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Original poster

Help! Son is refusing to vote

106 replies

Onenightonlyplease · 12/12/2019 17:21

Quick - I need persuasive arguments to get my 19yr old son to vote. He's on his way home and when I reminded him he needed to vote when he got back he's point blank refusing.
I don't want to get into an argument over text with him and he is beyond stubborn so I need help to persuade/force him to vote tonight when he gets home!!!

OP posts:
user1471453601 · 12/12/2019 18:20

My DD is in her 40s. She has a degree in poitics. This is the first.election she has ever voted in. I have never agreed with her reasons for not voting, but they were her reasons. In the end, it was non of my business why she made the decision, but I respected it.

I suggest you do the same

Pinkblueberry · 12/12/2019 18:22

I do think it should be made law that everyone over 18 years uses the vote they are given , even if they choose to spoil it .

Except, that’s not democracy... if all the choices are quite dire and people are therefore disillusioned and choose not to vote, it sends quite a strong message actually. I’m not saying that’s the case here (or maybe it is a bit - I can’t say I crossed my box with great enthusiasm today) but forcing people to vote for something they’re very much against is dodgy territory. In North Korea everyone is expected to vote too... and obviously they don’t have a real choice in who they vote for. It gives the illusion that that one party in power is desired and wanted and it fuels the propaganda.

ThisIsSanta · 12/12/2019 18:22

I would simply turn off the WiFi. Teen DD is gutted she is not yet old enough. It is their future we are voting for.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

19 years old
Undies1990 · 12/12/2019 18:22

Bloody hell, if he doesn't want to vote leave him alone! You sound overbearing and controlling.

Pinkblueberry · 12/12/2019 18:24

Secondly whilst I've never forced my political views on my children we do discuss policies, governments etc and always have done.

Maybe you’ve been more overbearing with this than you realised, and it’s had the opposite effect you wished for.

helacells · 12/12/2019 18:24

Don't let him on until he does

yasle · 12/12/2019 18:29

It’s his right to vote, not his obligation.

If he does not want to vote, that is his decision, not yours.

CactusAndCacti · 12/12/2019 18:29

He chooses whether or not to vote.

You choose who gets to live in your house.

Thankfully all mine consider voting essential.

Hardcore [scared]

Elieza · 12/12/2019 18:31

Put your broadband or WiFi off. He’ll soon get bored and may take the hint? You pay the bills. Your choice when to put your WiFi on or off.

firstimemamma · 12/12/2019 18:32

I don't think this thread is turning out the way op wanted...

NoSquirrels · 12/12/2019 18:35

Bribe him?

Offer to drive him there and get a takeaway on the way home?

LilQueenie · 12/12/2019 18:35

I wouldn't force anyone to vote. Maybe he realises that whoever he votes for is likely to go back on what they say. politics is corrupt. For some its just not worth it.

BlueJava · 12/12/2019 18:36

He's 19, he should be allowed to make his own mind up whether he votes or not. You sound very controlling and need to back off I think.

LonginesPrime · 12/12/2019 18:40

OP, do you have any dirt on him you could blackmail him with?

It's probably a bit late to hire someone to duff him up now as the polls close at 10pm...

Strawberrycreamsundae · 12/12/2019 18:40

Crikey 😳
Definitely controlling, his vote, his choice, back off OP.

Starlight456 · 12/12/2019 18:41

Tbh you have left it too late.

I talked to my 12 year old about the importance of voting, gave him my Brexit vote as I felt divided.

You start young and hope for the best .

I have voted but trust none of them . I live in a safe conservative seat so just consider but a protest vote.

Sherrybabyy · 12/12/2019 18:42

OP, do you have any dirt on him you could blackmail him with?
Seriously?! Shock

Thefaceofboe · 12/12/2019 18:42

Yes voting is a right. You also have a right not to

fpurplea · 12/12/2019 18:42

@PestyMachtubernahme so what you're saying is you'd threaten to kick a child out of your house if they chose not to vote?

Good grief.

WorraLiberty · 12/12/2019 18:47

I can't believe some of the nasty control freak suggestions on here.

Even 'turn the wifi' off until the OP gets her own way, is bloody awful.

LonginesPrime · 12/12/2019 18:47

Seriously?!

Nope.

Singlenotsingle · 12/12/2019 18:48

A woman I know has exercised her right to abstain! Fair enough.

pointythings · 12/12/2019 18:50

He's allowed to not vote. You are allowed to passive aggressively remind him that he didn't vote every time he moans about politics. I think this is called compromise. Grin

Foslady · 12/12/2019 18:50

Don’t force him.
Just remind him every time over the next 4 years when he complains about anything the government does that he does like that he had the chance to try and change things but didn’t regardless of who he would have voted for

MummaGiles · 12/12/2019 18:52

While you can’t force him to vote, I would point out to him that he won’t have a leg to stand on if he complains about things in the future such as welfare, minimum wage, the health service, prescription prices, rates on alcohol/cigarettes/petrol, public transport, queues at immigration once we leave the EU, the taxes he pays etc etc if he doesn’t exercise his right to vote.