To ask why some people don't vote

[LyraTheDaemon]

I'm naive to the whole thing! I completely understand it's their democratic right to not vote just as it is to vote but I'm baffled as to why you wouldn't.

I work with someone who is overall a nice person but is extremely naive & lives in a bit of a bubble. For context, we work in the NHS & she has 2 children, so imo the policies being discussed by all parties will have an impact on her, but she just doesn't care! We've all mentioned to her how important it is but she says she doesn't know or care enough to go. It also transpired she's not even registered to vote so we all gave up trying to convince her.

Without a slanging match, if you don't vote, why? Why not spoil the ballot instead? Obviously this isn't aimed at people that can't vote, it's for those who can but choose not to.

Best not to if your IQ is below a certain level, really.

It's better for the proletariats to have their future decided by those with an academic outlook.

Spoiling the ballot seems a bit pointless too though? It doesn't achieve anything.

Spoiling the ballot seems a bit pointless too though? It doesn't achieve anything

It gets recorded ...

Generally though, no vote is effectively a "Whatever" to the future.

Laziness
Ignorance (including the ignorant view that all politicians are the same)

Spoilt ballots are counted- in the absence of a "none of the above" box, it's a way to protest about the candidates on offer.

Laziness, or they live in a stronghold where their vote really is massively irrelevant.

I will probably vote however it does seem like a bit of a pointless exercise. I live in one of the safest Tory seats (over 70% last election), but as a teacher (and parent) I definitely wouldn't be voting Conservative.

I am seriously considering not voting. I like my local incumbent but not his party (despite having previously been a member of it). The other candidates standing locally don't seem particularly interested in the area, one is but has his finger in a million different pies in local government and I don't trust him. I don't feel I can in good conscience vote for any of them.

I understand that spoilt papers are recorded, it just doesn't seem a worthwhile thing to do. Can people seriously not choose the party that most closely fits their views? Seems as lazy as not voting at a to me.

I didn't vote when I was younger, absolutely no interest in politics. At all.

I've probably only voted 3 times (I'm early 50's).

Also in this election I can understand people not voting. You've got to be very left wing, very right wing, or to mean well in a wet meaningless way. Bleugh. It's all very depressing.

I think lots of people don't vote because they don't agree with any party.

....although in Scotland it's probably more interesting.

My vote is totally irrelevant where I live but I still turn out to exercise my democratic right , I'm in my 50s and have only ever missed one election ( general or council) and that was last month when I was genuinely too sick to leave the house .

Perhaps if you live in a safe seat, then it might feel 'pointless'. Although I've often lived in very safe Tory seats and still turned out to vote as a Labour voter.

I have friends who didn't vote in the Brexit referendum. Including one who had a massive emotional rant on Facebook later on about how disappointed she was and how this isn't the country she thought it was and so and so forth. It took all my manners to not comment saying "then why the fuck did you not turn up to vote you dimwitted fool?".

I do think people who didn't vote shouldn't be allow to talk about politics for the next five years though. No complaining about anything; no whinging about the NHS or schools or such; no rants about May or Corbyn.

I think that, if you don't care who wins, it's better not to vote (or spoil your paper) than make an arbitrary choice.

A friend of mine thinks that none of the parties currently represent his opinions - he agrees with bits and pieces from each of them, but not an overall majority for any one of them.

That doesn't make him stupid btw.

Well I could never bring myself to vote Tory.

I used to vote tactically for Lib-Dems, then they jumped in bed with the Tories. I also voted Brexit, and they want to hold the vote again, so I can't vote for them.

Labour leader is far, far left and can't even fill all his shadow cabinet. Can't vote for him. Incompetent twit.

UKIP? Fuck off!

Greens? Same brexit issue as the Lib-Dems.

After ruling everybody out there's nobody left for me to vote for.

It seems totally ridiculous in my honest view (to choose not to vote) but then again, it's their choice.
Unfortunately those that are most disenfranchised by politics are pretty much giving the Tories a free pass.

Although I'll probably go for Greens in the end.

I'm guessing people either can't be bothered or they feel it won't make a difference.
To be fair everyone moans about everything these days, whoever is in power. Neither party are a galvanising force.

My vote is totally irrelevant where I live but I still turn out to exercise my democratic right

Mine too! But I remember that, when my DH's elderly aunt was born, women didn't have the vote. So I make sure I take my DDs with me and point that out to them.

I'm considering not voting because I don't know what the least worst option is. It's six of one and half a dozen of the other.

I think spoiling the ballot is a waste as well.

I've never not voted.

If I pick the party that gives me the best outcome personally, it's conservative, based purely on the value of my mums house. It seems wrong to vote for that but much as I like Corbyn I'm honestly worried he will tax those of us on average wages (20k) even more.

So if all it is is about crazy house prices giving me an inheritance I didn't expect.....er, no, still can't put a tick on the Tory box.

So I'll stay out of it.

Men didn't have the vote unless they were rich until 18someyhing.

I could vote green but they won't do anything about overpopulation either and anywa this is a two horse race.

We too live in an area where it's a safe seat, very depressing thought but I like to believe that every little counts (just like Tesco )

There's a blanket ban on politic talk in my house as we disagree so much but the one thing we all agree on is voting. It's been drummed into me since I was old enough to understand to vote and it's stuck with me.

Whatever the result on Friday, I'll just shrug. And not moan.

Well from the few people I've spoken to (other mums at the school) I've had one "I wouldn't know who to vote for" and one "I don't know where I have to go to vote" (she has a polling card with the address, she just doesn't know where it is. And has lived at her current address for 9 years.)

I also had a "they're all basically the same so it doesn't matter who gets in."

It's baffling really as well as infuriating.

I think that none of the candidates are credible.

There is no actual truth out there, it's all a spin.

So I'll save myself the journey and let the hive mind decide.

Fwiw, I did vote in the referendum. Had string views on that. That went well.