Are you voting in the next general election purely on the transgender issue?

I posted on the Starmer thread but realise here would have been better to say that where I am there is an SDP candidate and the SDP are sound on the protection of sex based right, not harming children, no self ID, clarifying the Equality Act, and keeping language in hospitals etc clear.

I have only just found out about this candidate, so am not sure what their other policies are, or what their leader is like, but wondered if anyone here is considering SDP, or has considered them but is ruling them out?

Same here, I can't express how relieved I am that I'm actually going to be able to show support FOR someone, rather than resorting to spoil my ballot paper in protest AGAINST everyone.

My dilemma is solved. We have a respectable independent candidate that I’ll be voting for. Phew.

Ooh. Got excited about maybe having a new candidate, but just realised I am now in new constituency with the same Labour guy, but there may also be a SDP guy, with no info. Presume he is GC and anti Brexit so conflicted. NONE seems a better option at this point.

I intend to mark none but not sure whether my postal vote will arrive in time. I think late postal votes should at least be looked at. Having said that I haven’t yet see the list of candidates or checked them out, but I do know that MP safeish seat thinks men in women’s prisons is not a problem and never replies to my queries.

On my last vote, I changed the phrase to 'Respect my sex if you want my vote’ for exactly the reason you described - I didn’t want anyone arguing that the X counted as a vote 😀 This time, if I can’t find someone to vote for, I’m considering drawing a line through the candidates and writing 'None' on the paper (as described in the link posted by PP above) and adding the respect my sex slogan on the top of the ballot paper away from candidates’ names🤔

Yes, it has to be decided whether a vote has been cast. Apocryphal story, at a council election (I think). Someone had put against a candidate's name a drawing of a penis. There was a discussion on whether this counted, as no other mark was on the ballot - one candidate apparently told the person who had the penis against their name that he could have the vote if he wanted it and it got counted on the grounds that the voter had obviously chosen that candidate and his/her means of voting should not be discounted. It's only a story, though the Returning Officer does look at every spoiled ballot and have the candidates and agents discuss it - the objective is not to disenfranchise someone because of the way they have made their vote. An art rather than a science.
Last council elections I wrote 'Respect my sex if you want my X' and then realised the X had landed against the Green candidate and I worried this might be counted (the horror!) - which meant I then wrote 'I have not voted for the Green candidate' - which made me feel a right chump.

No but it will be a factor in my final decision.

I've only skimmed the thread so don't know if this piece by Suzanne Moore has already been posted:
"I won’t vote Tory, but there’s a good reason Labour haven’t won me over yet - If Keir Starmer wants my support, I must be able to trust the party to protect the rights of women and children"

"I know many lifelong Labour voters who are wavering now because they don’t feel the party can be trusted with women’s rights. Others are wavering because of Gaza".

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/columnists/2024/06/05/not-vote-tory-labour-protect-womens-rights/
archived version here https://archive.ph/tjDta

I'll read the manifestos when they land but at the moment I still don't know what I'll do on election day.

My next election is the EU parliamentary election this Sunday.
I will vote for a party that generally aligns with my opinions, although I thought of spoiling my ballot. But this isn't a national election.

In next year's general election in Germany, I will vote against the Coalition who voted in Self-ID this April (liberals, social-democrats and Greens). Either CDU or the Feminist Party, if they stand. I've been a lifelong social democrat, with the odd excursion into Green territory. No longer.

Im in a seat that has been tory since record began. Im also going to spoil my vote. I think historic low turn out is the wake up call needed to drive positive change (and I cant vote for C, LD or L or G and there's no independent standifn where i am).

You have to do it priperly though so that they have to record it as such and not 'voter intention unclear' see here: www.votenone.org.uk/protest_votes_count.html

I came to the conclusion some time ago that the Lib Dems are a bunch of weirdos, in general. A strange breed. And they certainly do believe that TWAW.

They have none of the passion of Labour and none of the pragmatism of Tories They seem to inhabit a strange in-between world where everything is nice and reasonable - and just a little detached from reality. Seems to attract odd bods and cold fish. Caroline Nokes would suit them well.....I keep expecting her to jump ship.

The Greens have long become the home of malcontents, ridiculous radicals and biology deniers. A repository party for thoose that are too way out, or disgruntled for any of the others - even for the Lib Dems. Plus that Owen jones is now touting for them.

A spoiled ballot is still registered. That is what counts for those of us who refuse not to turn up at all - but cannot vote positively and with confidence for any of the candidates on the ballot paper.

Yes, i will be spoiling my ballot. I have specially printed stickers which I've used before. They say:

"Transwomen are men. Women require single sex spaces, services and sports for their own safety, dignity, privacy and fairness".

I might have considered voting Labour if I hadn't got an MP who was a full on TRA, and Israel hater to boot.

They do have to be examined, and declared spoilt, and counted by category (as detailed in the Electoral Commission regulations), and published

For clarity, from what I understand, only the number in the category is published. Not whatever message might be written on it.

They do have to be examined, and declared spoilt, and counted by category (as detailed in the Electoral Commission regulations), and published.

Agents and candidates see them, as well as the Returning Officer (or Deputy Returning Officer).

It’s not some casual binning process like some posters seem to think (not suggesting you do).

Some election counts are very close and I’ve seen spoilt votes matter at city council elections.

the only votes that count are the properly filled in ones. A spoilt vote is a non vote.

No! FFS!

Many Women are doing this.
Its your vote….so your choice.

I don’t look at the Party at all, just the policies they are intending to put forward

I was planning on spoiling my vote and making it clear it was over women's rights. I've never voted Tory in my life but this has always been such a safe Tory seat that my vote's never mattered anyway. We don't agree politically on much but the current MP is a decent enough human being (not one of the crazies). He doesn't think TWAW either.

But the latest odds on the Electoral Calculus site now suggest Labour has a chance to grab the seat. There are lots of very right-leaning, pro-Brexit people around here and Reform is splitting their vote. The Labour candidate is awful; a nodding dog who'll do whatever they're told by the leadership. And I don't think it's healthy for any party to have so many seats they can just do what they like without any opposition.

Can I make myself vote for a party I've never supported, just to try and keep out another party which is filled with people who apparently can't stand me? Living here it wasn't a dilemma I was expecting to face.

As I’ve never ever been a barbie, and played with Jane and Johnny West, I’m probably a 9 or 10 according to the have-you-lost-your-regressive-misogynistic-minds mermaids, but that’ll come as a surprise to the DH and maybe midwives who delivered the DC. Or maybe not to the latter? Explains the actions of Susie Green though. The fuckwittery is strong in that organisation.

Great news morningtoncrescent and I agree with you Amaryllis.
tsabeautufulday I hate to think how many young autistic kids and teenagers are being hoodwinked by this devastating men’s sexual rights (and men’s sexual access to other people) movement; which cares fuck all about the consequences that it could cause for those autistic kids and teenagers. It makes my blood boil to think of all the pain and suffering caused to them and their families.

Detransitioners in autistic young people in a few years when they realise they were perfect anyway, not in the wrong body and badly let down, the harm caused is sickening and sad.😥

The trouble is that rainbows cost nothing. Third spaces, extra groups for trans people, extra toilets or changing rooms, all that costs money. But use the women's facilities? Costs nothing. (Sometimes I wonder if TWAW is all a ploy to horrify women into making the effort for third spaces - we'll back anything if it keeps TW out of ours.)

Good quality talking therapy costs more than hormones. (Well even poor quality talking therapy probably costs more) Hormones keep'em happy and send'em away. Great for a few years and when the long-term medical problems start and the NHS shit hits the fan they can all blame each other.

Sorry, having a cynical moment here.

I’m rather hoping they’ll come and canvas me so I can tell them to their face.