To be surprised at the number of people revealing their votes

[Marmiteandjamislush]

In media and in real life. I always thought it was rude to ask and to tell, voting is private.

Some have, eg:

www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/leisure/11098848/Betfair-pays-out-early-on-Scottish-independence-No-vote.html

I'm not in Scotland, so this is a general answer , rather than about the referendum.
I've never asked anyone how they have voted - about anything. However, I don't have many - perhaps any - fridnds whose voting preferences are a mystery to me.
I don't really know why that is. I suppose they allude tell me at some point or another.
I don't think that it is a sacred mystery. I don't think that revealing your political preferences is on a level with flashing in Church.
That said, I think I'd avoid an intense discussion with someone I was fond of/worked with but politically disagreed with.
It sounds as though there has been a good bit of that in Scotland. I think I might have found that hard.

They did pay out.

I don't see how someone's voting choice is as personal as how much they earn or their sexual proclivities - surely how you vote reflects your character, what you feel is important in society? Pretty crucial stuff.

They did pay out a couple of bets. About £100,00 worth. Which then hit the headlines so people rush in to bet on No. Come Friday, and its a Yes, they make much more. Clever wee bit of advertising there

museummum I agree there has been a lot of discussion everywhere, complete strangers on the train discussing all the arguments and counter arguments as they came up. Svots are a chatty bunch usually but I've been suprised how open and keen everyone has been to discuss the referendum.

Ah...see I said don't be daft too! I couldn't work out how they could know with no exit polls! Now I see t he advertising angle....sneaky!

That's like betting on Brazil to win the World Cup and getting a payout if they make it to the final!
Crazy. And should be illegal surely, a bet needs a result. I mean it just does. Surely?

Thecat - discussions have been intense but they've been very open, I think because it's a new question. Generally whether people are left or right leaning is set early in life, often even inherited from their parents and grandparents. Views are therefore firmly held and part of a persons sense of self. It's tribal.
This has been a new question. Very very few scots are dyed in the wool nationalists or unionists. Even many snp voters are not actually nationalists, the snp are not a single issue party (though I can see how people outside Scotland would find that surprising). Because it's a new question, people have approached it with an open mind and voting one way or the other doesn't seem to be so much about self identity and tribalism than about making a decision, or answering a question.

as I do, eatyourveg

I would be embarrassed to be asked and think that the asker was impolite. It is a personal thing.

As others have said it is very very different to a general election or anything. I know what all of friends and family are voting, at work we have discussions about it. Talking about both sides, my family is split. I am the only "no" voter.

People are talking about it because it is so different and the result could mean huge changes for the futures the United Kingdom and the people living here.

I have never asked anyone what they are voting in a general election nor am I interested.

Marmite I think you are conflating two seperate issues.

Is it rude to ask how someone has voted? Probably. I don't do it (although I wouldn't be massively bothered if someone asked me). It's one of the 'rules' that just is.

Is it rude to make public how you've voted? Well, no. How could it be considered rude?

The only person I know who thinks this is my mum. When I was little she would take us to the polling station but wouldn't let us see who she voted for. She could never explain why and it never made much sense to me.

Amongst my friends (mostly in our 30s) politics is a popular topic of conversation and it's definitely not considered rude to ask how someone voted.

One poling station in Falkirk had 100% turn out and shut early. That can never have happened before.

Is it rude to make public how you've voted? Well, no. How could it be considered rude? Because it's private, if it's rude to ask, it's equally rude to bring it up without being asked if you see what I mean.

You can discuss politics without mentioning these things.

I'm not Scottish or in Scotland so had no vote today but I am happy to divulge who I vote for if having political discussion, am asked at exit polls etc... I have courage enough to state who I voted for and why I voted for them. I don't see why it should be secret. If you want to keep your vote private that's fine, but there is no real reason to.

Surely things are only to be kept private if you wish them to be kept so? If you wish to discuss your personal political positions, which may include how you voted in a given election or referendum, whyever not?

I would say that I'm baffled by your stance but am aware that you've been somewhat sensitive to the referendum events. Are you annoyed at people declaring a Yes vote, because it feels like sticking it to the English, something you are taking personally? Or pehaps declaring a No vote, because you want English nationalism validated?

Here: I voted LibDem in the last general election. Is that me being rude? Am I somehow now uncouth? Do you think less of a person that says such?

Maid, in answer: No, No, No and Yes I think it's vulgar, BUT I don't think less of anyone.

I don't think it's really possible in a Yes/No referendum to discuss politics without it being fairly clear which way you are intending to vote. If I'm 'discussing' how much I want rid of Trident and feel unrepresented by Westminster, then I don't actually have to say outright "Oh and I'm voting Yes". Similarly if I'm 'discussing' how worried I am at the prospect of losing the pound and how many firms may move their headquarters down south, then it's fairly safe to assume I'll be voting "No".

There aren't the shades of possibility that you have in a General Election with a whole long list of candidates to pick from.