To spoil my ballot?

[OvariesBeforeBrovaries]

I know IABU to talk about politics when there's a bajillion other threads on it already. I await your throwing

I've never even contemplated doing this before, in my head I've equated it to being the same as not voting at all. I want to vote, I want to take part in this democracy, but I'm so frustrated and disenfranchised. I don't want any of them to win. I don't want party politics and adults acting like kids slagging off other parties and other people in the newspapers and on TV because they have opposing politics. I want a group of people who have been elected for their own personal politics and views to sit down together and figure something out, rather than three or four groups of people waving their willies about and refusing to budge on issues because "that's what the party does" and just coming out with random slogans that mean nothing instead of actually answering questions.

I can't vote Conservatives. Hell would freeze over before I did.

I won't vote for Labour because while I think Corbyn is neither the demon nor the saint he's been made out to be, regardless of him the party is in a complete state and until one side or the other decides fuck it, this isn't working and does something to lead to a more united party, I can't vote for them.

My political views align with the Lib Dems, I think, and I like that Farron seems able to separate his religious views and his politics (unlike May who got all pissy about "Easter" but sees nothing wrong with food banks and disabled people dying), but I went to uni in 2012 so voting Lib Dem feels like heresy as one of the first years to be hit with £9k a year tuition fees (that said, I'm in Wales so the government fee grant took care of the extra, which may be why I'm not so militant about it).

Plaid, Greens etc feel like a wasted vote.

UKIP is a joke really.

What I'm getting at is, is spoiling your ballot the same as not voting at all? I don't want to write an essay on there because I know it won't get read, just to scribble all over it or draw in my own "none of the above" box or something. Last GE I saw people really criticising those who spoiled their ballots and I agreed, but now I feel so disenfranchised by it all. Do you vote for the lesser of all evils, just so that at least you've voted?

It is counted as a spoilt ballot and declared as such. It doesn't count for any candidate but it is included in the turnout. So if there are 200 voters and 100 turn out you have a 50% turn out. If 10 of those are spoilt you have 10% spoilt. If the winning candidate gets 45 votes then they have 45% of the vote, not 50%.

I see. Thanks 'exploded-cloud.'

HOWEVER on the spoiled vs turnout issue: whilst the number of spoiled papers are counted and read out, they are hardly reported on if at all. Look at the actual results from today for your county council. I doubt there will be a record of spoiled papers. Turn out, however, Is reported and reported widely.

Neither option is good really though. An actual vote is the only thing that makes a difference.

It's a wasted vote if you do.

They aren't generally news, no, but there aren't usually that many. Ambiguous ballot papers did make a pretty big story in 2000 during the US Election.

They are a refusal to vote for the offered candidates and or parties by people motivated to come out and participate in democracy.

Leave op to it.

I've spent all day vote counting in the local elections and like* Hillarious* I'll probably be vote counting in the general. If you feel you want to spoil your vote do so. We've had a few today and some of the comments on them makes our day. It will, however, make no discernible difference to anything.

I'd be reluctant to do it as just read about a council seat going Tory by 5 votes - there were 9 spoiled papers. I couldn't live with that. Well, I could, obviously but would feel secretly sick.

www.votenone.org.uk/protest_votes_count.html

It appears that this is a thing.

I was planning to spoil mine but am considering voting tactically. We currently have a conservative MP who's the smarmiest person I've ever had the misfortune to open the door to. If I clearly marked the box but wrote underneath that I wasn't really happy with any candidates, that would count as a valid vote, wouldn't it? It may not be read but it would make me feel better!

How can I find out who the candidates are? The only website I've found has only got a couple of candidates listed.

gregoriesgirl and BurnTheBlackSuit

You might consider them wasted but why should anyone have to support someone that doesn't represent them?

Until we get 'none of the above', I (we) will keep spoiling our ballot unless there is someone that I (we) feel is fit to represent my (our) views.

I've counted votes in the last and had a good giggle at some of the rude spoiled votes whilst thinking 'ignorant twat'.

It's a waste of everyone's time. You might as well save your energy.

Ok thanks for that user but you actually haven't given a single Tory policy that demonstrates why you would convert to them. You've given some examples of why they aren't great but I think I knew that already. You've also said you don't like Corbyn but I asked why you were voting Tory not why you weren't voting labour. You've said you know lots of people who have made a similar switch so I can only assume you are just blindly following them. Not gonna get into a debate, that was never my intention, I just thought you might have a valid argument. Never mind

It's a waste of everyone's time. You might as well save your energy.

I suppose that that is an OK view if you are happy with promoting voter apathy and the current voting system.

Why should anyone vote for something that they don't support?

To stop a much more abhorrent alternative getting in?

Or even just to stop a slightly worse alternative getting in, actually

I know a lot of lifelong Tory voters who are voting for literally anyone else because they cannot vote for a party who has persistently fucked over the vulnerable and disabled for the last few years

FGS the vulnerable and disabled aren't everyones priority

I'm struggling to decide who to vote for at the moment. I'm in a marginal constituency (Lab/Con) so it could actually make a difference, but I'm disillusioned with all the major parties at the moment. I think I will have to make my eventual choice on the merits of the candidates.

Don't spoil your ballet, women died for women to vote.

Vote Labour. HTH!

Math how fucking sad the vulnerable are not everyone's priority! Disabled or not we can all be vulnerable at times and if we a live long enough will almost all end up vulnerable I'm some way! Will their be a bid service, a hospital, a safe school for our grandkids?

I really wish we were not becoming more and more interested in only ourselves!

If none of the parties represent you OP why don't you stand?

Bus service!

Oh bloody autocorrect! That comment was to Kath not Math!

Asmoto without knowing the form your disillusionment takes, it's hard to advise :)

Spoiling your vote is the same as not voting at all. Only those who give a proper vote count. Who was it who said "all it takes for evil to prosper is for a few good men to do nothing" or something like that!