because you disagree with GRA? Or because you disagree with the manifesto presented by all parties?

Speaking of the Suffragettes, just seen a man dressed up as one on FB talking about the feminist movement...

Was he one of those special oppressed men, or a regular man feminist who centres other men in his feminism?

Another spoilt vote here. It's a safe Labour seat, so my vote would make no difference anyway. But my conscience is clear - I haven't given any implied support to the parties planning to erase me. Including my sitting MP who has ignored my emails.

I had hoped to bump into a pollster who would enquire about my voting choices. I had a lot to say. But it was pissing down with rain so their usual spot was deserted.

There's a distinct whiff of "WTF are you doing with our votes? You are in group X and as you well know, votes of group X belong to party Y."

This.

There seems an overlaying theme from brand new posters on FWR today along the lines of protesting women getting pissed off instead of tolerating abuse nicely. There's a freedom programme for that: 'hold still, put me first and don't upset me when I need to abuse you' is something many FWR women know all about. And have dedicated much time and shared experience to helping other women recognise it and be strong enough to get the fuck away from it.

This x 1000

I spoilt my ballot and it felt really strange - like I had done something illegal!