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AIBU?

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Original poster

To despise people who don’t vote

154 replies

Unfinishedkitchen · 27/05/2019 08:37

Found out recently that a friend who complains about the possibility of Brexit didn’t actually bother to vote in the 2016 ref. I know of a few people who couldn’t be bothered to vote in the recent EU elections although it appears they have plenty to complain about.

I actually feel like distancing myself from them. I know at least one of them has bothered to in to vote on one of those stupid ITV talent shows.

There’s some woman right now on the radio saying she didn’t vote because she’s fed up and doesn’t know who to vote for!

Why are so many people happy to be bystanders in things that affect their lives and those of their loved ones? Maybe that movie ‘Idiocracy’ was a premonition?

OP posts:
EnthusiasmIsDisturbed · 27/05/2019 09:06

You don’t have to vote for a party in Australia you can make the choice to not select any party

Not a system I would want here I have the right if I choose to not vote

As for the referendum I think very very few of us were really qualified to vote but the choice was given we know who won

I know people who didn’t vote in the referendum as they felt the didn’t understand the complexities of he EU enough to vote

Mammatino · 27/05/2019 09:07

I am sorry for the prick comment it was really rude. I just didn't feel anyone was listening and all the bumf we got through the door seemed to be from people as ill informed as me. I feel a bit like brexit is happening to someone else and no one can help me understand the impact on me and my family. It is such a frustrating situation and it seems when people vote it can just be changed anyway.

ZippyBungleandGeorge · 27/05/2019 09:08

If people are so apathetic as to not vote, maybe they shouldn't, a decision like that should be reasoned and considered, which you won't get from people who don't care about the democratic process.
Obviously some people don't vote because they can't or it's made very difficult, which is a different matter, and all attempts should be made to engage the disenfranchised.

Danglingmod · 27/05/2019 09:09

I think you're wrong, OP, and agree with a pp.

I'd actually prefer that people who don't feel informed don't vote at all.

Danglingmod · 27/05/2019 09:09

But you are right, that they shouldn't then complain, of course.

SciFiRules · 27/05/2019 09:09

I'm interested what people didn't understand about the European elections - or any election for that matter.

ZippyBungleandGeorge · 27/05/2019 09:10

Also voting in a TV

bananasandwicheseveryday · 27/05/2019 09:10

I strongly believe we should vote, but I also completely understand that sometimes a choice NOT to vote is equally valid. I have always voted apart from twice - once when I was in hospital and could not get out to vote and last week when I chose not to vote in an election we shouldn't have been having. I resent the money spent on it when do many of our institutions - NHS, education, law and order, are being allowed to go to hell in a handcart for lack of funding. I see last weeks ele took as a complete failure of our politicians on all sides. You can despise me all you want. My non vote was a choice and just as valid as your vote.

ZippyBungleandGeorge · 27/05/2019 09:11

Also voting in a TV talent show and voting in a general election should be mutually exclusive.

Lockheart · 27/05/2019 09:11

If you don't know who to vote for or you don't want to vote for any of the candidates then you should still go and spoil your ballot.

The turnout on Thurs was what, less than 40% (taken from the few results I saw read out last night)? Imagine if 60% of the vote had gone to spoilt ballots. That sends a message. Sitting at home quietly doing nothing doesn't.

The turnout for the EU referendum was only 72%. The latest GE was 68%.

There are a shocking amount of people who don't vote. Quite how anyone can say anything is the will of the people when a significant number of the people don't register an opinion is beyond me.

I think the Australian system of mandatory voting is interesting but I'd need to read up further on it. We certainly need more education in this country on why voting is important. It doesn't get taught in schools (or it didn't in mine!) so it was up to my parents. If you have interested parents, great. If your parents dont vote and aren't engaged, then you're probably less likely to vote and will pass that on to your own children. Which means there are whole sections of society whose voices aren't being heard at all, and that's very sad.

Imagine how different the political landscape would look if everyone voted, even if it was just a spoilt ballot.

SciFiRules · 27/05/2019 09:13

Well banana, I guess you would have voted for one of the brexit parties, so as I'm a remainer I'm glad you didn't vote!
Get ready for the total dismantling of the NHS if brexit does happen.

YouJustDoYou · 27/05/2019 09:15

I despise people who get on their high horse about people not voting.

IamHyouweegobshite · 27/05/2019 09:16

First time I haven't voted this year. Couldn't really give a shit if you despise me. Both of the main parties are a complete shambles, throwing Brexit back and forward like a ping pong ball, nobody making a decision, for the sake of the country. There is no one decent in the line up to take over May, it's a complete farce. I think maybe we should have a GE, and hopefully knock both Tory and Labour off the top spot...but that's not going to happen.

NannyMcfanny · 27/05/2019 09:18

Oh fuck off!

The only people who shouldn't complain are the people that voted for this mess!

EnthusiasmIsDisturbed · 27/05/2019 09:19

Right wing factions don't want people to vote. They prefer apathy and encourage it

Mmm that’s why populist right wing parties have done so well in the last five years

It’s quite the opposite

TemporaryPermanent · 27/05/2019 09:19

It's true I don't really understand why people don't just go and spoil their ballot papers. I find it frustrating that turnout is so low. But allowing emotions like despising people into your life is not good.

UrsulaPandress · 27/05/2019 09:23

I wish everyone did vote but I really don't think it should be compulsory.

newjobnerves · 27/05/2019 09:25

I feel the same about most votes, but not Brexit. It was far too complex and should never have been put to a public vote, especially with the shambolic amount of information put out there, so no, I always understood why people didn't feel they could vote in the referendum.

I'm quite disappointed in the EU elections, I've no doubt scores of people who do have an opinion on leave or remain didn't vote given the low turnout, I appreciate the elections don't count for much but it's potentially the last opportunity we have to state our opinions before risking crashing out of the EU.

scaryteacher · 27/05/2019 09:25

I think not voting can be as much a protest as spoiling your ballot paper.

It can also be down to disorganisation (looks hard at ds), who despite being told many times to register as an overseas voter and get a postal proxy in place, didn't bother. I have been telling him to do this since September 18....so I have no sympathy for him.

EngTech · 27/05/2019 09:27

People have the right to vote, or not to vote, it is called democracy

However, it would be interesting to tally up the spoilt ballot papers.

That should tell the politicians something?

Come the GE and JC gets in, with no majority, will be interesting to hear the complaints but no doubt, Labour will resist the call for. second vote as some may consider it the wrong result?

How can the politician regain the trust of the electorate or is it a case of a plague upon all your houses scenario?

There will of lot of discussions behind closed doors in the coming days

Lockheart · 27/05/2019 09:33

@scaryteacher no it can't, because it doesn't get registered and counted.

Spoilt ballots must be counted in the official result, non-voters are not. If they were, then the results for the non-voters would have out-performed both labour and the conservatives at the last general election, and they're certainly not holding any seats in parliament!

If the non-voters had been counted in the EU referendums then it would have been something like 28% no opinion, 36% leave 36% remain. Which it obviously wasn't.

If all the non-voters had spoilt their ballots, however...

codenameduchess · 27/05/2019 09:35

If someone has abstained because they feel there is no option for them I get it, almost. I've had similar feelings and just voted for the best of a bad bunch and a friend of mine vote swapped.

However, people who can't be arsed or 'don't understand' infuriate me. I was in a conversation right before the last GA about the Tory v Labour, and one woman in the room said 'oh I don't vote, I don't understand how it works and I'm just a woman anyway so it doesn't affect me' 😳 I launched into a bit of a monologue at that, 1) if you don't understand it's very easy to look it up. There's even websites to help guide you on which party is best for you! 2) women fought hard for the right to vote and 3) it affects EVERYONE! and this person has lived entirely from benefits for 12 years- id say the government has a pretty big effect on her life.

Immediately disengaged from her.

NauseousMum · 27/05/2019 09:36

Not much point spoiling your ballot. A bunch of people fill them out wrong anyways, the numbers are lumped in together- means very little.

I couldn't vote as i moved house and it wasn't through in time. I have no idea who i would have voted for, only who i wouldnt.

You don’t have to vote for a party in Australia you can make the choice to not select any party

I think I'd prefer that, or a 'no confidence in any' square. More representative of the truth then spoiling or not voting.

scaryteacher · 27/05/2019 09:38

@Lockheart Isn't that rather the point? If there was genuinely no-one for whom I wanted to vote, then I would not vote, rather than wasting my energy spoiling a ballot paper. Imagine if no-one turned out to vote as a protest....what message would that send? It's basically an abstention, and we allow MPs to abstain, and accept that.

Lockheart · 27/05/2019 09:45

@scaryteacher wasting energy? It took me less than 2 mins to do on my way into work.

The thing is, if you don't vote they don't give a fuck about you. They don't care why you didn't vote, because they don't have to listen to you. If you vote, your voice gets heard.

Voter turnout is abysmally low in this country and I don't think I've ever heard one party discuss it in their manifesto. They don't care how low the turnout is and in some cases they quite like that because it means they have a better chance at winning a majority in certain areas.

So no, abstaining is not a protest. Spoiling a ballot is, because it means you cared enough to turn up and you still don't want any of the options in front of you and you are telling them that.