To have exercised my right NOT to vote in today's elections

[taratill]

Just as the question says.

First time I have not voted in my adult life (24 years).

Just can't bring myself to vote for either party. Traditional labour voter but Corbyn is impossible to vote for (anti-semetic/views on self ID)

Torn between feeling guilty and hoping that enough people have not voted / there are voter analysis done that realise that labour have lost votes due to this and will evoke a change of leadership!

I voted for the local councillors who stand for the local issues I think are important.

We have several huge projects trying to get through at the moment which will change the whole character of our area - how thatey are dealt with is crucial.

Really it is about bins and potholes, ( weekly collections are something to fight for especially for poorer people with no outside space and smaller or cramped living conditions. Not a national issue (unless the bins self -ID .

I was stood in the booth for good 5 min. Couldn’t vote for anyone. Did bring myself to vote in the end but don’t feel good about it. All terrible choices

Do spoilt ballot papers get read as in noted for their comments by parties or are they ignored and just registered as ‘spoilt’ ??

YANBU. If we're supposed to vote, we need a 'none of the above' option.

I spoiled my ballot, but the daughter of the local MP will walk it just because of the party she's standing for.

Dear god, Corbyn is not anti-Semitic 🧘‍♂️

For someone who's apparently not anti-Semitic, Jezza seems to spend an awful lot of time sticking up for raving, frothing racists . Shit sticks.

Not voting isn’t a protest.

Even if you don’t vote, by not even getting your number scratched off the electoral role all you’ve said to the powers that be is that you dint care enough to even turn up.

Therefore issues relevant to your demographic have sunk another notch lower on their priority list.

Not v clever IMO

If this is about trans I just posted this on the other thread

I don't quite understand. You have a strong principled objection to the way various political parties are dealing with the TRA issue, one I actually agree with. However the ballot is about issues at a local level - housing, schools, roads. As far as I can see non of the parties is only standing on the TRA issue so why wouldn't you vote on the local issues and continue the campaign with the people with power to change, or start to lobby whoever does get elected locally to try to influence their national leaders?

why cant you vote for JC ?
he is no more anti Semite than you are, there are anti semites in all walks of life but i ve not read a single labour policy that even hints at AS.
JC is anti the policies of the Israeli state, specifically toward the Palestinians.
Allowing the tories to win with their blatant discriminatory policies toward ethnic minorities, the poor, the young and women, is just letting them off the hook.
I think you wasted your chance to make a difference however small.

Absolutely delighted that you are spoiling your ballot paper. Some at least of them are looked at by the candidates.

Finally, jasjas some sense in this chat

So glad you decided to go to the polling station and spoil your ballot paper - far more effective protest than not going.

www.itv.com/news/central/2017-06-08/what-happens-now-to-my-ballot-paper/

They are counted. Officially they're not analysed - unofficially legible comments are noted.

Corbyn is utterly useless as is his front bench. God defend us from the incompetent Abbott and the metropolitan elite of twat Thornbury. My poor Labour Party raped by momentum.

Poor labour but far far worse poor Britain with such a dreadful shower of shite notholding the tories to account

And local elections DO matter - how do you think the parties decide which policies are working and which aren't? They don't only rely on opinion polls.

What people actually decide to vote for is what politicians need to know.

Graphists thanks that’s interesting

Personally I think it should be compulsory and there should be a "none of the above" option (alternatively titled 'like fuck am I voting for any of this shower of shite' )

What's MOST worried me today is seeing the insistence on ID that many poor people don't possess or they've been turned away.

That is scarily close to only allowing the rich to vote.

So actually ou are a tory. Fine. Dont pretend you would have voted for Corbyn were it not for those reasons. Anti semitism is a bullshit reason.

You’re an idiot

Right I'm back, low turn out apparently.

Graphista, thank you. I am still going to write to my local labour councillor / MP to describe my conundrum.

jasjas and somefolk I wasn't asking if my opinion is right. It's my opinion and I'm entitled to it. And I'm definitely not as anti-semetic as Corbyn, that's as loony as he is!

Thanks all for your help. I do feel better having gone.

I know that local elections are not the same as general ones on a broader political point but they are looked at as indicators of public opinion which is why I felt so conflicted.

Sorry so meant to say IF the reason you're not voting is a specific issue, writing legibly eg

NO to self ID

would actually be effective. More effective though to actually contact the candidates (not just the incumbent) to tell them "this is why I am not voting for you/your party"

I voted labour locally I wouldn't vote for Corbyn and not because of the anti semitism stuff.

Or self ID

But you are voting for local Councillors. Surely you have an opinion?

No I'm not an idiot nor a Tory, just depressed by the current labour leadership which is so ineffectual it is allowing Theresa May to remain in power.