to think only having candidates from 1 party is not democratic

[wheresthelight]

been out to vote and found that on our district council elections we get 2 votes over 3 candidates and all are labour. now I am not a labour supporter, I don't believe on their policies and ideology and I object to being forced into a labour council because there is no option for anything else. how is that democracy?!

I live in a labour stronghold and to be honest round here you could paint a turd red and people would vote for it but why is it OK to not have a choice?

Yes I was surprised to vote between 1 Conservative and 1 UKIP candidate. That was it.

I thought I'd be voting for a couple from a huge long list.

Take it up with the Tories and the LibDems. Presumably they didn't think they had enough of a chance of election to put the resources into supporting a candidate.

You could have stood as a candidate yourself for another party or as an independent if you thought there should be more choice.

Well in ours there were only conservative candidates so I guess Labour did not think they have a chance here. It will probably all equal out.

No resources required for putting a candidate on the ballot beyond 10 signatures.

Well to balance your labour we had a choice of two Conservative and one independent ( formally conservative) ...

You could just write 'none of the above'? However, it must be frustrating note to be able to vote for your choice - would you consider standing?

we weren't even sent polling cards so guessing our electoral office couldn't give s toss tbh. had I known in advance the lack of choice I may have considered standing

You could have looked on your council website.

There about 100 council seats where there is no election because there is only one candidate.

You'll need to ask the other parties why they fielded no candidates, and yes consider standing as an independent.

Local decisions have a huge impact on day to day life.

That's shit.

I'm kind of surprised there aren't some sort of regulations ensuring a minimum number of candidates. Thinking on it though I'm not sure how you could enforce it...

I'd write to your chosen political party and question it though.

I have stood as a candidate under these circumstances. It is very easy.

nothing was on our council website!

I just don't understand how they can claim it's democratic when you get no choice

Stand as an independent

Democracy only works if we take personal responsibility. As others have suggested you could consider standing yourself next time to give local people a choice.

Who are "they"? The system relies on people putting themselves forward for election. Particularly in local politics, these are ordinary people who are bothered about local representation. Democracy isn't something that is or isn't done for us. It is or isn't done by us.

I spoilt my vote for my local election. My choice was between UKIP, UKIP, UKIP, Tory, Tory. I explained my reason for spoiling.

I have previously approached Labout about fielding a local candidate and they have never bothered ever before, because the area is SO blue that Red people are basically burnt and have things thrown at them. There has been one independent candidate who won, but he was a local building magnate who got in on a passing his mates extensions schtick.

My vote for an MP was like one tiny drop of wee in a pool of blue. It's never going to happen. It's so safe the fucker doesn't even bother sending leaflets round to anyone.

I had to vote for two different parties at council level and only voted for 1/3 at parish level as the rest were Comservative and UKIP and I won't have that on my conscience.

Our local council elections were between 1 independent, Labour & Conservative.

And we could vote for any 3.

fluffywhitekittens - snap.. WBC?