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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

women who don't vote

144 replies

beepbeepimasheep · 08/06/2017 13:36

Three women who I know have recently said that they have no interest in politics, don't understand politics and can't be bothered to vote.

I can't help but think that they are being a bit pathetic. Were the suffragettes efforts all for nothing? I have never missed voting in any election so I can complain about it when my party don't win as I think it's so important that we all vote.

OP posts:

TSSDNCOP · 08/06/2017 15:44

It's entirely different to abstain because you simply can't decide between the lesser of two terrible choices, and to not vote because you are so disengaged with the world around you that you can't be bothered to even know there's an election happening. The former I can understand, the latter just leaves me baffled.

Doobigetta · 08/06/2017 15:45

I used to support the idea of making voting mandatory (with a "none of the above" option), but thinking about it, I don't actually want to force a load of morons who don't take democracy seriously enough to inform themselves to vote. Someone like Farage would clean up in that scenario. Better that they stay at home if they aren't going to engage their brains.

Ollivander84 · 08/06/2017 15:46

I said above I know virtually nothing about politics. It's not because I'm stupid or dim or don't want to know, it's like my brain just doesn't take it in. Like some people can't follow directions, they just go blank after the first one, that's me with anything political unless it's blatantly obvious that it's a stupid idea
So I read loads, did those who should you vote for quizzes, read summary things. It still fits on a postage stamp what I know but I felt a bit more educated rather than sticking a mark on blindly

Radishal · 08/06/2017 15:47

Surely it's "people who don't vote" or do we not give a shit about men who are also ignorant dickheads.
Spoil your bloody paper if you don't know who to vote for.

PortiaFinis · 08/06/2017 15:51

I just think that if people haven't thought about it, read about it and looked at their MPs voting records etc then they should be forced into making some sort of choice - what good would loads of people being pressured into making an ill-informed choice do?

StudentLoansQuestion · 08/06/2017 15:53

Then they could just spoil their paper Portia.

PortiaFinis · 08/06/2017 15:54

Sorry, that should be people should NOT be forced into making an ill-informed choice.

BillSykesDog · 08/06/2017 15:54

But if voters are apathetic surely that's the fault of the political parties who aren't offering anything they can feel passionate about? Not the fault of voters.

silkpyjamasallday · 08/06/2017 15:55

All the parties, even the women's equality party, are throwing women under the bus by pandering to the trans agenda, so I can't get annoyed about specifically women choosing not to vote on that basis. I'm not. I'm sure the suffragettes wouldn't be supportive of allowing born males into rape crisis centres or women's toilets and changing rooms by having no more than the 'feeling' that they are a lady. They campaigned for the right to vote, which is a choice, you can't shout at people because they have made a different choice to you. Some people who don't vote may be uneducated and ignorant, but by no means all.

PeanutButterCheesecake · 08/06/2017 15:58

I did my research (and filled in a couple of tick the box online questionnaires that tell you who you match with best) and fundamentally I am Conservative. But I disagree with their current cuts to education and the NHS. So I'm not voting as I can't even pick the best of a bad bunch.

If I could vote against idiot fuckers who go to A and E for headaches and broken fingernails, I would do that.

SeanSpicer · 08/06/2017 15:58

BillSykes I agree with you there, the political parties need to engage people more but at the same time don't they just try and engage the people that they know vote? Eg usually lots for over 65s, little for 18-24s as they don't vote? So until they vote (whether they vote for a party or spoil their vote) it won't change?

Louiselouie0890 · 08/06/2017 15:59

I probably was disengaged if that's the right word to it in the past I'm in my twenties was never ever taught anything about it in school and grew up in a family that never spoke about it.

I am interested in it and did "dip my toe in the water" so to say and it blew my mind. I read what they would like to do etc etc but then you get all the who the heck believes this crap this papers biased this simply isn't true etc etc and then a load of spout about stuff I knew nothing about it made it all very confusing I struggled to know what to belive/understand. I liked some of what labour said but then read they were going to bankrupt the country and giving unrealistic promises. So I liked labours ideas but if there going to bankrupt us then why would I vote that I don't understand d enough to know why it would bankrupt us etc.

So to answer im not lazy or not interested or delusional I find it interesting it's just so intimidating to someone stepping into it.
When I did talk about it I got my head ripped off because people are so strongly opinionated over it insead of someone just having a conversation over it which is a problem.

Just look at some replies on threads, your excuse isn't good enough your lazy your a disgrace. I'd rather learn be confident I understand rather than just go in blindly and being blamed "your the reason it's fucked up because you voted with no idea" so either way it pisses someone off.
My sister recently said she was ashamed and I should go burn my bra in the back garden instead of chatting and explaining. There's nothing wrong with people saying hey I don't understand it. I'm trying but not quite got it yet.

FloralTribute · 08/06/2017 16:05

But Louise and Ollivander, what is it that you don't understand/that your brain won't take in?

IWillCrushYouLikeABug · 08/06/2017 16:07

Women didn't die for the "option" to vote. I assume they naively thought any sane adult human would use their vote to further theirs and their children's lives. Im sure the suffragettes were not expecting the complete lack of interest from women who are only in a privileged enough to not fucking bother situation because of their acts of courage.

IWillCrushYouLikeABug · 08/06/2017 16:09

Louise there are many non party affiliated websites where you can get an unbiased opinion on the best party for you

DeleteOrDecay · 08/06/2017 16:09

A family member of Dp's refuses to vote because she "doesn't understand it". She won't engage with any discussion if the subject comes up. It's sad because a lot of what's been going on over the past few years will have affected her greatly.

To me it's not that she doesn't understand it, it's that she doesn't want to understand it. It's a bit like lying on the sofa after a party whilst everyone around you cleans up the mess.

You can't complain about the job they do and how a parties policies affect you if you don't make the effort to make your voice heard.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 08/06/2017 16:09

I agree with your post, LouiseLouie, the posters that are so diffident and aloof about those who are not are possibly the reason why this country is in a mess. They've diligently leapt on every piece of propaganda and immersed themselves in the political morass feeling all superior and confident... and voted in what we have now. Great.

All seems like an own goal to me. We have NO party worth voting for, in my opinion, none of them are working for me, for what I believe in and yet I have to vote one of them in - or spoil the paper which doesn't actually change anything as we'll still have one of the fuckers in charge.

It's time to stop berating women who don't/won't vote, regardless. They have their reasons and they're entitled not to if they don't want to End of.

I vote, impotently, because I feel I should do it, so I do it. Am I happy and proud of myself for that? Not.at.all.

Louiselouie0890 · 08/06/2017 16:16

I gave an example. I read about labour but then conservatives say it's unrealistic they refuse to say where the funds will come from and it will bankrupt us. So if conservatives are harsh but realistic then I'd rather do that than be bankrupt but how do I know if it will bankrupt us or what will happen if it does.
Another the land tax came up but then read something about of 3 percent and it wasn't in his manifesto it was in his manifesto it might not happen they're making it up this papers biased this companies biased. Then there's jeremy corbyn and the IRA and he's a threat and will let any tom dick and harry in. It's a minefield.

WinifredAtwellsOtherPiano · 08/06/2017 16:16

I do think it's odd that nobody ever guilt-trips working class UK men into voting because people fought and died to give them the right to do so. It's the great forgotten struggle. I guess because they wimped out on encompassing female suffrage they're not uncomplicated heroes - it's much like US suffragettes (largely) excluding black women and men.

I assume that black people in the US and South Africa do get bollocked by friends and relative if they say they can't be bothered to vote, though I don't know for sure.

IWillCrushYouLikeABug · 08/06/2017 16:21

I guilt trip men. I just don't do it on a site largely frequented by women.

Louiselouie0890 · 08/06/2017 16:24

Of course there's unbiased websites but doesn't mean I'm going to understand it all. So it's all confusing and then you have all the arguing and belittling and shaming on top. I want to understand it before I vote I dont see that as a bad thing. I'm just starting to learn about it and there's a lot to learn.

I wouldn't want to vote something I don't understand and then wonder why schools are having cuts or the NHS it's a bit daft in my eyes.

I think going in with no clue is just as bad. I'm not lazy or stupid uneducated yes but I'm trying I shouldn't be belittled because of that. I think there was a blip of people around my age not being educated on it or having it a presence in there life as lots of people my age are uneducated about it and then all they end up listening too is this persons a liar this isn't true your stupid lazy dumb no wonder it puts some people off. I do think people are becoming more aware of it though least people around me and that's a good thing just it takes time with some people

SeanSpicer · 08/06/2017 16:28

Louise I can understand your confusion, it's an absolute minefield sometimes. I also feel that it seems everybody else has an encyclopaedic knowledge of politics and knows exactly who did a U-turn on a particular domestic policy in 1992 and why that directly contributes to this particular situation and you feel like you have to follow it obsessively and read every single proposed policy/manifesto/white paper to even feel vaguely informed. And know all of British politics back to the formation of the Labour Party or else you're an idiot.

IWillCrushYouLikeABug · 08/06/2017 16:29

I don't think being uneducated is an out. You have free access to all the same info about the current parties as everyone else. But anyway I was actually saying there are websites you can answer the questions and it tells you who you should vote for based on your own morals

IWillCrushYouLikeABug · 08/06/2017 16:30

www.whoshouldyouvotefor.com

Belindarocks · 08/06/2017 16:31

Some of the women I meet due to my work haven't heard of T May or Brexit. They don't vote( unless taken along by a male relative who instructs them who to vote for).

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