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.

I sort of understood not voting in the referendum as it felt like there wasn't enough information and truth it in, most of it was a bunch of crap anyway, but I did it anyway.

I agree with the non-voters shouldn't have an opinion though.

If people in safe seats don't vote everyone assumes you are happy with the status quo.

I've never not voted. I live in a safe seat and have voted against the candidate who will almost inevitably win. I can't imagine not voting even if it probably will 'not count'. If I really couldn't bring myself to vote for anyone I would spoil my ballot. Obviously each to their own, but I would some respect for someone who didn't vote.

Would lose some respect that was meant to say!

Not about being happy with the status quo, it's about being a total waste of effort. I used to live in a Tory stronghold - something like 70% voted for them. If me and all the other non-Tory turned up and voted Labour, it wouldn't have made the blindest bit of difference to the results.

The Tory MP isn't going to randomly decide to stand down on the basis that 30% of their constituents oppose them!

This is the first time since legally being able to vote that I'm not. I''ve come to the point where both parties are an absolute shit show. My local Labour MP lives in a very safe seat (over 75%) but my area was the strongest to vote Leave in the referendum in my city (over 70%) and he was Remain. I ultimately can't give a vote to Corbyn. I was (reluctantly) flirting with the idea to vote Conservative in order for Brexit and googled her today to see what she represents. I literally cannot find anything about this woman and what she represents. So I'm not voting for her (and actually glad that I can hand on heart say I didn't vote Conservative as it's something I've said I will never do).

The name calling and mud slinging has been absolutely pathetic from both parties and now I'm just done with it and don't want anything to do with it. The place to vote (unless it's changed) is just across the road so I'll have a rethink tomorrow but I honestly think I'm not going to participate this time rounf.

You vote is always counted, even if it ultimately doesn't 'count'.

So that is why you should vote. Even if your choice doesn't win, how can anything change if there is no record of the people who felt differently to the majority? How will any future politicians know what policies to develop, and why, if people don't even bother to register their opinions.

I am pro Proportional Representation, I think this would help with voter apathy. But in the meantime, I will admit that I don't respect those who choose not to vote at all.

My vote almost certainly won't 'count' in the sense that it is a safe seat. But it DOES COUNT.

And that's what I want to teach my DC - get involved, be part of the change you want to see.

Previously I didn't vote in two elections.

The reason was mainly apathy, because I didn't want to vote for the least bad party, nor did I want to have to drag my ass to the polling station and queue for the "privilege" when my vote wouldn't have mattered in my area anyway.

I am voting tomorrow though. I also voted in the referendum which I thought was incredibly important.

I really don't understand the incessant need to belittle posters on MN because they choose not to though.

Oh and my local MP was being interviewed at a Corbyn rally and when question about the Terrorist attacks and how Corbyn allegedly wanted to get rid of MI5 and in the wake of events would that be a good idea and all he kept doing was talking about Theresa May and what she didn't achieve as Home Secretary.

I just got frustrated. Is this what politics has become? Deflection? Yes you're supposed to make other parties look bad but I expect a straight answer to a question about his own party and its leader.

Oh and I greatly dislike the FPTP system.

OH has only voted once, and that's when I suggested a post vote beer! Drives me crazy when he then complains about the result.

He says his vote doesn't make any difference so why bother, or sometimes he says he doesn't know enough to make an informed decision.

I don't vote because I don't want to be on the electoral register.

MissionItsPossible there are more than 2 parties - have a look at the Green Party, have a look at the Lib Dems, have a look at any Independent Candidates standing on local issues. Your vote may not change the outcome of the election one way or the other. But your vote can send a message.

caffeine
Not about being happy with the status quo, it's about being a total waste of effort. I used to live in a Tory stronghold - something like 70% voted for them. If me and all the other non-Tory turned up and voted Labour, it wouldn't have made the blindest bit of difference to the results.

The Tory MP isn't going to randomly decide to stand down on the basis that 30% of their constituents oppose them!

True. All that is true. But if you won't show what you would LIKE to happen, how can anyone represent you at all, how can they make a change for the better? Sometimes changes start small, over a local issue, and cause an upset. If not this election, then next, or the one after. A strong seat can change, if enough people vote the opposite way...

Because all the candidates are shit. That's why I didn't vote when I was younger. None of them represented my views.

I still think they're all pretty shit and none of them fit with my view of things but I vote now because I realise it won't change and I may as well try to choose the least shit of them.

I do vote, by the way :)

I'm just saying I can totally understand why people feel as though it's not worth the hassle.

caffeine, but is that 70% of those who voted or 70% of those eligible to vote who voted Tory? As if it is only 70% of the turnout then surely that depends on the numbers who didn't vote? I do appreciate that some seats would be safe even if many more people did vote.

My eldest DC is learning in primary school how important voting is. If either of my children grow up not to vote (assuming that there is still a voting system when they reach that age!) then I would be very disappointed, although of course I would have to accept it their decision.

And voting for someone you don't believe in gives them unwarranted support / legitimacy.

I live in a very very safe Conservative seat, and I always go out to vote even though I know that the incumbent MP will win. I don't think it's a total waste of effort. My vote helps stop my preferred party from losing their deposit, it helps increase the amount of funding the party gets from the fund allocated for opposition parties and it means I am part of any demographics or statistics to do with voting.

I'm less enthusiastic than usual about voting as I'm not keen on some aspects of my usual party's manifesto, but I'd rather them than the alternatives.

I completely respect anyone who chooses not to vote.

70% of those who voted.

It's been a Tory stronghold since time immemorial afaik. I don't live there anymore and I always voted when I did, but I know a lot of people never bothered for that reason.

I think the people that don't vote properly just realise that all party's, when in power just lie and don't do what they say they are going to do. Blame the old government for the situation the new government are in, and spending on the Nhs,police,education, doesn't vastly alter and we will all be moaning about the new government in 4-5 years

I didn't vote between 18-22 mixture of just missing one with my 18th birthday and lots dead end jobs and flat share. If I was there when the voting form came I wasn't there when it came around to voting.

Lots of reasons why people don't vote. Some genuinely don't care, others don't believe their vote makes a difference (true in most cases - very rare that a single vote decides it!). Many people are disillusioned by the whole process - none of the parties represent them, indeed for many who vote their is not a single party with which they particularly agree, it's just that they plump for the one who seems least offensive to them.

Personally, I'd rather someone didn't vote than vote for a random candidate because they don't understand the policies of the person/party they are voting for.

The only time I haven't voted (in any election or referendum I was entitled to vote in) was years ago in either a Euro or local election, can't remember which. I deliberately boycotted that because my consituency was trialling a postal-vote only election, which I didn't believe should be encouraged because it's (more) open to abuse.

I used to vote for one particular party at every election but am still undecided this year. It's a toss up between the Lib Dems and UKIP for me (ironic I know - but pick the best policies of the two and you'd actually have a decent party). The Conservatives and Labour are a big NO this time around, and the only other candidate is a Green, who are even worse than the other four!

Like others I'm also undecided this year.

I live in a Lib Dem stronghold but I don't really like them or the other two big parties. I don't really want to put my vote to any of them, tbh.

We have friends (both in early 50s) who proudly boast that they have never voted. (As though they think they deserve a medal of some sort). Yet they moan about this country non-stop, and constantly yearn to live elsewhere.

I have told them to move abroad, if they think they'd get a better life. If you don't vote, you lose your right to criticise, in my view.

My young adult children vote - I don't influence who they vote for, they are to make up their own minds. Last General Election I think all four of us voted entirely differently. I won't tell them who they should vote for, but just vote . . . for whoever you think you agree with now. Things change, and you may vote differently in later years (I vote differently now). But just vote - we are privileged to have this right, people have fought for and lost their lives for our right to vote. If you don't vote, you can't moan. Simple as that.