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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

That as I haven't registered to vote by post...

64 replies

cjt110 · 08/06/2016 15:05

...I don't have a right to an opinion on the referendum. As it goes, I would not know which way to vote due to lack of clear information so probably wouldn't choose to vote anyway.

Discussions got to the referendum here in the office with a colleague asking who was voting which way. I was listening to the arguments for and against and came up with some counter suggestions for/against. A colleague piped up with "well you haven't even registered to vote by post so (paraphrased) you don't have a right to an opinion"

I am by no means a feminist but I am raging at this notion that as I haven't registered to vote by post (we are away on holiday on 23 June) that I don't have a right to an opinion.

Really quite cross by this. Yes, I chose not to register to vote by post. That's my choice. But to be made to feel I cant discuss it made me so cross. All 3 discussing it were male. Each argument I made was poo-pooed and one even remarked (the one who said I didnt have a right to an opinion) said I was making up scenarios that would never happen. Eg. I said well what if we leave the EU and to be able to travel within Europe you need to apply for a visa for those countries. Entirely possible. Also entirely not possible. We don't know. But I was made out to not matter.

OP posts:

jonsnowssocks · 08/06/2016 16:26

I'm a lifelong Tory and firmly in the 'remain' camp, but if the majority voted out and the govt chose to ignore it, I'd be absolutely disgusted. Like a pp said, political suicide.

mrsclooneytoyou · 08/06/2016 16:28

Isn't a not voting just a yes vote by default anyway?!

OddBoots · 08/06/2016 16:29

It's not about those who can vote, there are a lot of people who are not allowed to vote whose opinions are worth listening to (I've been chatting to a lot of teenagers for this reason) but people who could vote but have opted out of actually voting are a different matter.

TwoLeftSocks · 08/06/2016 16:31

No I don't think so mrsclooney, if you don't vote it doesn't count as anything at all.

pristinechristine · 08/06/2016 16:32

I agree with your colleagues. If you can't be arsed sorting out a vote, then why are you even bothering to discuss it? If you had an opinion you'd vote. I wouldn't be particularly interested in engaging with somebody if they weren't going to vote.

TwoLeftSocks · 08/06/2016 16:32

cjt, you can get a friend to proxy vote for you, it only had to be a relative of they are doing a few proxies.

If you can do that, will you?

A11TheSmallTh1ngs · 08/06/2016 17:38

A person cannot be a proxy for more than two people at any one election or referendum, unless they are a close relative.

So a friend can proxy for one person!

clarrrp · 08/06/2016 17:57

I am by no means a feminist but I am raging at this notion that as I haven't registered to vote by post (we are away on holiday on 23 June) that I don't have a right to an opinion.

If it's so important to you then why did you wait so long to do it?

clarrrp · 08/06/2016 18:05

So when there was a vote in Ireland about abortion laws, nobody but those able to vote were entitled to an opinion? I think not.

Those who felt strongly enough to register to vote and express those opinions always command more respect in a discussion or debate than those who spout opinions they have no intention actioning.

Just saying.

God, this is the general public determining the economic future of our country. It puts you off bloody democracy, never mind referendums.

And this is why I think people should have to take some sort of test to show they understand the issue before they are allowed to vote.

lljkk · 08/06/2016 18:08

yanbu, you can have an opinion. Look how many MN folk have an opinion on the US presidential race even though they don't have a vote.

We already voted on referndum, btw. Postal. Sent it off days ago. So you could have voted if you really wanted.
Have an opinion, Just don't pretend you couldn't vote or badly wanted to vote.

MangoMoon · 08/06/2016 18:14

OP, I don't understand what you claim to not understand about the proxy vote.

On the page that you linked to, it clearly says that:
you can have someone you trust cast your vote for you.

It's in the very first bit.
It only specifies that you 'have to be a close relative' if you are proxy for more than 2 people.

AuroraBora · 08/06/2016 18:56

This may be the most important thing we ever vote on in regards to the future of our country and our economy.

Why you wouldn't sort out a postal or proxy vote I have no idea.

I'm of the opinion that if you're too lazy to vote then you can't have that strong opinion either way. If we do leave the EU and you aren't happy about then you will have no right complaining!

LineyReborn · 08/06/2016 20:08

OP, I've proxy voted for two people in the next street who were on holiday. They had to trust me to put the cross in the right box, though.

thelonelyhamster · 08/06/2016 21:29

Some of the best political discussions I've ever had have been with people who weren't voting (various reasons, ranging from 'lives in england so doesn't get a vote in the IndyRef' to 'doesn't agree with any of the options/candidates offered and so refuses to vote for anyone).

There is no reason a person who is not voting can't participate in a discussion of the issues, and often these people are very good at playing devils advocate, bringing up arguments both for and against whatever is being discussed.

Trying to persuade people one way or the other is different, but just being a part of the discussion is perfectly reasonable, IMHO.

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