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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

the election - why don't more of us get round to voting?

64 replies

Tryingtokeepsmiling · 08/05/2017 17:29

Feeling increasingly like people with young families aren't represented by politicians because we don't vote - you can understand why after a day of wrangling little kids, when you've got them into bed the last thing you want to do is turn out and vote - but then we get stuck with someone else's choice. online voting would be amazing but postal voting is the next best thing: register here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-for-a-postal-vote

OP posts:
Noodledoodledoo · 08/05/2017 22:48

I always vote but do wish you could use any polling station. In terms of location my polling station is closest as the bird flies but is a 5 minute drive/10-15 minute walk as to walk is not a nice straight line.

My daughters nursery is 5 minutes walk and has a polling station opposite but is not mine - very frustrating I can't use it.

I went this time with 9 month old in car seat whilst eldest was at nursery, husband went after he had dropped off at nursery.

AmyOnTheBorder · 08/05/2017 22:53

Postal voting is so much easier. I have just had a year of not been registered for postal and it was a hassle. I still did it as I'm committed to voting but I really appreciate being able to vote by post again.

TheFallenMadonna · 08/05/2017 22:57

I love voting. I find it exciting and a bit moving in fact. Even council elections.

TreeTop7 · 08/05/2017 23:11

I like the ritual of voting in person.

A lovely and efficient man has been the clerk at my polling station for years and years. It's always nice to see him!

I quite like the fact that nothing has changed since I started voting in the 1990s. Same old grotty booth and those little pencils. Library silence.

One day it will all be online and the counts will take a few minutes. Staying up until the small hours waiting for your constituency to declare will be a thing of the past, as will the race to be the first to finish the count, with the teenagers racing around with ballot boxes.

shebagthehag · 08/05/2017 23:14

I do the vote on the school run usually, have taken the kids with me a few times, I've even taken the kids with me to donate blood before!

If I didn't work from home and couldn't get there I'd do the postal

If people want to vote they will

BonnieF · 08/05/2017 23:17

I always vote. In my view, it's a duty as well as a right. People fought long & hard to win the right to vote for everyone, and millions of people live in countries where they don't get the opportunity.

If you can't be arsed to vote, you can't blame politicians for ignoring you.

GraceGrape · 08/05/2017 23:20

I always vote. I always take my DC too. The first time was when DD was 8 weeks old. Polling station was a 15 minute walk away. It makes life easier that it's now a one minute walk! I remember going to the polling station with my parents for every election too.

I do agree that more people would vote if we had PR. DP doesn't bother because he feels like his vote counts for nothing (our constituency has a Tory majority of 25,000).

GraceGrape · 08/05/2017 23:21

Treetop I was wondering the other day how online voting would work. I imagine that one day we'll have some sort of biometric data and you can vote online by touching your fingerprint on a screen or something.

springhassprungohmy · 08/05/2017 23:35

In my view it is a really bad show not to vote. It is the only way most people have influence, and people died so that we have the right.

I think WAY less of somebody who doesn't use their vote. It is shameful.

I love going to the polling booth and feel deprived if I have to use a postal vote Grin

annandale · 08/05/2017 23:43

I would love to know. I'd imagine there is a community angle - having election leaflets coming through the door, seeing posters go up, then on the day spotting the Polling Station signs, seeing people going in and out of the station.

If you're in a safe seat where parties don't bother to leaflet or send out posters much, you must not see a lot of the buildup and it would make you less likely to think of it on the day.

I think schools do a good job encouraging years 12 and 13 to think about voting. Where does it all go after that?

EmilyDickinson · 08/05/2017 23:45

Wow, I really don't understand people using having young children as an excuse not to vote! I've always taken mine with me. It's a great opportunity to rates H them about democracy and demonstrate to them the importance of taking part. Ove always discussed politics with my children from when they were tiny. I remember taking three very small children with me to vote and the people there were happy for me to take them into the booth with me. I showed them the ballot paper and explained how you vote. They put the folded up ballot paper into the box and were genuinely interested in the result. All of my children are politically engaged and the eldest is looking forward to voting for the first time in the upcoming general election. I've particularly impressed on my daughter the importance of voting, as it's a hard won right for women. On election / referendum days voting is the top priority for me and I plan what I am doing that day around it. Recently I've taken to voting at 7am, when the polls open to make sure that I'm able to. Like other posters I take the view that if you don't vote you have no right to complain about the result.

ginghambox · 08/05/2017 23:49

Postal voting should be only for people who are physically unable to vote in person, not because you can't be arsed.

Gottagetmoving · 09/05/2017 07:00

Postal voting should be only for people who are physically unable to vote in person

It's for people who work away too...and those with mental health issues, social anxiety etc.
You get to post your vote before the actual polling day.
It's also for people who prefer to do it that way.

ForalltheSaints · 09/05/2017 07:09

I expect it is a mixture of hating all politicians, being in safe seats, and being too busy (unable to plan time) to go to the polling station. Not good enough reasons in my opinion. I have never missed any election including local and European ones.

londonrach · 09/05/2017 07:12

Another who likes going out to vote. Dh and i forgot one year until 15 minutes before end and then ran out. We got in just in time. First time ever we didnt vote on the council ones as dd didnt sleep the night before and we fell asleep. Poor excuse but true. Thinking about postal at mo.

AnguaResurgam · 09/05/2017 07:20

"Postal voting should be only for people who are physically unable to vote in person"

That is how it used to be (as it included all health and MH conditions, and physically unable in the sense of certain occupations preventing attendance)

"It's also for people who prefer to do it that way."

Only since 2001.

It has not increased the number of votes (that came when people were motivated to vote because they were interested in the election.

But it has led to an increase in fraud.

SuperBeagle · 09/05/2017 07:37

Voting is compulsory where I live, so we get a high turnout subsequently. Of course, you can submit a blank ballot but you'll get fined if you fail to turn up at all for no valid reason.

I love voting day. Sausage sizzle, cake stall, watching in on TV later etc. But I watch elections like they're an episode of Neighbours. I'll watch the UK election even though I have no ties to the UK at all.

Believeitornot · 09/05/2017 07:40

I vote first thing in the morning and take he dcs with me if I can. It's to important that they see me do it!

I used to postal vote but if you forget to post, you can take it to the polling station on the day.

TheNaze73 · 09/05/2017 07:45

Postal voting should be only for people who are physically unable to vote in person, not because you can't be arsed

And who pays for & enforces that??

AnguaResurgam · 09/05/2017 07:57

Up to 2001, it was the electoral services office of your local council.

And today they are still required to scrutinise all applications for postal votes, to implement anti-fraud measures. And they are still funded for that role.

So yes, the postal vote did, does and will continue to be more costly to administer as an add-on to the polling station system. But it is one that is right to fund, as avoiding the disenfranchisement of those who cannot attend is important and matter of principle. And other postal voters can coattail on that infrastructure.

Iazarus · 09/05/2017 08:06

To the people that say that if you don't vote, you can't complain afterwards or have any opinion, that is complete bollocks. I won't be voting because I don't trust any of the parties to do what they say they will do. I am still entitled to complain if I want to, and also have an opinion.

Itisnoteasybeingdifferent · 09/05/2017 08:59

As BonnieF says, good people died so you have the right to vote.

It is an immense priveledge not afforded to the majority of the world. Yet even so people don't vote. I think our system has much to do with the problem. First past the post means the elected politician always gets more people voting against them than for them so in reality they do not represent the pooulation they serve.

Then thee is the party aspect itself. Both the big parties are formed from local associations at grass roots level. These become bastions of cliques and bullies. The result at local political level is an awful mess of self serving ego's and exclusion where it is not worthwhile getting involved.

ArgyMargy · 09/05/2017 09:03

Don't agree with not voting - you have no right to complain about anything if you don't vote. Don't agree with postal voting - no need for it. Don't agree with first past the post system... 😬

specialsubject · 09/05/2017 09:50

Of course you can complain afterwards - but if you don't vote you get assumed to be a lazy phone gazer. If you dont support any of the candidates ( quite possible) spoil the paper.

alltouchedout · 09/05/2017 09:56

I always vote. But I was brought up to understand that voting is important and, as a woman especially, that people had fought and died so I could vote. My parents always voted in the evening and always took us along, so for me it's just totally normal, and I do exactly the same now- go in the evening with the dc. I want to drum into them as it was drummed into me that voting matters and should be done. I count spoiling one's ballot as voting- I did that in the Police & Crime Commissioner election- so even if you are uninspired or disgusted by everyone standing, you don't have to vote for any of them, but you still go along and make the point that you care.