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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to get extremely frustrated with people who 'can't be arsed' voting?

212 replies

Nancery · 07/04/2015 20:28

I have unfortunately had, or heard, this conversation a few times of late, most notably with my sister. She works as Bank staff in the NHS (nurse), rents (pays extortionate rent, incapable it seems of saving for a deposit), and is usually the sole earner in her family (fuckwit husband is a plumber 'who can't find work) and has two kids, both under five. She and fuckwit husband appear to actually find it funny they 'cant be arsed' and 'have better things to do' and can't see how voting for anyone, or reading up on things, would be a good idea in their circumstances.
I have since heard a few, colleagues rather than friends, saying similar.
I'm no politics buff but even I can see the importance! Grrr

OP posts:
noddyholder · 07/04/2015 20:31

I don't blame them Its an individual thing and the system is crap and non representative so if someone can't be bothered think about why.

daffsandtulips · 07/04/2015 20:33

Yes, it is important to vote but many are so frustrated that they give up. I personally think that politics is a "game" do you really believe that "reading up on it" will give you any answers? We are fed what every party wants us to read.

AuntieStella · 07/04/2015 20:35

I wouldn't have a problem with someone who thought nothing on offer was good enough and therefore decided not to vote.

I wouldn't include someone who isn't voting because they 'can't be arsed' in that category. It's an important civic matter, not an easy popularity competition. But you can't make people care about future of health or education, or pensions, or whatever; even when not caring about such issues seems incredible.

Bedsheets4knickers · 07/04/2015 20:42

I've heard so many people saying they will not be voting this election. Maybe a revolution is on the way.

Original poster
Nancery · 07/04/2015 20:43

In the case of my sister (no idea re the others) it's not that she doesn't have confidence in the system / parties or whatever it's that she 'can't be arsed' in a, er, 'can't be arsed way.' It's boring apparently.
Hence my frustration!

OP posts:
noddyholder · 07/04/2015 20:46

Yes I know a lot of people some of them quite active politically who aren't voting this time

Original poster
Nancery · 07/04/2015 20:48

Noddy please read my last post - I should have written it in the first post!

OP posts:
Griphook · 07/04/2015 20:59

But maybe she can't be arsed because none of them really represent them?

she rents (as do I)
no party is interested in house building to a level that would make enough of a dent to lower her rent. No one is shouting about rent caps in their manifesto, so what difference to get does it really make

Honestly you sound a bit judgemental of your sister maybe she just doesn't want to explain herself

revealall · 07/04/2015 20:59

Really annoys me. We have a system for running the country that others can only dream of. So your candidate might not win but at least you can vote for them.
I don't think it's a game. Just vote for who you want to run the country. If yours doesn't win it's because more people wanted someone else. It won't be because only men can vote or because a man with more guns then anyone else wants it, or because your family were the last people in power.

GemmaTeller · 07/04/2015 21:00

I've never voted.

I can't be arsed either.

SuffolkNWhat · 07/04/2015 21:03

This.

to get extremely frustrated with people who 'can't be arsed' voting?
Original poster
Nancery · 07/04/2015 21:03

griphook it's not that, it's because she has no interest (she's never voted, incidentally, but I was hoping that now, considering her circs, she may finally decide it might be worth doing)
I am a bit judgy of her with regards to this, yes. I would be far less so if it actually was that she didn't want to explain herself!

OP posts:
Viviennemary · 07/04/2015 21:05

I always vote in General Elections and nearly always in by elections. But this time I can't think of any party I want to vote for. And I don't approve of spoiling ballot papers. It's totally pointless IMHO. So I couldn't blame anybody who doesn't bother to vote.

TedAndLola · 07/04/2015 21:06

I see it from both sides. My vote is absolutely worthless in the first-past-the-post system, but I'm going to cast it anyway. It does make me really frustrated and I can understand why people just don't bother.

SuperMumTum · 07/04/2015 21:08

Women in the past went to extreme lengths, including death, to ensure that i have the right to vote. I might abstain for a specific reason at some point but I will never be blasé about it. I feel sorry for your sister that she feels this way.

Original poster
Nancery · 07/04/2015 21:08

The rent thing is because she's paying way over the going rate as she lives in a converted mill. Fair enough, her choice, but she's the only breadwinner most of the time and has just over £2600 a month going out in financial commitments. IF something happens re her job they will be in serious financial trouble quite quickly.

OP posts:
Original poster
Nancery · 07/04/2015 21:09

I agree with you hugely SuperMumTum

OP posts:
muminhants · 07/04/2015 21:10

Everyone has the right to vote or not.

HOWEVER, you can be sure that the crackpot parties will get their supporters out to vote. So if you favour a moderate party get out there and vote. The more people vote, the more legitimate the election result is.

Original poster
Nancery · 07/04/2015 21:12

Good point muminhants and how worrying too

OP posts:
DrankSangriaInThePark · 07/04/2015 21:13

I am fairly active politically, without being an activist anymore, and I can't understand the mindset of anyone who says they wouldn't vote, or all politicians are the same, or (even worse) they aren't interested in politics.

That said, that's me, not other people. Everyone has the right not to vote. In the less than immortal words of some 70s prog rockers 'if you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice'.

Which in the democracy we are fortunate enough to live in, is also OK.

Teeste · 07/04/2015 21:15

If you don't vote, the politicians don't have to care about you. If everyone who couldn't be arsed to vote actually voted, the political landscape would be very different.

I can understand feeling disillusioned, disappointed, disgusted etc. with the current shower up for election, but as South Park so rightly pointed out, it's always a choice between a giant douche and a turd sandwich.

Griphook · 07/04/2015 21:18

I pay way over the odds for rent, point me in the direction of who would REALLY change this and I would get off my arse to vote.

Just another point I tell my brother I can't be arsed to vote ( I always voted in the past) because I don't want to have the predicable argument the will follow.

SuperMumTum · 07/04/2015 21:25

I also agree with muminhants. The rise of the far right really worries me and the apathy of people who don't mind the status quo and therefore can't be bothered to vote as they don't see any urgency could lead to a disaster for this country.

DoJo · 07/04/2015 21:36

I pay way over the odds for rent, point me in the direction of who would REALLY change this and I would get off my arse to vote.

Are there really no other issues that you want to have a say in?

ilovesooty · 07/04/2015 21:39

I simply cannot understand the mindset of someone who has no interest in voting.